I have been home from my year and a half travels around the world for just over a month now and life is fully back to the way I remember it. There is still the odd person I haven’t seen, the odd reunion I haven’t arranged and the odd homely locality that I still haven’t yet ventured to, but all in all, my life is back to London normality.
This past month has been busy. I have attended my sisters wedding, travelled across Europe to Germany’s capital, Berlin, for a small trip away, had a fair few reunions with friends from home and travellers alike, who I had met at some point down the road, and have been on plenty of nights out on the town with almost every group of friends I have. Of note, the boys and I went to a fancy dress party. Surprisingly, it didn’t worry me that for the first time in my life I was attending a public event with Banana Man, Captain Jack Sparrow, Peter Pan, an Old Granny (oh young man), a Bishop, and Spiderman by my side. Nor did it bother me that I was attending a public event dressed in the brightest, pinkest, most ridiculous looking hippy outfit imaginable. Equally, it didn’t concern me that most of the boys said I looked like John Lennon. What was worrying, however, was the fact that all of the boys said that if I had just stepped off the plane from my eighteen and a half month trip around the world looking like that, they wouldn’t have even raised an eyebrow. The perception of myself as a traveller and in fact, the perception of all other backpackers who have just stepped off the plane back home, has now been categorically shifted into a realm I hadn’t before considered. Luckily, with the number of alcoholic units consumed that night, by the end of the public event, neither my or any other traveller’s perception was ever questioned again, nor was the need to worry over it’s meaning.
On worldly matters though, something which has been genuinely bothering me, is the news of a series of natural disasters which have been wrecking the lives of thousands throughout the world. Most of these events have occurred in locations that I had travelled to recently. About 15 months ago, I made a quick stop over in Myanmar (Burma) to get my visa extended for Thailand. Less than a few weeks later, on the 2nd May, 2008, the country is devastated by one of the worst tropical cyclones (Cyclone Nargis) to ever hit this part of the world, killing close to 150,000 people and later taking the title of the second deadliest named cyclone of all time.
About 14 months ago, I’m travelling through Indonesia’s largest Island – Sumatra. Since that time, one of the world’s most potentially dangerous volcanoes (Anak Krakatau) started to erupt. When I was there the volcano was just huffing and puffing, spectacular to watch but not at all a danger. I climbed onto the volcano of Anak Krakatau and clambered mid-way up the small island to a point which was only just (at the time) safe enough to reside. If I had been at that point a year later – I probably would have needed a bucket of ice on standby…….it makes you think. Just a few days ago, a 7.6 MM earthquake hit’s the western edges of Sumatra killing 700 people and less than one day before that, a submarine earthquake of 8.0 MM strikes the South Pacific, generating a devastating tsunami which attacks the island nations of Samoa and Tonga. I watched a computer model on the BBC website of where the tsunami waves were generated and which parts of the islands they struck, with one of those lines focusing on the very tip of Eastern Upolu Island in Samoa, where just over 6 months ago, I was sunbathing on the beach.
Now of course this is all coincidence. You could argue that the more of the world you travel, the more likely devastating natural events are going to occur in those locations that you have visited, especially if those locations are ones with a history of disastrous natural phenomena like that of Indonesia – that’s all just statistics. I myself was in an earthquake during my travels of Sumatra, it was centred very closely to the recent event and it too caused damage and devastation although not on quite the same scale. Yet, while I plan my life and which worldly destination to head off to next, I may first pass by the London Flood Barrier and just double check that everything is working properly before I leave these shores. You never can be too careful.
On a happy note, I saw my team - the mighty Spurs win 5-0 against Burnley the other week. Some often claim that Tottenham Hotspur could be considered a natural disaster in itself. It was the first time I had seen them since my travels and I can’t quite describe how good it was to be back at White Hart Lane. Equally as good, my father and I were very generously given tickets in the Centenary Club, where you are provided with a three course meal before the game, then watch your team out on the terraces, but in seats made of the most softest of cow’s skin. After the game, whilst walking out the ground, we also bumped into Harry Redknapp (the Spurs Manager), where we proceeded to have a brief chat and a shaking of hands. I had missed the footy more than I realised.
