So, Xi'an is on your itinerary? In my mind, there are a couple of reasons you might find yourself in this second tier city in the middle of China. One: it's considered the undisputed root of Chinese civilisation one of China's oldest cities with enough history to rival a museum on steroids! Or two: you're taking pity on expats like me who need a sanity check in the shape of your visit (note: absolutely NO entry without cadbury chocolate bar in hand)! If it's the former, (bring chocolate anyway) your main focus is probably those blokes who make up that world-famous terra-cotta army, right? For most visitors, it's a quick stop over, usually after a whistle stop tour of Shanghai and Beijing. So, with time of the essence, I've put together a quick list to tick off, if you're just in town for a couple of days and don't want to miss the key things. Of course there are plenty of other 'interesting' things to see, but I'll save those for another day and a longer stay! 1) Terracotta Warriors These guys are definitely a fascinating sight to see. I've seen them twice now and while I wouldn't probably recommend a third time, they are a once in a life time experience. There's a compelling story behind their great unearthing, which you need to read all about here in my post before you set foot in the pits: Xian's Terracotta Warriors: The Largest Jigsaw in the World. Meantime, here are the details: Where are the Terracotta Warriors? This clay army of soldiers is, as you'd expect, quite a distance from the city itself in Lintong. To be precise it's 40 kilometres from Xi'an city or just over an hour from the airport, so be sure to work out your mode of transport in advance. (Xi'an is geographically a widespread city, so getting from one side to the other is not always easy. Friday and Saturday nights are mayhem on the roads!) (REPEAT: Mayhem!) How to get to the Terracotta Warriors: Take a Taxi (green ones only). From the airport, the cost is roughly RMB150-200. From the city, the cost is around RMB110-120 From the airport, you can also take the Airport Shuttle Line 2 to Xi'an Railway Station and then walk to the east square of the railway station to catch bus 914/ 915 or tourist line 5 (no. 306) to the warriors. There are also plenty of busses travelling from all parts of the city. Click here for specific details Or, if that all sounds a little daunting, alternatively most hotels can provide you with a car and driver for hire! Cost for the Terracotta Warriors: Peak season (aka the hot season) is March to November and the entry fee is RMB150 For Low season (aka the cold season) in December to February, the entry fee is RMB120 Kids under 1.2 metres tall are FREE. Opening Times at the Terracotta Warriors: Summer: Tickets sold from 8:30am to 5:00pm - last check int at 18:35pm Winter: Tickets Sold from 08:30am to 4:30pm - last check-in at 18:05pm Time to spend at the Warriors: I would suggest you put aside at least four hours including travel time. There are three 'pits' to view and while you can take as much or as little time as you choose checking these guys out, you probably need a good couple of hours, at least. Tips for the Warriors: *There's not much in the way of restaurants/cafes apart from a fairly basic cafe and a couple of quaint tea rooms, so it can't hurt to pack a lunch or eat beforehand, if you want to make it easy. *Strollers are available if you've got little ones who aren't keen to stay on their feet for the visit. There are also wheelchairs available. *There is a walk from the entrance to the pits, and let me tell you, if it's cold, you've got kids or elderly people with you, you want to grab the buggy. *It is helpful to have a tour guide to explain the history and in my humble opinion adds a lot more value to the trip. Hire one at the site for around RMB100 or your hotel should be able to recommend a good one. (Usually a little more expensive.) Or, alternatively rent an audio guide for RMB40. Extra Time: The Huaqing Palace Heritage/Hot Springs are six kilometres from the warrior site, set at the base of Mt Lishan for some stunning landscape views on a clear day. For more information, click here. About 150 metres from is here is the Lintong Museum which has about 10,000 artefacts dating from the Stone Age to modern times. 