Free Range in Shaanxi

So on an impulse and after reading the Lonely Planet Guide we decided to trek out to the Tomb of Jingdi. Lonely Planet's 2nd must see after the warriors. Buses were hourly from the Xian public library so we had to go and find the metro to get there and then find the No.4 bus. The metro was perfectly straight forward and cost 3RMB each (about 30p) for a 10 minute journey. We followed the LP information and found the bus stop quite easily. For the sum of 2 RMB each we rode out towards the airport for about 3/4hr. Fortunately Jingdi's tomb was the last stop so we were ok. As ever just traveling about was fun and an opportunity to observe life. Traffic was as expected and the bus driver drove like Mr Li, The rate of development is furious - Lily had told us about the power station built far outside the town that was now in the suburbs but the bus took us past enormous tower block construction sites - 5 - 10 at a time with all the roads and drainage etc going in. There is no shortage of capital investment here.

Jingdi is the opposite of the Terracotta warrior King Quin Shi Huang, he believed in non -interference. His tomb id filled with small figurines (about 50,000!) that depict everyday life in the 2nd c BCE- there are pigs, people etc etc. It is an active dig and so you have to put shoe covers on and it is all dim and climate controlled. The pits are impressive and best of all in some areas you can walk directly over them on a glass floor so you can see the contents in detail. These are thousands of small statuettes of workers animals officials - everyone the Emperor would need. The statuettes originally had jointed wooden arms and silk outfits.

After the dig we walked to the south gate past children having pony rides on the grass outside it. The south gate is a modern construction to cover the tombs of the emperor and his wife. We had a wander, admired some photographs, exchanged greetings in English with a family who obviously wanted to get a bit of practice in and decided to call it quits. We could have spent longer there but we wanted to be sure to squeeze in a bike ride so we headed back for the bus. There were a few people waiting but not a bus full so we didn't worry too much - but the buses only ran every 50 mins or so. Eventually the bus turned up and the very grumpy driver would not come into the bay until everyone was behind the tape that denoted the waiting area...so there was some shoving whilst everyone re-positioned themselves. he then brought the bus forward at which point it turned into a complete scrum, Dad and I were virtuously behind the tape and so handicapped when attempting to get to the door area. I have never been in such a crush and the driver was shouting and the people were shouting and gesticulating whilst pressing en-mass towards the steps...but mostly few people were moving - there was obviously a tunnel somewhere that loaded people on the bus because the bus filled without the crowd subsiding. And then he announced he was full and threw some people off his bus! We hadn't moved but we'd been intimately introduced to all the other passengers... So the bus disappeared off down the road leaving us and a reduced crowd at the bus stop. Two blokes then came along obviously running some sort of car scam to take people back to Xi'an, we couldnt understand what was happenning so we just stayed put but after nuch discussion two people wandered off with them looking very dubious...much arm waving and discusson...we settled in for a long wait - obviously we didn't dare leave our spot or we'd have no chance again next time. And lo less than 5 minutes later another bus turned up ..and we all boarded in an orderly fashion and trundled back to Xian. Where we spent a happy 30 mins in the queue for the metro ticket office because we didn't have the right change for the automatic machines and we were through security before we discovered this. Eventually we got tickets and made it back to the stop by the Bell Tower, as we headed to the Muslim quarter for lunch we got stopped by another bunch of surveying students....Questions this time included did you have culture shock on arriving in Xi'An? They were much less fluent than their Pingyao counterparts but charmingly pleased to find us- we were photographed as proof of existence...

Anyway after that we hit Muslim Street (that's what it is called) and (for balance we passed one on the way to the warriors called Christianity...but nobody else gets a look in). I was rather hoping dad might fancy battered squid on a stick - they looked almost sculptural but he wussed and opted for deep fried banana and freshly pulped pomegranate juice. I had spiced meat of unknown origin (but I think mutton) on a stick of unknown origin (it still had its bark on but my tree knowledge is limited). I hope the stick was fresh but we did see people gathering them up out of the bins.... We then hoofed back to the hotel to drop our coats and rucksacks before making our way to the South Gate of the city walls - it was the bit we'd been to with Lily but it was close to our hotel and the light levels were dropping, it stays open till 8 but given minimal street lighting I didn't think a ride round a 12m high dimly lit wall would be smart.

It took about 10 mins to walk to South gate and then climb the steps up - yet more steps, it does rather feel by now as if we have been on a week's step aerobics holiday. at the top Dad and I argued about wearing a cycle helmet. I was in favour - Dad refused. I had to remind him repeatedly about the insurance consequences if he had an accident and hadn't worn the helmet. He still didn't care...but eventually I wore him down...Helmet was worn; I am sure they were decorative rather than functional but the principle was important...otherwise I'll never be able to take him abseiling.

The ride was fun, we didnt go very far - about 75 mins riding, stopping at various points. The bikes were single speed mountain bike style but they don't bother to adjust the seat height and it wasn't a quick release - so I rode with my knees almost coming under my chin. Easy riding though - very flat if a little uneven in places, we probably did about a third of a circuit - about 5km.

Back to the hotel for a little recuperation before a little shopping and dinner. I bought a tiny warrior for the princely sum of 50p and a couple of other bits. It is mayhem down in the alleys of the Muslim quarter - I think it will make Temple St night market in HK look like an oasis of calm. Dad hasn't been wild about the food here so we went back to the only restaurant that we had found that served shrimps. Dad had shrimp dumplings I had Muslim meat pie. Which was minced mutton and onion spiced and served between two crisp pancakes.
A last walk through the alleys and back to the hotel to pack, we leave at 7:30 tomorrow morning for our flight to Hong Kong.Read more