Xi'an Epistle

 

(or how the air in Xi'an is worse than in Beijing)

 

We did not get off to a good start in Xi'an. The flight there was about 90 minutes, thankfully, as the seats were not configured for people our size. However, we got there, landed, recovered our bags and headed out looking for the man with a sign "Paynters". We found him!

The Guide, who turned out to be John, looked at us with a very puzzled expression. Right then, I should have realized that the Travel Gods were going to get us yet again. He led us to the waiting car .. yes, that's right .. a car. Well, I tried to get into the back seat and 5 minutes later, I was almost in! The clown in Richmond BC who orchestrated this fiasco was JBC Tours. "Oh", says John, "you will need a van". That is what I stressed to the tour agent at home, but they had no notice of it. The problem was that he didn't know if there was a van available as it was a busy time of year for them. Then he took a look at the position I was trying to get in, and mumbled something about phoning the "office". He then dropped the hammer!

"This is a strange tour arrangement", he says. "Are you sure that you are going up to Mount Huashan?"

"Well, yes, I said." Our tour arranger said that we could take a gondola up to the hotel and then spend a very quiet night watching the sun set."

"The problem with this is that the hotel was on the South Peak and the gondola was on the north peak. The trail to the hotel was about 21/2 hours long up some 45 degree steps, along a narrow ledge that becomes a true challenge if someone is coming towards you, and then ends with a climb up a sheer rock face while holding on to a chain."

"Whoa", I said. "This body is not up to that sort of ordeal"

Anyway, he went on to tell us that he has been up there only once when he was much younger and was definitely not looking forward to doing it again. Lugging our 70 kilos of luggage on this sort of trip would be STUPID. We quickly agreed that a major rethink of our 5 days there, was definitely necessary. He went on to say that our being there for 5 days was extraordinary as most tourists come for the 2 day set of tours and then fly out on the third day. JBC Tours in Richmond sure were "on the ball". They were supposedly the "top Tour Arranger" in Vancouver for China bound visitors. Hmmmm!!! I was already looking forward to the conversation I would have with these jerks when we get home!!!

To make a very long story mercifully shorter, we cancelled the Mt Huashan hotel, and as we could not get our money back from them, we had to pay another $125.00 US for an extra night in the Xi'an hotel. As you might imagine, my blood was on the boil by that time. Fortunately, they found a van for us to use so my heat was directed towards the clown, Gabrielle, in Richmond. I figured that I would deal with him when we got home, perhaps he required a new orifice to be installed .....

We hit the Provincial Museum that afternoon. I was getting pretty museum'ed out by then, but the one neat thing is that we could get really close -- just several feet away ---to a couple of the Terracotta Soldiers and Horses. When we hit the actual site it was quite different .....

The rest of the museum was typical "old stuff". Unfortunately, the facts went in one ear and out the other. Dinner, that night was unspectacular as usual!

The next morning, we headed off to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda ....

"As for the reason why it is called Big Wild Goose Pagoda, there is a legend. According to ancient stories of Buddhists, there were two branches, for one of which eating meat was not a taboo. One day, they couldn't find meat to buy. Upon seeing a group of big wild geese flying by, a monk said to himself: 'Today we have no meat. I hope the merciful Buddhist will give us some.' At that very moment, the leading wild goose broke its wings and fell to the ground. All the monks were startled and believed that Bodhisattva showed his spirit to order them to be more pious. They established a pagoda where the wild goose fell and stopped eating meat. Hence it got the name 'Big Wild Goose Pagoda'"

Then we went to another museum .... The Banpo Neolithic Museum.....that had a mock up of an old village and showed how the people lived.

Then we went to a factory (yes another "cultural" stop) to see how the copies of the famous terrecotta figures were made. We had our pictures taken while standing behind a headless terracotta figure so we could at least look like a lord and lady ....

Finally ......... we got to the actual site of the Terracotta Warriors. Sadly, I was very disappointed ... I expected a Taj Mahal or Pyramids sort of WOW. All I got was a huge shed-like-site that had some of the warriors uncovered and glued back together again. As you walked in, you climbed a lot of steps .... still with the steps ... have they not heard of escalators? That should have been the warning as when you got to the actual site, you were about 30 feet above the soldiers looking down with the ambient light too dark to take decent pictures. You were not supposed to use a flash ... most of the tourists cheerfully ignored this rule. I guess I had built this site up too much in my mind ...