2) The City Wall This is a 13 kilometre stretch that, along with a moat, embraces the city. As the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world, let me say, it is definitely worth heading into the city to see, even if you don't go up on to the wall itself. If you do choose to go up, you can walk around the wall (if you've got the stamina and time) or grab a tandem bike if it's a nice day (takes about two hours). Otherwise the buggies are definitely the way to go and it gives you a great perspective of the city. Where is the City Wall? Right in the city's hub. There are four gates leading through the wall into the city: North, South, East, West. Opening Times for the City Wall: South Gate: 8:00-22:00 East/North/West Gates: Summer: 8:00-19:00 Winter: 8:00-18:00 Cost for the City Wall: Tickets can be purchased at the bottom of the wall near the South Gate for 54RMB 27RMB for kids between 1.2 and 1,4 metres tall. Children under this height are FREE. Bike Cost: Deposit RMB200 Single Bike RMB40 for 100 minutes Tandem Bike RMB80 for 100 minutes Buggy Cost: RMB80 Time to spend at the City Wall: You can be up here for as little or as long as you want. Taking the buggy around is about one hour and it stops at each gate for ten minutes, so you can jump off and stretch your legs and admire the view. Tips for the City Wall: *There are very steep stairs leading up to the wall, so it's definitely not stroller friendly. *Unless it's a festive occasion with street food stalls set up, there is no food. Extra Time: Once you've done the wall….if time permits just below the wall at the South Gate is the Ancient Cultural Street of Shuyuanmen where you'll find quaint lane ways like something out of old Europe; markets sell all sorts of trinkets and beautiful calligraphy paintings. Defu Lane is also parallel to the wall at the South Gate and a popular haven for bar hopping. Warning: Don't expect a thriving bar scene, but it's an impressive spot at night. The South Gate is also close to both the Bell and Drum Towers. 3) Bell Tower/Drum Tower (Zhong Lou/Gu Lou) These two spectacles are right in the middle of the city and hard to miss. The Drum Tower erected in 1380 during the early Ming Dynasty towers over the city with excellent views. There is a huge drum inside that used to signal the end of the day. If you want to, you can go inside and see the drum museum and a drum show, performed every day. The Bell Tower was built in 1384 and marks the geographical center of the ancient capital. From this important landmark branch out East, South, West and North Streets that connect the tower to the East, South, West and North Gates of the City Wall. The Bell Tower is the largest and best-preserved of its kind in China. Opening Times for the Bell/Drum Towers: Summer: (April 1st - October 25th) 8:30am - 21:30 Winter: (October 26 - March 31st) 8:30am - 18:00 Cost for the Bell/Drum Towers: Bell Tower: RMB35 Drum Tower RMB35 Bell/Drum Towers RMB50 Tips for the Bell/Drum Towers: *If you prefer to stand back and gaze at the towers from a distance, you'll still be glad you saw them. Take the time to stroll around the surrounding streets and soak up the atmosphere. *The city REALLY comes to life at night. Try to see it at least once under lights. 4) Muslim Quarter (Hui Min Street) Xi'an was the start of the famous Silk Road trading route when many merchants traveled from the middle east to trade and many of their descendants are still living in Xian today, making up a 60,000 strong muslim community in the city. Known as the 'Muslim Quarter' in English, the area is a colorful feast for both the eyes and tastebuds. A window into the Chinese-Muslim culture, it's a hive of activity covering several blocks where the tight knit community is busy around the clock, preparing a labyrinth of tasty sweet and savoury street food snacks, not to mention an overabundance of the city's famous elixir 'pomegranate juice!' With an electric atmosphere, you can't go past a visit to the Muslim Quarter. (Don't forget the camera!) Where is the Muslim Quarter: In the heart of the city adjacent to the Drum Tower. Time to spend at the Muslim Quarter: You can meander through the bustling lane ways in about half an hour…. Cost for the Muslim Quarter: No cost, but take some cash for the street food. There are quite a few market stalls selling traditional souvenirs too. (Head down the side lane ways for more markets. Two words ladies: cheap handbags!) Tips for the Muslim Quarter: *Try to avoid going here on a weekend, it will be packed to the rafters!!! It's very hard to walk through (especially with a stroller) and much more pleasant on a quiet week day. (Definitely steer clear if it's any sort of festival or holiday!) *Don't forget to bargain if you're buying from the markets. *I am still not convinced the street food won't have you calling for the Lomitel or its equivalent, so eat at your own risk. But! (there's a but) I am told by locals, if it's going to be safe anywhere, it's here! Extra Time: Visit The Great Mosque for 15RMB. It's one of the oldest, largest (covering 12,o00 square metres) and best-preserved Islamic mosques in China. Just northwest of the Drum Tower on Huajue Lane. (*If you are in Muslim Quarter main street, there is a blue sign pointing to the Mosque about half way down.) Cost: Summer: RMB 25 Winter: RMB 15 (Etiquette rules apply.) 5) Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Dayan Ta) Four kilometres south of the city, this is a buddhist pagoda built in the Tang Dynasty in 652 standing 64 metres high with views stretching out across the city. It was rebuilt in 704 with an extra five new storeys; however, a massive earthquake in 1556 heavily damaged the pagoda and reduced it by three stories, to its current height of seven stories. It's no Leaning Tower of Pisa but you're not seeing things, it does lean several degrees to the west. In the past it was used to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by a Buddhist translator and traveller. In 2014 it was added to the World Heritage List. Where is the Big Wild Goose Pagoda? QuJiang New District - about 20 minutes from the city on a good run. This area has been designed with tourists in mind! Set at the site of the Daci'en Temple, the Pagoda stands tall amongst manicured gardens and paved squares where kites fly sky-high around the clock and 3-wheeler bicycles weave in and out of the crowds ferrying street food to passersby. There are several big shopping centres and a myriad of monuments to see amongst the tree-lined streets, not to mention the largest musical fountain in Asia. (I also know a great hotel across the road if you want to pop in.) ;) Opening Times for the Pagoda: 8:00 - 17:00 Cost for the Pagoda: Daci'en Temple RMB50 Climbing the Pagoda RMB40 Tips for the Pagoda: *If you are in this area and want to catch a Tuk Tuk or take a cab, 10-15 minutes up the road is a huge scenic lake. (Qujiang Pool Park 曲江池遗址公园) It's a beautiful spot in Xi'an if the weather is on your side. Great for kids with plenty of bikes and paddle boats for hire (if you're game!). *Bar Street is just around the corner from the Pagoda. A stretch of cute cottage-like bars and restaurants, it's worth taking a stroll up the street at least. (The Indian on the corner and the German Beer Cafe are local favourites.) So there, you have it. That's Xi'an in 48 hours. See you when you get here! This is China. For more on where to stay and what to eat in Xi'an - check out this post here I wrote for Hong Kong Moms. http://www.hongkongmoms.com.hk/xian-terracotta-warriors-much/ … [Read more...]
Living in China: Is there a Doctor in the House?
So it's been one of those weeks in deep dark China, where our family needed a visit to the local GP…. Winter lurgies and all are upon us… and after a 20 hour journey from the sunny skies Down Under, to the rather chilly (make that freaking freezing) minus temps of Xi'an -- we're a bit under the weather (literally)! Of course a local GP is not something we've managed to acquire just yet in our short sojourn, so desperate for some TLC, we hesitantly put the call out for an English speaking doctor in town. (I'm told they are few and far between.) Thankfully Little Miss Hotelier's school gave us the lowdown and the next morning we were whisked off to a hospital on the other side of town for a general consultation. Turns out general doctor's clinics as we know in the West are not so common here - got a minor ailment like a cold, the flu, a bug, it's off to hospital, pronto! Most local Chinese people (children included) will immediately opt for the "injection" which is not as lethal as it sounds. Sources tell me it's a drip containing antibiotics. One hit and you're done, no take-home tablets….no medicine! Talk about hardcore. Sounds quite tempting if you ask me, but has left me wondering why the western world hasn't taken up this 'super injection' in the fight against ill health?' Is there a method in their madness? Stay tuned. Or if you know, please let me know! So into the hospital we go (picture 'old fashioned, 1950's grandeur') we are registered at reception and escorted by rather glamorous ladies in uniform (looking more like chic flight attendants) to our doctor's room. A rather sparse but cosy retro style abode….looking anything but clinical (not a stethoscope in sight)! I hold my breath….as we begin to explain why we are there. With our trusty 'ever patient personal translator' in tow for the event, it