My 26th birthday passed too. Yet while I didn’t celebrate this one by jumping off a ledge towards a river, safe only by a piece of elastic as I hurtled to the ground attached to my friend Darren, and both dressed with party hats on, as was achieved last year, I did still manage to have a great night out in London with all my mates and celebrate with the enthusiasm of two birthday’s - to make up for lost time.
Apart from all these events, I have been concentrating on my future. Many applications to volcano jobs have been sent out to places all over the world. I’m trying hard for jobs in South America and even harder for employment in the Caribbean – well you can’t blame me. I have also been reviewing my PhD options, however nothing, I’ve realised is going to happen quickly, but, if I keep pushing, they will happen eventually……..
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Life In London (England)
Berlin (Germany)
Even when I was out in New Zealand, some two months earlier, the planned trip to visit Germany's capital (Berlin) was already being talked about. The reason for the trip however, had somewhat eluded me at the time and it wouldn’t really be until we got off the plane at Tegel Airport that it would all start to make some sort of sense. And so, a few weeks after returning back home to London I was packing my bags once again and jet-setting off, this time to the very centre of Europe’s domain. Berlin was a family trip, with all but my father taking the leap across the North Sea. After some breakfast in Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food Restaurant, located in the very heart of Heathrow Airport’s - Terminal 5, we caught our early morning flight.
Quite some time ago, a German named Gunter Demnig came up with the idea that he would create small brass plaques, about the size of a beer mat and then lay them into pavements, cobbled paths, driveways and squares all over Germany. On each is recorded the name of a victim of the Nazis - usually, but not always those murdered in the Holocaust. The idea grew, with over 20,000 of the plaques now crafted by Demnig to date. Their reach has also expanded, with the small brass stones, now being laid in cities all over Europe.
The idea is that the stones are laid where the victim lived or grew up as a child, before their devastating outcome of horror. The scheme is called Stolpersteine or ‘stumbling stones’, with the catch being that each is laid a little unevenly, so that one stumbles over them, catching your attention, for acknowledgement that on that spot once lived an individual among the millions, a particular and personal story that might otherwise have been lost. The commemorative idea is widely accepted by German locals and other countries where the stones are being laid, despite the potential health and safety issues that stumbling stones may frequently generate.
Demnig and his growing team research widely before creating the stones and often contact family members of the individual who may wish to be present when the stones are laid. My grandmother had been contacted a while ago about laying two stones for the parents of my grandfather. This was the main reason for the trip to Berlin, but our four days here would also be used as an opportunity to explore. For while I had been to Germany on a number of occasions I had never visited the countries historic capital.
The first thing you notice when you arrive in Berlin is just how green the city is. I’m not really sure what I was expecting but for some odd reason, green just wasn’t it. There are numerous parks and rivers dotted all over the place and it appears that at every available space were planted yet more trees. We were staying in a hotel near the famous Kurfurstendamm or Ku’damm Road, in the western portion of central Berlin and which is renowned for shopping of all kinds but particularly of designer and hence expensive items.
This family trip would also extend across the Atlantic pond, with cousins Sharon and Vic coming over from America. My Cousin Rachel and Aunt Susan were also joining us. I hadn’t seen Rachel since my travels, so that was a nice surprise. To say that our 4 days was busy would be downsizing the scale of the trip somewhat. We crammed huge amounts of sightseeing, walking and most importantly – eating, into our 100 hours in Berlin.
On our sightseeing days, we ventured across the heart of the capital. We travelled across the communist designed Alexanderplatz, past the giant (365m high) television tower and through the Central Mitte Park where statues of Marx and Engles stand tall. We walked past the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) and continued down the famous Unter den Linden. This wide, cavernous road stretches for 1.5km and is lined with interesting and historical buildings. The road extends from the Schlossbrucke Bridge to the incredible site of the Brandenburg Gate. Considered the city’s most symbolic landmark, the Brandenburg Gate is a triumphal arch, which dates back to the 18th Century and since that time has played an important location for historical events. Hitler and Nazi soldiers paraded with torch-lit marches through the gate and after being cut-off to the people of Germany for 28 years, locals of East and West met at this spot for emotional celebrations on October 3rd 1989, when the Berlin wall was finally brought down.
