Xi'an and a Farewell to China

From Pingyao we took an overnight train to Xi'an. To our surprise and excitement the city was dusted in snow, other than seeing some snow from the window of our train going to Shanghai a few weeks ago, this was our first snow of our travels. Xi'an, like Pingyao, is a walled city, but unlike Pingyao within Xi'an's much larger walls you will find malls and McDonalds. Even with the modern feel of Xi'an it was a nice city to explore. There are 2 large towers (Bell Tower & Drum Tower) and the Muslim Quarter (an area with tons of food and street stalls) so we had plenty to see when we arrived.











We had two nights in Xi'an. The first day was spent exploring the city and the second was to take the 2 hour ride out to see the famed Terracotta Army, our main reason for the stop over in Xi'an. We booked a tour with our hostel and even though it was a large group and we typically shy away from tours it was a fun, although very cold, day.















The Terracotta Army is a rather impressive sight. There are over 8,000 soldiers all sculpted with amazing detail, down to the strands of their hair, and no two faces were alike.



Xi'an was our last stop in China before we flew to Delhi, India. China was a challenging country for us, I think both since it was a tough country to travel in as well as the fact it was over the holiday season (we both got a little home sick). That being said it was a great destination and we are glad we were able to experience it. Now we are both excited to see India and what it has in store for us.

Ancient Pingyao

Leaving the bustling streets of Beijing we headed back south to the smaller city of Pingyao. We had heard about Pingyao from a couple we had met in Shanghai and they described it as a more "untouched" view of China. The old area of Pingyao is surrounded by a 12 meter tall wall and retains much of it's original ancient architecture. We stayed inside the walls in an beautiful old renovated courtyard house that was built in 1736.











Unfortunately the weather in Pingyao was very chilly, it only got above freezing for our last day and we took advantage of that with a run around the inside of the wall. With the cold temps we kept our sightseeing to short trips around the city and then returning to our cozy room. The Yi De Hotel was definitely an oasis and one of favorite accommodations so far with a giant Kang style bed the width of the room.



Even with the weather we got out and spent our time walking along the wall and wondering the quiet streets visiting some of the ancient temples. Walking through Pingyao was like walking into the past. So much so that you see piles of coal lining the streets which are used to to heat the buildings. There is a strong odor in the air of the burning coal and a film of black covers just about everything. While it seems to add to the authenticity of the city you can't help but feel a sadness for what it's doing to the environment or people's health.



















We chose to spend an extra day in Pingyao so we wouldn't celebrate New Year's Eve on an overnight train to Xi'an. We had a nice dinner and enjoyed some Great Wall red to round off an amazing year.

A Proper Winter Holiday in Beijing

Ross and I spent a week in Beijing, exploring its hutongs (narrow alleys, formed by courtyard residences) and seeing the abundant sights. Beijing really is a fascinating city, the traffic is unrelenting, and the modern and the ancient blends seamlessly. We rode the subway everywhere and were once again astonished at the sheer number of people. It was very cold while we were there, in the 20s most days, so it finally felt like a proper winter and Christmas time to us.

We started off our sightseeing at Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City served as the Chinese imperial palace and the architecture is very impressive. It was fun to see what opulence the former emperors of China lived in.



















We also made a trip to the Beijing Zoo to catch a glimpse of the giant pandas. I have never seen a panda before and I have to say that they are about the cutest animals on the planet! We had fun running around the panda house trying to catch them playing about. We stayed out as long as the chilly weather would allow.















We also visited the Summer Palace, the summer getaway for many of China's past emperors. The natural landscape of hills and lakes combined with pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges is a beautiful example of Chinese landscape and design.















We spent a very Merry Christmas hiking the Great Wall and were blown away with the sight.

It was a fun week and a great way for us to celebrate the holidays.

Some Fun Observations about China:
1. Chinese people spit A LOT, it is very common to hear people hawking and spitting all day long, in the street, shops, supermarkets, and on buses and trains.
2. Chinese people will eat anything! All kinds and parts of animals are available on menus. Ross and I had some great meals but had our fill of dumplings and noodles and got pretty excited to find a Subway where we could share a good old turkey sandwich and a cookie!
3. The fingernails... similar to Vietnam the men like to grow long them long in China, mostly on the pinky finger
4. Smoking, almost everywhere, non-smoking areas don't seem to exist, even when there are signs, which brings me to #5
5. General disregard of regulations and laws, there are lots of signs and warnings but people seem to do what they please with no consequence
6. "Me First" the people push, shove, and cut in line (if you are lucky enough to actually have a line) like it is no big thing, it seems rude to us, but it is how the people function. Getting on and off the subway Ross and I would just stand back in awe as people pushed their way through.
7. Although the people seemed quite aggressive to us we noticed that they would politely give their bus/train seats up for children and the elderly and several times offered seats to me. They were very kind and patient with us, which with the language barrier was invaluable.
8. Personal space is a luxury the Chinese are not afforded. The people are unphased by having to share very close quarters with others, something I think Ross and I are getting more comfortable with ourselves as we continue to travel.