was a little easier to communicate with our doctor whose English, to be fair… was pretty good! But if you want to go into any sort of detail about your aches and pains, be prepared to launch into a quick game of charades. I must be getting good at waving my arms around frantically in some sort of translatable gestures, because he soon got the gist and got down to business giving my girl the once over. Then with a click of his heels, he was off, leaving us to wait in his room for.. about 20 minutes while he "collected" the drugs. I began to wonder if he was ever coming back or I missed something in translation and we were meant to see ourselves out. But finally he comes back medicine in hand… (a well known global brand of antibiotics, for the record). Having been able to purchase Amoxicillian antibiotics over the road at the local chemist without a prescription, the jury is out on their authenticity and thus, their effectiveness, so I was relieved to have these babies in my clutches. Excitedly, the doctor tells us how good it is to practice his English with his bevy of international patients and does us the courtesy of walking us all the way to the check out, three floors down, all the while chatting incessantly in Mandarin and English,while I frantically try to keep up! His spirits buoyed even more when I tell him my husband works at the Westin hotel, he promises to invite us to many "events"…. What's a new girl in town to do? "Count me in!" I hear myself saying! Fanciful (and most probably farcical) thoughts cross my mind of mingling with Xi'an's rich and famous at future medical soirees! Then he practically walks us to our car.….. this is certainly a new kind of medical experience, with some very personal patient service going on. (In Australia, GP's are so flat out, you're lucky if they open the door for you on the way out!) A couple of days later my 'lurgy' is not budging, so I want to get some better medicine…. did I mention this doctor has text me each day to see how my small person is? It seems I have a direct line to Doctor Who so I easily make an appointment via a text message to him. Now that's service huh! (As long as I don't get stuck in the Tardis!) This time I brave it without a translator, confident we can get through a simple consultation. (There's always charades right?) And we do….then he tells me in his broken English he thinks I am very 'charming' (must be the charades)! I grimace not sure how he's reached this conclusion given I am not really saying too much apart from my throat hurts!! and 'elegant' (again, I wonder about this observation, given I am in puffer jacket with flat boots and dirty hair - don't get me started on the one. single. pair of boots I have been wearing while I wait for our belongings to arrive!) Never thought I'd be desperate for some high heels! (Ok, slight exaggeration… given heels are my achilles heel, 'desperate' about now, is probably an understatement!) So I smile and give a 'xie xie' (thank you) as he asks if he can have a photo. I smile meekly again thinking he will forget soon enough…..brushing it off with a vague nod. But once we've paid and swapped language tips, we are suddenly standing in the middle of the rather large, lavish (hospital need I remind you) foyer and the camera is whipped out as one of the staff members is beckoned over to take our picture. Mr Doctor in his white coat, me in my rather daggy, early morning school drop off jeans and jumper. (FYI "daggy" is Australian for "uncool!") Out of the corner of my eye, I spy another staff member slyly moving in with her phone for a happy snap of me and my new friend. (A hospital foyer it may be, I think -- but better than the underground subway on a Sunday, bursting at the seams with people and having a woman run up through the crowds yelling "Welcome to China" "Can I have your photo!?!") Oh to be the foreign species. Again, I'm escorted to the car park by Mr Doctor, telling me to 'please come again.' For the record I'm hoping a doctor's visit is not a regular occurrence but I smile and nod. He adds, if I've got time, pop in and we can practice our English and Chinese (I'm guessing I don't need to be under the weather for this event)! Would I make an appointment? He stands at the hospital entrance, waving me off like a long lost friend, who's just been to his house for Sunday lunch! I giggle to myself as we drive off from the doctors..... service with a smile! This is China. Ps, Very happy to send this crazy post over to Seychelles Mama for her series on My Expat Family. Just click the picture. … [Read more...]