Elsie wants me to mention that she enjoyed the site ... she did not suffer the let down I did.

For more information click here

I did ask the Guide if they ever had a sunny day here ... he paused and said that sometimes after a heavy rainfall, they do get some sun. He looked surprised at the question. I guess if you live here all your life, you get used to the smog. I don't think I ever could. As you go through the pictures, do notice the level of pollution ... in this part of China, coal is King, and they burn it for every possible use. Pollution controls .... what the hell are they????

Up early -- again -- and off to a tour of the City Wall. As we walked around the scenery was still shrouded in a grey mist that you could darn well taste. Not a lot to do there, but it was nice to see. (see pictures)

For more information click here

Remember that we had extra days here that John was trying to fill up. He talked us into a foot massage as this is supposed to be something that Xi'an was famous for. Well, OK ... It did feel good for a short time, but not something that I would do again. That night was our "Feast" ... Dumpling Dinner and Tang Dynasty Show. Well, the food was very mediocre at best! I kept trying very hard not to compare it with the Dim Sum we have at home. The place was full of tourists, and the staff was working very hard to get the food out to the audience. After seeing the show, I can see why they fed us after the show and not before..... Finally we got off to the hotel and hit the bed.

The hotel here was another 3 star so the room was OK. But, with the high power costs, they turn the AC off on September 1st. When we went down to mention that our room with a westerly exposure on the 24th floor was very hot, they told us to open the window for the cooling winds .... right ....

The next morning we were up and out by 8:00 on our way to Mount Huashan, one of the 5 most sacred mountains in China. We had decided to go up the south peak by gondola and just have a general look around. The first thing we noticed as we left the city was that there still was a sun in the sky. The sky was blue, and the scenery fantastic. What a nice change! We went up the gondola, had a look around, saw the path that we would have had to climb to the hotel, and realized that we had made the correct decision not to climb. It was about 2 hours out of town so it was after lunch when we got back to the "Big Smoke". Lunch was as nondescript as ever and for the afternoon we wandered around the Bell and Drum Tower and ambled through the Muslim Market. This was interesting! Dinner was as usual ...

The next day was to ourselves so we took advantage and slept in, read a bit and Elsie spent a long time trying to get our clothes to fit into our suitcases. Dinner we got in the hotel ... hot pot at the table. Not expensive and quite tasty although with all the garlic we consumed, I'm not sure how popular we were with the passengers on the airplane the next morning.

Up at 5:30 to make our 8:00 flight to Beijing. For the first time, I took an Advil before we left ... I did survive the 90 minute flight but Elsie had to unwind me in order for me to leave the aircraft. A head of us was several hours in the Beijing Airport waiting for the Air Canada flight home.

We used our frequent flyer points to fly Business Class. We have made a solemn promise to each other .... we will NEVER fly peasant class again for long flights... Business or stay at home. When you check in, clear immigration and customs, you head to the first class lounge where there are comfortable chairs, food and beverages waiting ... all for free. The hours slipped away gently ...

On the airplane, all I can say is WOW. The seats made into a bed, the food was GREAT, and the service was fantastic. It almost made flying a pleasure again!!!

When we got home, I called my little friend Gabrielle in JBC Tours in Richmond. I explained the Mount Huashan issue. All he could do is make excuses ... not his fault ... China Travel in Beijing was at fault ... most people who visit .... it went on and on. I got VERY tired of this and asked him what the hell was he doing advising a couple in their 60's to take a climb that people in their 20's had to strenuously prepare for. He sputtered and then I quietly asked him if he had ever been to Mount Huashan. His reply spoke volumes about his professionalism ... "No, I can't go everywhere in China. It's a large country you know ..." WOW ...

"So you send people off around the world on a whim?" Again he sputtered and chocked. After his breathing became normal, I suggested that he return the $125.00 US we had to pay for the hotel. A gasp, but he did agree.

Just a word to the wise for anyone contemplating a trip to China ...

 

DO NOT USE JBC TOURS in Richmond!!!!!!!