Today we enjoyed a big breakfast and relaxed at the hotel and then went to the airport by taxi to catch our flight to Sanya. We were once again amazed by the speed and efficiency of the check in process. We had a good flight, but it must have been the noisiest  flight I’ve ever been on. The locals were headed to their “Hawaii” at the start of the “Golden Week” holiday period. They were chatting to each one another from one end of the plane to the other, hands were constantly fiddling with the overhead light and air vent controls, as well as the stewardess call buttons.  When we arrived in Sanya it was noticeably hotter and more humid, but nothing like Dhahran.   Xia Xia, who was 14 and could speak some English,  and her  dad Yuan-man  were waiting with a driver (a friend) when we arrived.  We all squeezed into the car and went to the Ma’s apartment.  We met June’s sister in law at the apartment after we got there and then went straight to bed.  By this time Monica had the flu and Wilson was pretty much recovered. Our one week home stay with a local family had begun.

   A good nights sleep and a big breakfast  at around 7:30. We booked a tour through the hotel the night before, so all we had to do was wait for the bus and the tour guide. After collecting other people from their various hotels we when to see  the  Big  Goose Pagoda.  It was no longer raining, and the temperature was very comfortable with a little bit of sun. From there we went to the Bamboo Neolithic Village, supposedly over 6,000 years old. They buried their dead children just outside their dwellings inside big jugs. As we were driving away Monica realized she had left her camera in the wash room. The bus went back and she and the guide ran back in and recovered the camera!

The next stop was the terracotta warrior factory where you can get all kinds of souvenirs, furniture, carpets, pots, etc.  You can even order a full size warrior with your face on it! Monica chatted with a lady from Ireland who now lived in China. We didn’t buy anything but the tour guide told us all about others that bought (I’m sure he remembers his commission like it was yesterday)

The next stop was the Terracotta Warriors Museum, but first lunch. The lunch was good  with a selection of vegetables ,soup, beef, chicken ,fried rice, and noodles (long fat ones which are the local specialty ).  They even included one drink. We enjoy chatting with a  group of Spanish also. After lunch we continued on to see the Army of the Terracotta Warriors, very impressive and amazing that it was discovered not  very  long ago. It’s hard to believe that someone would go to all the trouble of making the warriors just so that they could be put underground. The emperor must have been very scarred of what was waiting for him when he died.

It was a long day; we returned to the hotel at about 8pm, checked our emails etc… and went to the room to relax.

Last night was one of the worst nights we can remember. The room reeked of smoke, and Wilson had a fever, He brought the flu from Beijing.  First order of business was to change rooms. At the front desk they showed us another room, which was marginally better. We decided to think on it as we had until noon to make up our mind. With umbrellas we walked around the shopping areas and looked for a place to have breakfast. Not feeling very adventurous after last night, we decide to eat inside the Mc Donald’s.  After breakfast we visit inside the famed Bell Tower & Drum Tower. We got to listen to some musical performances on unusual instruments while inside the tower. We found a place for a snack in the top of the department store, and while we were there we decided to call the Sheraton to see if they had a room. They offered us a good price on a non-smoking (really) room and we decided to go for it. We checked out and drug our bags to the drum tower to find a taxi. Luckily there was a passenger exiting from one, he steeped right into a deep puddle of water as he rushed to get out. It was kind of funny.

The Sheraton was a welcome relief. We spent the rest of the day in the sauna, or the Jacuzzi, at the big oriental buffet, or in the room. It was a good chance to recover.