Xi’an’s Terracotta Warriors: The Largest Jigsaw in the World
Mention Xi'an - one of China's 656 cities and more often than not, you'll (understandably) get a blank look. Followed by: "How do you say that? EX-ee-arn? See-arn?" For the record, the general consensus round these parts seems to be Shee-arn - with a slight T sound on the S... which of course if you're a westerner who's never learned Chinese before, sounds about as foreign as having er, mustard on your toast! Mention the "Terracotta Warriors" though and there's usually a collective "Ahhh oohhh ...yes, yes! I've heard of the Terracotta Army!" There's no doubt this legion of clay soldiers has put Xi'an, the ancient capital of China back on the map. If China's on your bucket list and you love a bit of historical mystery - it's usually Beijing, Shanghai and then Xi'an, for a glimpse of these now, world-famous warriors. Of course it was only a matter of time before I went to check out this global phenomenon myself. I'm sure it won't be the last - have visitors, our clay friends will no doubt top the list of must-see sights! They have been declared the 8th Wonder of the Ancient World. (FYI, there are seven 'official' wonders - including the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef - but visiting former French President Jaques Chirac was so impressed, he thought they should be added to the list!) After witnessing the miracle of these majestic warriors on display, I must say I'm inclined to agree! Incredibly, they were only unearthed in 1974 - just 40 years ago. So how an earth did an estimated 8,000 life-size pottery warriors and horses slide under the radar for a mere 2,200 years? The story goes -- they were so far underground (and most of them smashed into a million pieces) that previous farmers on the land at XiYang Village, east of Xi'an had simply dismissed any fragments of clay found over the years. That is until one day local peasants drilling a well in search of water happened to run into these blokes again… well, pieces of broken pottery along with some pretty impressive ancient bronze weapons! Initially thinking they'd found jars from an old kiln, instead exposing the pottery head of a soldier, they knew they'd uncovered something out of the ordinary and called the village head, who in turn called the government to investigate matters further. And as they say, the rest is history! Exploration and excavation began on what they call the 'first pit' in earnest and one by one this army of troops was revealed; some missing arms, legs, heads, some in a thousand pieces and some still in tact, still standing, perfectly formed!! I'm no history buff, but to put it in simple terms….here's how the Terracotta Army came into being. It was 247 BC and there was a 13 year old boy who'd just became King of the Qin State. (Qin translates to China.) At the time China was made up of seven kingdoms and this young boy who was smart and ambitious set out to unify China. By the age of 39 he had successfully completed his mission, calling himself the First Emperor of China. Emperor Qin of the Qin Dynasty. Clearly as well as being industrious, he also carried a bit of an ego because soon after becoming King he designed his own mausoleum where he would be buried when he died (with a piece of gold in one hand and a piece of jade in the other to protect him in the afterlife)! Bearing an overwhelming fear of death, the Emperor believed that life underground after death was a continuation of life on earth. Thus, his mausoleum wasn't just any old grave, it was the largest tomb in the world! At 56 square kilometres, standing 100 metres high, he drafted a labour force of 700-thousand people to build it. It took 38 years! Constructed between Xi'an's Mount Li and the Wei River for good Feng Shui…it was an underground treasure house. This subterranean palace contained replica rivers and streams in quicksilver; pits of rare birds and animals, bronze chariots and horses, plus precious stones; while his outer coffin was made of molten copper and surrounded by candles made of whale oil to ensure they would burn eternally. Guarding the entrance to this palatial tomb stood the Terracotta Warriors, each one made to reflect individual real-life soldiers. Every single one was different. Made from local clay - that is clearly unique - allowing the warriors to survive to this day -- it's believed the torso and arms of the soldiers were hollow, using thick clay coils in the middle, with the clay moulded around the outside. The legs were solid and the facial features sculpted by sharp bamboo. It's thought they were put into the natural air to dry before being fired at around 1000 degrees. Remember this is 2200 years ago but the technology used has been praised as quite remarkable. Each warrior was painted in bold, bright colors, believed to be a layer of lacquer on the surface and then colored with paint made of minerals. The Emperor's obsession with his mortality, made him determined to find the elixir of life and at 50, he reportedly took a potion to ensure his longevity which ironically contained mercury and killed him! The following year the Qin Dynasty was vehemently overthrown and the Terracotta Warriors surrounding the mausoleum smashed to pieces and burned, submerged for the next 2,200 years…. That is until, their miraculous discovery! Following the discovery of pit no 1, pit no 2 and 3 were also uncovered in 1976. All three pits are five to seven metres below ground level, the warriors lined up in battle formation, standing on paved pottery bricks with a wooden roof covered by layers of thick fibre mats, fine soil and