Xi'an

After a sad goodbye to Sabrina and Luc, I took myself off to the train station to catch a train to Xi'an, in China's northen region. At the train station I was accosted by several, very friendly and enthusiastic, Chinese woman. They all wanted to chat to me and make sure I was ok. The problem was that they spoke only Mandarin and I English. So the conversation went something like this.
Women: Chinese, Chinese, Chinese.
Me: Yeah nice weather and thanks that'd be great!
Women: More Chinese.
Me: Yeah, love to have a nice raost and a decent glass of milk!
Women: Bla, Bla, Bla.
Me: Sure that'd be nice.
Us: Hahahahaha!!
In the end I gave up trying to explain that I don't speak Mandarin and they certainly can't speak English, thanks for the help but I'm Ok.
And they gave up telling me that I was in a top Sleeper. Something I already knew considering I booked the ticket!
Very funny anyway.
So on the train and the usual obligatory stares, we were on our way to Xi'an and I was looking forward to getting an early night. Not to be however, as I was greeted by a friendly little face, of a young woman, who was very keen to practice her English. She did so by going through every page of my Mandarin/English conversation book, page by page. Something which took forever and at a painful pace. My saving grace was that the lights were turned out at exactly 10:30 pm. When I climbed in to my top bunk, three levels up, I was greeted by stares from the man across from me and when I awoke, there he was still staring! I wondering if he even slept?
Xi'an is yet another city surrounded by a protective wall. However only parts of the historical city remain and instead is a modern bustling hive within. I was there to see the Terricotta Worrriors. Thousands of years ago an Emperor built a Muselium for himself sourounded by an innner city palace and an outter city community. Beyond the walls of the city he built a great army of Terricotta Worriors, horses, a charriot and archers, all to protect him in the after life. These Worriors were distroyed by the new Emperor after the firsts demise. The army was discovered in 1976 and has been escavated and rebuilt over the last 30 years. The work is still continuing at night and is open to tourists during the day.
I did a tour of the area which was rather amusing. We stopped off at a mountain, which from our own discovery, was were one of the leaders during Moa time went to hide. Later being discvovered and forced to unite and fight against the Japanese. Our tour was all in Chinese and our so called English guides English, was very simple. Then we visited the Muesum of the Emporer's Muselium and then to the actually Muselium itself....Finally off to the Terricotta Worriors. I was awe struck at the sight of "toy soldiers" lined up in a neat line to protect a man in an after life. Each Worriors face was different. Each expression , hair, face shape, features and body shape all differed from each other. The detail was amazing. No wonder this is one of the Wonders of the World!