We check out the hotel at 4:50am and the taxi came as arranged to pick us up and take us to the airport. The visa card did not work so we had to pay our bill in cash, I was not surprised. The taxi dropped us at terminal 3, which we quickly discovered was the wrong terminal.  We took the shuttle bus  to terminal 1, it was a long way away, but we enjoyed watching the antics of the half dozen Russian backpackers that were also headed to terminal 1. Each one of them must have had 4 or 5 small bags instead of one big one. We wondered how they managed to keep track of all of them.  Check in was quick and the airport security was tight – full body pat down for Wilson, but Monica just walked through.  We depart on time on HU 7137 at 7:55 to Xian

The food on the plane was rice porridge with to pickled green things, cherry tomatoes and juice. It amazed us that they bother to give food for such a short flight. We arrived at 10:00 in X’ian. The airport was nice, and the staff were helpful. They gave us some hotel information and directions to the bus that takes you downtown to the Melody hotel. It was raining when we got off the bus so we slipped into a café and got lunch (chicken curry and chicken with cashew nuts, both served with an orchid) while we ate we tried to figure out where we were going to stay that night.  We had heard that the Melody was not good so we called one of the hotels recommended by the airport information desk. It turned out that the hotel was just across the street so we grabbed our bags and hoofed it over there in the rain.  We check in asking for a no-smoking room. When we got to the room, the bell boy removed the ash trays and ‘viola’ it was instantly transformed into a no smoking room! On our way out to explore the area we stopped at the desk and complained, asking them to do something about the room. They said that they would and we left it at that.

We walked around the down town area and discovered that the subway was not complete, and the underground areas were being used as shops. We had coffee at the Starbucks, and chatted with an English lady visiting from Shanghai with her baby and Mother in law. We learned a bit about expat life in Shanghai. We decided to take advantage of the evening and went to the Tang Dynasty Show where we sat with an interesting French lady that lived in Mexico and was traveling around the world visiting her kids. The Show was an extravaganza with lots of costumes and Chinese music. When we were leaving we bumped into a couple of Aramcon’s can you believe it?

Before my flight to Xian I wanted to see the Big Goose Pagoda, but I got distracted by the park next to it. You see, so far I have only seen the "concrete jungle" with it's noise. Of course in the park there were loud speakers playing soft music and what I think were tai chi instructions. There were many old people tai chiing away. The younger people were running. One guy was just jumping up and down.

As, I walked through the park with it's many statues and art work, people kept coming up to me to show me were the entrance to the Big Goose Pagoda was. To them I was obviously lost.

The bus to the airport is also really easy to find. I just walked towards the train station and bumped into a bus with the words "Xian Airport" on it. It was parked on the sidewalk. I asked "how much?" and the guy held up 2 fingers and then 6 fingers. That's less than $4. Perfect!

As I stated before, no bus in China leaves with empty seats and the bus stayed parked there for about 1 hour waiting for more people. Of course by then I knew that would happen and I was in no danger of missing my flight. I even brought a book.

Shuyuan hostel is a great place to stay in Xıan. I had a nice double room with a shower room, so it was more like staying in a hotel really, but cheaper and probably better ın a way since it has all the amenities of a hostel, e.g. free internet, helpful English speaking staff, lots of information and tours you can go on (to the terracotta army, pandas etc.) a great cafe (Western and Chinese food) and a bar (where you can get a free beer every night!)... and also for a lone traveller it was a good place to meet people. It was also a great location inside the city walls by the south gate. The only downside I think possibly was as it was very busy and since it had a lively bar (which was also frequented by locals) it isn't the easiest place to sleep if you fancy an early night. Also because ıt was so busy I had to keep waiting till the following day to see if I could stay an extra night - which was ok in the end, but perhaps it would be advisable to book a while in advance. All ın all if you are a young(ish) traveller and want somewhere nice and cheap to stay where you can meet people and get help and advice from staff on sightseeing, booking travel tickets etc. I would definitely recommend staying here... and make sure you take advantage of the free beer (or alternatıvely go to the supermarket round the corner where it ıs only 2 yuan a bottle!!!)...

After we dropped off my bag, we headed to a nearby, very crowded restaurant.  Tom and Chen picked out foods they thought I would like.  We ended up with sweet and sour pork, green beans and garlic, and a vegetable Tom called "purple" that looked suspiciously like eggplant.

We then caught a taxi over to the wild goose pagoda for the fountain show.   It was incredibly crowded, Tom estimated there were at least 3,000 people there, in a fountain about the size of a football field.  During the show they played music and the fountains would spout high in the air.  Many people actually stood in the fountain to get drenched and dance.  We started watching from the top and then went down into a fountain in a place we thought we were safe.  But while Chen was taking a photo she stepped over to the side a little too far and a fountain turned on and drenched her.  Luckily it was a warm night, so she dried off quickly.