tilled earth to conceal the army. Each pit is different in shape - pit three the smallest at 520 square metres - pit one the largest at 14,000 square metres. First opened to the public in 1979 as 'Emperor QinShihuang's Terra-Cotta Museum', 2000 square metres had been excavated and 1087 terra-cotta warriors and horses were on display. The XiYang Village became world famous. In 1986, the Queen of England came to visit the site and wanted the main founder of the warriors to sign something for her, but as a peasant farmer he was illiterate. From that day on a famous Chinese calligrapher was called in to teach him to sign his name. And it seems he's never stopped. When we visited, the former farmer, now 80, was there signing book after book! Standing inside these massive hangar-like structures (the original site of the pits) it's a breath taking sight. Rows upon rows of life-size warriors stare resolutely forward, in a ghostly manner. Each section of warriors is representative of infantrymen, cavalrymen, archers and charioteers all with varying weapons according to rank, along with different hairstyles and clothing to mark their authority. Seeing them assembled as they originally would have been, it's hard to comprehend this spectacular excavation process. In the beginning there were just two people reconstructing these soldiers, piece by piece, bit by bit. By 1990 there were 24 and today hundreds of skilled men and women from all over the world work on piecing together thousands of clay fragments, in piles waiting for connection. If the workers can find one piece that fits in a day, it's considered "a lucky day!" To complete one soldier it takes around seven years and many cannot be restored. There are no new pieces used. And what's even more incredible? There are still many hundreds of warriors buried, yet to be unearthed. As technology expands, there is a tendency to leave the warriors until more is known. You may remember I said these warriors were painted bright colors, bold blues, reds and yellows? When they have been uncovered, in the past, many of them still wore flakes of colored paint - which in the open air quickly oxidates. It's hoped over time, archeologists will discover new technologies to keep them in their preserved state. Also uncovered near the mausoleum were two sets of bronze chariots, namely the biggest bronze work in the world. A chariot weighing 1100 kilos! It's believed these (modeled at half the size of a real chariot, horse and driver) were to be used by the Emperor when he went on inspection tours in his afterlife. In the last 20 years, it's become the biggest museum in China bringing in 40,000 visitors a day. Considered to be one of he most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th Century, there's no denying Xi'an's gone to the pot! The terracotta type that is! A jigsaw that once completed will surely stand the test of time. Visiting Xi'an? Fast Facts: Where: The site of the Terracotta Warriors is around 45 minutes (or 35 kilometres) east of Xi'an city. When: Open all year round. Costs: CNY150 (March 1 - end of November) CNY120 (December 1 - end of February) Time: Allow yourself at least half a day to see this spectacle. What: Wheelchairs available. BYO child's stroller recommended. Eat: There are tea houses/restaurants plus tourist stalls selling memorabilia. How: Find more information here. Tips: If you can, I recommend hiring a tour guide to take you through the pits so you can understand the fascinating history behind the phenomenal Terracotta Army! … [Read more...]
When the Lights Go Out: Hotel Confessions
It was late afternoon and little Miss A and I were sitting in the hotel lobby bar having a spot of afternoon tea. (What's a girl(s) to do in a new city!) Ava was doing her best to entertain the staff….regaling them with tales about dad liking beer, mum speaking Chinese (I do?) and did you know I wore a purple wedding dress when I got married! (I did?) I was cringing a little at what might be revealed next, but just quietly, enjoying the peace -- when 'boom' the lights went off. Nothing too serious, we initially thought. Nothing to bat an eyelid over…naturally there was a bit of commotion, some surveying of the damage. Was it just in the bar or the was the entire hotel without power? Wait, we think it's the whole area! I casually queried whether this was a normal occurrence? There is apparently a government request for businesses and homes to reduce their power usage between 4 and 6pm but the staff were confident this wasn't the problem. In perfect timing, Ava needed the toilets, which of course happened to be in pitch black, so we called it a day on our fancy cakes and went upstairs to our room. By now the sun was setting and dusk meant it was getting rather dark. The hotel known for its vivid red glow was gradually becoming a shadowy figure of its former self. Given the small fact that candles pose an insurance liability in a hotel, I decided we had no choice but to head to the (conveniently located on our floor) 'executive club'. After all, what's a girl(s) to do in a power outage? A glass of red for me and apple juice for junior, that's what! Emergency lights kept things (like my wine glass and the all important fairy wings) manageable…...meantime, a frantic hotelier I know was in and out trying to ascertain the problem through various muddled translations from Chinese to English with his number two and the powers that be… (no pun intended). Generators were hastily arranged for and negotiations(?) on price underway. Meantime, irate customers paying through the nose, were clearly getting hot under the collar at the lack of five star facilities, naturally oblivious to the fact this 'unexplained event' seemed to be in no one's control. 