Xi'An and beyond

Xi'An is a wonderful city wherein the old city walls are still intact and in use. it's geographically logical - centered around the Bell Tower and extending north to the North Gate on North Street, east to the East Gate on East Street, etc. my hostel, Xiang Zi Men Youth Hostel, is right on the South City Wall - about 2 minutes' walk to the South Gate.

it was a wonderful place to stay. when i changed my reservations from dorm room to private room (because i got sick), they put me on the third floor where there were the least number of guests. it was very peaceful for someone who unexpectedly stayed longer than hoped in her room.

the building itself is gorgeous. when i get a chance, i'll post pictures of my hostel. yes - my hostel was picture-worthy...

i got to see the Terracotta Warriors earlier this afternoon. actually, i almost went yesterday - trying to take the city bus. i wasn't feeling all that great and after a number of taxi drivers harrassed me while i was waiting for the city bus, i decided to go back to the hostel and try again today via arranged tour. i was feeling rather tuckered.

i'm quite glad i did because it was much less crowded today (Monday) than it would've been yesterday (weekend). anyway, i was feeling more energetic and even met some nice fellow travellers on the tour: three guys traveling from Sweden (via the Trans-Mongolian Railway), two women from Scotland (also traveling via the T-M R), two women who studied in Manchester together (one from Norway; the other from Mexico City), an Australian woman who's on her 8th month of travel (just one more to go) and an older Pakistani couple.

so this emperor who commanded 720,000 workers to build an army of Terracotta Warriors (complete with weapons, chariots, etc.) was a bit crazy. he not only spent 40 years of his living years creating a whole other kingdom to rule in his death (his mausoleum is the largest in the world), he also "protected" his mausoleum with a zillion booby-traps including a lake of mercury - which is why his mausoleum is yet to be excavated. it is said that he drank mercury with the belief that it would give him long life; historians believe it's what contributed to his madness. that being said, Emperor Qinshihuang also conquered six nations and is responsible for unifying China and starting the Qin dynasty. numerous people cruelly died during his rule - either as subject or as foe.

i'm disappointed that i didn't get to visit Mt. Huashuan while i was here. illness kept me close to my room. but i'm looking forward to my next leg. the overnight train to Chongqing (aka Chungking Express) leaves here at 10:26 p.m. i will arrive in the morning, will check out the city for a few hours, have famous Chongqing hot pot and board a small cruise boat in the evening. then i'll spend the next few days traveling through the gorges on the Yangtze River. i have heard it will be a sight to be seen, and unforunately soon to be destroyed once the Three Gorges Dam is complete and the entire area is flooded out.