After the show, everyone was trying to get a taxi so it was impossible for us to get out of there.  We bought some candy coated grapes on a stick and a taxi showed up right when we were paying.  We ran across the street to make it in time.  By then it was too late to go anywhere, so we went back to Tom's for tea.

Tom showed me how to use their shower which was very complicated.  I had to stand with one foot on the toilet and another on a tub and reach up high to turn a lever, then repeat this when I was done.  I ended up sharing a bed with Chen for the night.  It was a typical Chinese bed- meaning it was a hard board with a thin comforter over it and a pillow I believe was filled with rice.  But I was exhausted so I had no problems sleeping at all!

The Sheraton Xian is a great place to stay. The hotel is a little ways outside the main part of the city so you will need to take a cabe to get into town. The staff was outstanding, they were able to assist us with every question we had. They helped arrange some tours around town and they even recommended a great place to view the solar eclipse from and arranged for a cab to get us there. Rooms were clean and comfortable. Bathroom was aged a bit, but still clean. Plenty of shops/restaurants in the vicinity.

From Shanghai we caught a lunch time flight to the original capital of China, Xian, home of the Terracotta Warriors. A highlight of any trip to China is the Terracotta Warrior Museum . The Terracotta Army was discovered in March 1974 by a local farmer drilling a water well to the east of Mount Lishan . In all, over 8000 life size soldiers and horses were constructed by the first Emperor Qin (Qin Shi Huangdi) in 210-209 BC. Their purpose was to help rule another empire with Shi Huangdi in the afterlife. The museum consists of three pits. The first and largest contains the largest collection while two smaller pits are a work in progress as the excavation continues. On our visit the original farmer was present in the gift shop signing books on the history of the Warriors.

Xian is both a modern and ancient city. The main city centre is contained within its old city walls which are intact. It is possible to cycle the entire wall in about three hours. The wall provides an extensive view of the city below and is in marked contrast to the high rise, glass fronted buildings that make up the modern Xian.

Despite its size of 6.5 million people, Xian is relatively easy to get around and the central town square with its bell tower an ancient mosque is worth wandering around. The mosque dates back to the period when Xian was at the end of the Silk Road and today hosts over 60,000 people of Muslim descent. Our night in Xian finished with a dinner and performance from the Tang Dynasty period. The performance showcased the song and customs from the Tang Dynasty period, the only Dynasty in China ’s history to be ruled by a woman Emperor.

This morning I got up early and took a bus to see the terracotta warriors. It was a very cheap bus, but that also meant that it took a long time to get there. We drove over a dirt road and the houses on the side of the road looked really poor. Most of them weren't even finished and people lived on and in between the rubble.

The terracotta army site is a pleasant park with some buildings in between. My guidebook told me to start with pit 2 and 3 and finish with the biggest: nr 1. That was a very good idea. Pit 2 was the pit that got destroyed just a copple of years after they finished it and so you mostly see pieces of men and horses. Pit 3 is very small, but very well preserved. In the front there are 4 horses ready to run. When I finally came to pit 1 I was wowed! This site is so big and most of it isn't even out from under the ground. You can walk around it and see the men from different sides. This was pretty difficult sometimes because there were a lot of people, as everywhere in China:-)

In the afternoon I took the bus back to the city and had a look at the drum and bell tower. Both are pretty big and very nice. I ended the day with a Starbucks coffee and observed the people around the square before going back to the hostel.