10pm and still no one is any the wiser on why the power cut has occurred....(at least no one is taking ownership). For the frantic hotelier, answers are lost in translation and things are getting chaotic with the generators still no where to be seen. When they finally do appear, it seems they have come with the wrong bolts to connect these thick, rope-like cables that are now splayed out across the bowels of the hotel. (The hotelier's aware one wrong connection and it could go more than a little haywire!!) I can feel his blood pressure rising by the minute…… as he bids us goodnight to survey the scene - us tucked up in bed clutching our torches. I wake every half hour, the air now stifled with no air-conditioning, no clock or phone to tell the time….and still, no hotelier. He tells me later, there are frustrated guests lining up at reception in what is now the middle of the night ready to report the injustice of such an atrocity on social media the next day….then there's the drunk woman who's planted herself precariously on a chair in the lobby, too intoxicated to find her room. An Australian is checking in at 130am - behaving far more reasonable than most (go Aussies!) as he's told of the current dire situation. "Sorry Sir, this is not Fawlty Towers, yet." A few restless hours later, voila - it's 4am on the newly-lit clock and the entire room lights up, hell the door bell even rings, the air conditioning starts whirring….and we are back in business, my small person none the wiser. Phew. The hotelier arrives minutes later…. exhausted and still unclear as to what has just occurred in the last 12 hours. But for now the hotel is charged up! A few hours later, it's a new day, he's up and off to see the Power Bureau. Apparently a show of authority will ensure more efficient 'handling' of the problem at hand. We wait…. Mid afternoon and a damaged cable is found 120 metres from the hotel and things are hopeful of being resolved (provided the hotel agrees to fork out the cost of fixing the wayward cable) but not in any hurry... and certainly not soon enough for the enraged client who's holding a swanky corporate party in the sunken garden that evening, boasting enough lights to sink a battleship (or possibly a hotel)?! Who really knows….... The generators pump furiously through the day and night to keep the hotel in action but the luke warm water and intermittent power shortages are not enough to keep hotel guests from blowing off steam at any moment. The pollution in Xi'an is not the great at the best of times and now fumes from the generators are wafting through the atrium, guests now complaining they are suffocating. I think the hotelier is greying by the second. Another night and between 4am and 7am the power switches on and off several times, each time it does, the door bell rings. I'm starting to think maybe I really am in Fawlty Towers. After all, this is China. Basilllll!!! … [Read more...]
Living in China: Week One – One Foot in Front of the Other
You know the feeling when you visit a city you've never seen before? That dizzying anticipation, the unbridled excitement, the curiosity and wonder of what lies ahead? Well, can I just say - for the record - arriving in a city you've never seen before to live, is nothing like that! Ok, so maybe that's a little over the top. The lead up to moving to Xi'an, China was like that, but actually arriving in one of the world's oldest cities, home to eight and a half million people (the 12th largest city in China), I won't lie - my heart was in my mouth. It's a short two and a half hour flight from Hong Kong, but it also feels a world away in north western China. As we disembarked and entered the airport, my stomach was in knots, as I tried desperately to keep an open mind, at the ready to embrace our new home! I foolishly found myself comparing right off the bat. (Bad move!) The airport was significantly smaller than I'd expected for such a massive city and ever so slightly primitive (of course this is compared to Hong Kong's modern, state of the art, award-winning complex)! I later found out all entrants from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan (China's SARS) come to their own individual terminal, so what I glimpsed was just a minuscule part of the largest airport in the north west! I could feel myself ever so tentatively putting one foot in front of the other as I literally stepped into my new life, in one of China's 656 cities, no less! Driving from the airport was at best 'underwhelming' (apart from driving on the wrong side of the road) it was raining and grey as we sped through a maze of highways and concrete; a deluge of chinese characters beaming out at me in their neon, indecipherable glory! I'm not deeply religious but it was about now I silently had a word to God, hoping James wasn't having a moment of serious delusion when he'd excitedly told me the city was really "quite nice." Meantime, our little blondie Ava was oblivious in all her three year old naivety; her primary concern on the journey, the delightful hotel gift of rainbow-coloured macaroons and how many she could eat in one go! Oh to be so innocent. Approaching the hotel, my spirits lifted… despite the incessant rain, leafy green streets splayed out in front of me and there was a distinct buzz of activity with restaurants, bright lights and traffic mayhem! (We may be in Central China, but it was a comforting sign, I wasn't in the middle of no where, even if I was hanging on for dear life!) The hotel was impressive - it's four stories though, the 'chalk' to the W Hong Kong's 76 story 'cheese.' My grand entry somewhat stifled as Ava's prized macaroons promptly fell out of the car onto the wet hotel driveway and a toddler meltdown ensued. Welcome to Xi'an! We quickly dropped our bags off in what would be our home for the next few weeks (until the hotel residences are finished). A suite that can only be described as embracing the typical minimalist Westin decor brushed with an enchanting oriental flair! With James likely to be bunkered down in his new GM role the next day year, we went for a quick scoot around the hotel to acclimatize ourselves with our new 'home.' We probably could've done with scooters because it's ahem, bloody huge. Unlike Hong Kong, space is no issue here in Xi'an and it's spread out, from a luxurious Lobby Bar, to an intriguing museum (yes, Xi'an being one of the four oldest civilizations in the world means, monuments, relics and artifacts are scattered everywhere, even below this hotel!) - to a grand sunken garden swathed in red cloth. (It's lucky my favorite colour is red, because this hotel is literally bathed in a glow of deep red!) To the beckoning cake shop, the three very different restaurants, Chinese, Japanese and Western….and the (wait for it) Rolls Royce show room! (Ahem just quietly the owner has sold 70 of these babies in just two years! Oh how the Chinese looove their luxury!) So, let the week begin. I think I probably spent 24 hours in a 'blur of speechlessness.' It's fair to say the first week is probably the hardest when you move to a new country. I know I bandy about the term 'culture shock' on this blog on a pretty regular basis, but over four years in HK, even I had forgotten what it's really like. Really like to wake up and your husband is at work and you are staring out from your hotel window into the absolute unknown (rain not helping your imagination) it all seems quite surreal. This is your new life and you know not a single soul. There's no routine, no familiarity, you can't order a comforting Mint Mocha or get a blow dry because you can't find the relevant words and even when you do, they can't understand you. You don't even know what's across the road. It's a new beginning on almost every level. And I won't lie, it's bloody scary. Forget being a big fish in a small pond - you're a tadpole in a giant ocean! For the first few days and beyond, tears sit just below the surface, threatening to spill over at a moment's notice, but then you pull yourself together because you know it's not the end of the world and there is a big adventure that you have been waiting for, wanting for! All I can say, is thank God for technology, even if it is slow and more than slightly intermittent (and I may be on the verge of throwing laptop out the window), Facebook, What's App, Twitter, Email all allow you to stay connected (loosely) with friends, family and familiar faces. You'll be amazed at how comforting it is to know online, nothing has changed. (Thanks to a VPN of course.) What's a VPN? In layman's terms, it's a service you pay for monthly that allows you to download an app which makes it look like you are in another country so you can bypass security blocks and access the likes of Google, Facebook, even my own blog (all banned in China). So deep breaths all round, the key to being in a new city, is to get out! So once the rain calmed, first stop - the shopping centre directly across the road; a very westernized Starbucks with all staff speaking reasonably good English (no Mint Mochas though), a peek at the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, you really can't miss. This is what this area's all about and it's what tourists from around the globe flock to look at. A roam around the streets, laced with green trees, striking monuments and waterfalls….it's a little European infused with traditional Chinese architecture. On the way back from another local shopping centre (thankfully sporting Zara and a kid's playroom worth it's weight in gold) I spy a street called 'Bar Street' that we eagerly try out a few nights later. A quirky cobblestoned street reminiscent of a Phuket or Bali or even Melbourne with cute, cottage like bars, side by side…live music, humming with people. A day in the heart of the city, we explore the city centre with the world famous Bell Tower and the ancient city wall - a 14 square kilometre cobble-stoned wall that you can cycle along on tandem bikes or do it the lazy way we did (this time) and jump on a golf buggy and hurtle around the historic fortress looking out across a sprawling city. **Quick Fact: It's the most complete city wall that's survived in China and the one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world! We stumble across quaint markets down idyllic lane ways not unlike a slice of Europe with fascinating artwork and oriental trinkets on display. So far, Xi'an is well and truly surprising us on every level….and slowly but surely it's about putting the pieces together. Working out which way is up. (Map reading is not my strong point!) You start to recognize the occasional landmark, hotel faces, and even more importantly remember a phrase or two of mandarin. Nevermind, that I told the housekeeper to come back to clean the room at 13 o'clock. Better luck next time eh? So a week in, it's been tough and more than likely to get tougher, but it's also the beginning of a once in a lifetime adventure, we'll certainly never forget. She chants the mantra, 'one foot in front of the other……' Proud to share this post over on Seychelle Mama's site for her series #MyExpatFamily … [Read more...]