Exasperating or exciting Xian?

The hostel in Xian advised that I catch the bus down to them, but stupidly as I was not sure where to go from I started walking. The tiny picture in my book gave a false impression of the distances, but when I chanced upon a metro that seemed the solution and I was feeling thankful and even proud of myself, the bag feeling by now very heavy, that there was an up escalator and I was in striking distance of the hostel.   Only the way through indicated by the maps via the wonderful big wall towers, was blocked and the only way to my bed was back down now stairs and more stairs back up and up and around etc so despite the magnificence of the walls in front of me,   Xian annoyed me a tad at the start to say the least. I was probably a bit overtired from the trip, I was also aware that it did feel more away from the tourists of Shanghai and Beijing and all the buildings seemed huge and characterless.  Even the coffee, which had been recommended, was a let down, however, the hostel itself was lovely.  If a bit out of reach, too early to sign in I could only leave my bags and wait to explore the dark wooden depths of a traditional Chinese house.  And at £9 for two nights it was my cheapest location.  Luckily, breakfast was still available, which cheered me a bit and a conversation with two other hostelers resulted in a private arrangement to go to the terracotta army with them via public transport on the morrow.   Replenished I headed out past huge expensive glamorous shops in search of not one but two pagodas.     One turned out to be in a park, but the other somehow I turned the wrong way and by the time I found myself back on the main road and still some way from it I was too tired to continue, instead I hopped onto the bus that had been recommended to me to take from the train station, and which all the brochures said was the right bus to get to the terracotta army, except that the tiny fare meant that could not be right. 

Exhibition pieces. 

drum tower

Pagoda

Late night shopping in the Muslim quarter

The Terracotta Army

Lacquer work underway. 

Back at the hostel more research revealed a confusing array of ways to get to the most famous artefacts in town,  and when I could not find the couple again, I bit the bullet and booked what seemed like quite an expensive day trip out, but thank goodness I did as being a proper tourist the following day, in a mini bus with three others, turned into a great day from the initial visit to the factory were copies of the army are made! plus many other beautiful Chinese items,  to the buffet lunch which was delicious filling and multi cultural, to the actual site itself.    The pictures have been beamed all around the world, but still walking in and seeing all these huge figures is breathtaking.   And not being alone, being able to share with the others, a well travelled Australian, who knew a lot about Chinese history, and whose pension stretched to regular trips in the area, to two fairly young women who work to travel, was brilliant. 

My train companion

Lovely hostel building.

The previous day I had been lost both when out in the evening and in the daytime, Xian's main pagoda and the vast mosque missed,  Xian had seemed a disappointment despite enjoying an evening walk along the wall, (relatively expensive) as the sun went down and pottering in the little shops near the hostel (recommended) but the army was why we were all there and touristy or not, it was a wonderful experience and to be recommended.   Aside from the army there are lots of museums and a nice bell tower and drum tower, but even the Chinese women in my dorm, got caught out by their opening times, so they were as disgruntled by aspects of Xian as I was.  I also wish I had got a better map with me than the one from the hostel.  I do not know if it was fatigue or what, but the narrow and very busy streets of the Muslim area defeated me and I got hopelessly lost.  But luckily was able to find someone with enough English to point me towards the nearest metro, but I am really mystified why when in theory everything is in a block it is so easy to head off in the wrong direction. The Muslim quarter also raises interesting questions given the current situation with the Uighurs.   On TV the Uighur;s seen reminded me of the people in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, the people in the Muslim Quarter mostly looked like all the other Chinese people around, except that they were selling lamb instead of pork and they were wearing scarves or hats connected to their faith.    The area seemed massively popular with Chinese visitors and residents alike but was definitely a distinct and somewhat different environment - a bit like Chinatown is within London.  So in the end Xian was both exciting and exasperating, but perhaps with more preparation would have been more enjoyable.