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I didn't write yesterday because when I got into
Xian the Business Lounge where the computers were was closed. I
skipped the tour dinner and acrobatic show tonight to email you and
almost wasn't able to. They didn't tell me that it closed even
earlier on Sundays, but I bitched and got my way. Couldn't go more
than two days without emailing you. So I guess you want to know
what I have been doing.
After I emailed you last I simply went to bed, was to tired and
had to get up to early. In the morning we went to another temple I
think, they are starting to blend, cause it might have been a garden or
both. It was ok, but not the real meat of the trip. I do have
pictures though. After that we went on a boat ride around West
Lake, I popular site in Hangzhou, with lots of poetic names and such.
I can't remember then right off but I have a guide book with pictures in
English and I can point them out to you. It was nice, but not the
meat of the trip.
After the boat ride we went to a tea farm and I learned more than
I ever wanted to know about green tea. I even drank some, needed
some sugar in it. After the Tea farm we went to lunch and a very
famous restaurant whose name and importance escapes me, where we had the
vague locally delicacies that also escape me. All I remember is
that I haven't used a knife and fork for almost a week, I am very good
at chopsticks now and also getting very sick of rice and noodles.
After lunch we did something can't remember what, Isn't it nice that I
am in China and don't even pay attention to what I am doing there.
Actually I remember now, we went to a large Buddhist Temple, It was
actually pretty cool. Lots of incense and a 200 foot tall Buddha,
Jessie would have liked it.
After the temple we went to the airport to catch out plane to
Xian. It was as airports are, boring, the flight provided
amusement as the safety lecture included more things than ours do,
including how to use the toilet and plug in your head phones, as well as
how to lower the tray from the seat in front of you. It was like
being on a plane full of mental deficients the way the lecture talked
down to us.
It was dark in Xian by the...whoops forgot to mention that more
people have asked to have their picture taken with me, I really do think
they think I am famous or something. Even our local tour guide
said I looked like a movie star. The Chinese are very good for
ones ego. Two old Chinese ladies at the temple seemed to have
taken me under their wing, or thought I was a damn good photographer,
they kept having me take their picture with stuff and clucking over me
like two hens.
Any way, It was dark in Xian by the time we arrived and late, we
had dinner, Chinese again but dumplings this time, I wish I could have
had KFC which is everywhere by the way. There are more KFC's in
China than in the US, there are even more KFC's than McDonalds here.
Just a side note for you, little snippets of information.
I spent some time reading in the hotel bar and had a conversation
with a nice guy named victor, that was his English name, his real name
was Ping, which means soldier. Anyway, he wanted to talk so as to
practice his English, I was more than happy too and we talked about
playstations and computer games which as popular here as at home.
His aunt was happy I was taking time out to talk to him and she plied me
with fruits and chocolates. She was the head waitress at the bar.
No prostitutes this time. Although there was a massage parlor
attached to the bar in the hotel, but I believe they only give massages,
wouldn't know though as I haven't gone in.
Today was a nice day, I got up late at 8AM, you are allowed to
smile at that part. We then proceeded to the ancient city wall.
Not really that impressive till you realize that it is 200 feet high,
100 feet wide and forms a square 4 miles to a side, covering 16 miles
long in all, very big. After that we went to a factory where they
make terracotta soldier replicas. Almost bought one that was 4
feet high, big, but I bought a smaller one instead, I think I will save
it as a gift for someone.
After that we went to the actual digs, very impressive though no
part stands out in mind. I did get a book of photos and history,
and I met the farmer that discovered the find and he autographed the
book for me, very cool.
That is the day actually, I am in the hotel now having ditched
the tour for the evening. I am going to read and go to bed, enjoy
the day tomorrow and then email you about it. It also happens to be my
birthday. So the next email you get from me will be in Beijing.
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