XIAN 西安 JULY 2007

西安 XIAN (Peaceful City in the West)

Right now I am in an internet cafe in Xian.

Today I went and saw the Terracotta warriors.

They are awesome.

I have always been reluctant to travel to Xian because I thought it would be super touristy. The Terracotta warriors are one of the 7 wonders of the world. But it is a cool city. green, clean, easy going, friendly, it has some old architecture - like an intact city wall. but is is mostly modern architecture. however, the modern architecture is subtle and nice adn surrounded by trees. unlike beijing which has some real eyesores. Also there is GRASS!!!!! I can see green and yesterday the sky was blue.

Yesterday John said "Oh I can see a cloud, the first time in months"

I said "Oh is that because the sky in Beijing is just one big cloud"

We are travelling with 3 other French people who are friends with John. Its kinda fun. It is good travel in a group but everything has its good side and bad side.
Can you imagine everytime we want to go somewhere or eat or whatever we have to consider see what everyone wants. it would be easier with 2 people. John and I are splitting from the group for the rest of the journye.

The train has been awesome. I have seen rice paddies, farmers, old buidlings, mountains, amazing sights. plus shared cabins with really friendly chinese people. many Chinese people are very kind and friendly. althought some try to rip you off.
But mostly I have encountered honesty and kindness.

I love the hard seat train (the cheapest class of train ticket). I like being with the people. Especially the people who don't speak english. I have done the soft sleeper. booooring. all middle class people who speak english and have traveled in the west.

There is something so rusty about a hard seat/sleeper. like being in an old war movie. it feels really real and alive. true. it is beautiful in its own run down way.

So Xian.

There is a bell tower. It chimes. this really deep but subtle calm chime which casts a spell over this city.

People are less stressed than beijing. People don't constantly honk their horns and gettting in to massive yelling matches on street corners here.

Yeah sure the taxi drivers still nearly kill me everytime i get in one. Im holidays so i am more relaxed when i see a bus nearly crash into the side of the cab i am in.

This backpackers is awesome.

its summer. the weather is not too hot. yeah if you climb a mountain it would be but - Australia is much much hotter than China. people are always raving that China is unbearably hot.

So yesterday we arrived in Xian from the train. I was dazed and confused after getting on the train at 1.45pm and then sleeping. Because I was sleepy i think it made me more open to the beauty here. I went to the Big Goose Pagoda - it is beatufiul. there were dark wooden buddhist carvings, stone carvings, gardens, peaceful, the trees looked like they were meditating, limp with relaxation. I loved it - it was clean, done up. yeah not everything is dusty and falling appart here.

Also Xian seems to put on an effort (also Pingyao) traditional dancers - in traditional dress and stuff. its like beijing is so big they dont have to try.

If I move to China every again I would move to Xian.
However, keep in mind I had had negative expectations about this place. so that might be effecting my view.