We flew from Shanghai Pudung International Airport to Xian, Shaanxi Province, China. The province of great emperors and tombs.
Xian, another name in Chinese is Chaing An - which, literarily means, "forever peaceful". It was the ancient capital for thirteen dynasties. And it is the only city in China now that still preserve the original city wall all around it.
We were told the people here are more mellow than those in Beijing and Shanghai. It's a big city of 5 million(?), but people tend to have a slower pace of life and are proud of the history of the city. Becuase it represents the ancient China.
The tour guide says: To visit a 2000 year old China, come to Xian, a 1000 year old China, go to Beijing and if you like to see a 100 year old China, then, you guess it -- Shanghai.

can't believe it is easy for me to moved by historied thing,maybe everyone has the same feeling too

Hey Guys,

Sorry its been awhile since I last wrote. Been doing really great lately on this side of the pond. Still not tired of the food and my volunteer work continues to be great. I learn more and more chinese every day and its amazing how willing these people are to teach you chinese. I have about another week here in Xian to go and then Im off to Beijing and Shanghai for a few days each. Sadly ill be leaving right before the olympics start so I wont be around for any of the action. I gotta run here, I know this is a short blog but I just wanted people to know that Im still alive. Ill write more before I leave.

Thad

Being dropped off by our personal driver to a very tall and luxurious hotel was overwhelming at first ... but I knew I had a schedule to meet so we quickly went in and were given our cards for our room and then 'dumped' our luggage and an expensive gift I had bought in Beijing and later bought a very expensive painting but the quality of service and the overall feeling I had went speaking to the staff gave me a sense of relaxation ... You may think this is funny but I need to know my valuables exspecially my passport is safe in the hotel as I never carry it with me throughout each and every tour. I don't like taking a chance on 'pick-pocketers' and I like leaving important valuables like that or gifts at hotels ... let's me enjoy myself instead of potentially leaving my purse 'somewhere' and losing everything. Well, at this hotel safety was not an issue. Cleaniness is part of their moto, for sure; there is a gym available for a nominal fee ... bed was comfy, and when I walked in there was no distinct smell of smoke ... though I have always asked for smoke free, some hotels have given what they think is smoke free but when I have walked in I can detect it ... not here though Though there are many other hotels in Xi'an, I will return here as the service and feeling of safety was felt at this hotel! Tianyu Gloria Plaza Hotel 15 North Yanta Road, Xian, Shaanxi Province 710054, P.R. China Tel: (86) 29-8786 8855 Fax: (86) 29-8786 4577 E-mail: gloria@gphxian.com www.gphxian.com

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to start off and say happy independence day! Kinda of sucks bein over here for that but you win some, you lose some. Been doin great over here for four weeks now, with another four weeks in China to go. Im done workin with the kids now and am now working with tour guides helping them with their english at a historic tea house in the middle of Xian. I know its been awhile since I last wrote but ive just been so busy over here. Last weekend I went to Chengdu which is in Sichuan province. For those of you who dont know where that is, the city is about 30 km north of where the earthquake was that destroyed a small town in China. As for Chengdu however, I didnt know what to expect when I got there. But when I arrived there was no damage at all to speak of, and if there was the, they did a great job of covering it all up or repairing it. While in Chengdu I couldnt believe how beautiful it was. The green parks, the beautiful center of the city with a Mao statue right in the middle. Me and some friends went out to eat and Sichuan is known for thier spicy foods so we couldnt wait. We have never had such great food but at the same time cried so much in our lives. We always had something to drink close by. We came in on a Friday, chilled that day and then on Saturday went to a mountain west of the city which had the worlds largest Buddha statue carved into the mountain. It was a great clear day and the views were aw inspiring at the least. Came back that night and did some stuff around the city and on Sunday went to the panda reserve. Was definatly worth the trip. I got to pet a panda while more friends were more bold and each paid 150 American dollars to hold fluffy for 30 seconds. I dont have that kind of money, nore am I going to blow half of my spending money on one thing. However I did get to hold a red panda for two minutes and that only cost me 7 American dollars. That I could live with, and plus it was real fluffy and light. Sharp claws however. Came back to Xian and have been working and trying to get sleep every time I can. Got to see a great event in China yesterday and that was because the Torch Relay came through Xian. I got to see the flame and also talk with one of the Torch Bearers who happen to be from London of all places. Wonder how he got a spot in the relay. Anyways, debating weather or not to go climb a mountain today and watch the sunrise in the morning. Well see in a little while. But I gotta run, ill update this again soon I promise. Have fun guys.

Thad