We immersed in the history of the city further, by taking visits to the interesting Jewish Museum and to the museum of Checkpoint Charlie. Both museums where fascinating and provided a real insight into the life of those living in the Berlin during difficult times of the 20th Century. The museum of Checkpoint Charlie lies next to the actual site itself, its name given by the western allies to a crossing point between East and West Berlin during the cold war. The museum describes the many ways in which people were smuggled across the border for the hope of a better life, some being miraculously successful while others were less fortunate.
We also visited part of the Berlin wall too. Not much of the wall still stands, but there are parts, where pieces of the wall are still visible. Boarded and fenced away, the wall covered in graffiti and based by flowers, still forms a reminder of this cities difficult past. We walked along the shopping Street of the Ku’damm Road and explored the Harrods of Germany known as KaDeWe, a huge shopping centre with a food section that would blow your mind and your wallet at the same time. We explored the Turkish sections of Berlin too and headed out to East Germany to catch up on some personal history, visiting the site where my grandfather used to live and go to school.
We crammed in a trip to the Reichstag too, an immense building, which was constructed to house the parliament of the German Empire. Built in the 19th Century, the building has been of significant importance during the last 100 years. In 1933, a fire ruined large parts of the structure before it was rebuilt again in the 1960’s. The old, architectural piece now has a huge glass, modern dome standing tall within its centre. Finished in 1999, the dome provides a 360 degree view of the surrounding Berlin landscape and provides a sharp contrast to the parliament house of which it sits in, yet nonetheless doesn’t oddly appear out of place. We took a trip up through the dome for great views over the city, despite the initial long queues to get in.
Our evenings in Berlin were equally as busy. Last April, I was working in Dunedin in New Zealand’s South Island. I stayed in a cool little hostel, where working behind the desk was a young, ever-happy young German named Kassandra. I got to know Kassandra quite well as I stayed in that hostel for some weeks. She said that if I was ever in Berlin, to give her a call and she would take me out for a drink or two. So that’s what I did. My sister and I met up with Kassandra and her friend Tessa for a night out which was somewhat a unique experience for us both. If we were tourists on our own – we would never have found this place. You need to be in the know to go to a place like this and that meant being a local. We were taken to a student Pre-Oktoberfest party. High up, with fantastic views over Berlin, a mass of students gathered, wearing lederhosen and drinking beers bigger than the Hubble Space Telescope. They smashed their glasses together, dancing on tables and listening to a live band playing very German, glass smashing hits. By the end, despite the lack of costume, we were up with them on the tables, bashing our beer glasses till we could physically bash no more. It was a great night and a (very German) fabulous experience.
Among the Berlin parties and sightseeing, we were also in the city to lay some stones. We stood outside the place where my grandfather and great-grandparents once lived. It’s now a hotel. Gunter Demnig turned up and started to dig up the pavement. There is no ceremony, no words said – the stones say it all. Often German school kids turn up to see the event take place and understand this part of the countries history. The whole thing was over in a few minutes but hopefully the stones will remain for years to come.
After a manic but enjoyable few days in Berlin, we headed home to Autumn England. I had had my fun, now I needed to get a job……..
Sunday, 20 September 2009
Amy & Jody's Wedding
On the 29th August, 2009, my one and only sister, Amy Steele, got married. It was a special day. The ceremony was held in North London's Islington Town Hall. The room reminded me of a court room. Very old and grand - a fitting venue for such an occasion. I had my own responsibilities on the day. Not only was I in charge of playing the music throughout the proceedings (pressing the right buttons on the ipod at the right times), but I also read out a chosen poem. It was an excerpt from Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and I'm sure it was partly chosen for me because it had a line in it about volcanoes.
One thing about my sister Amy, and her now husband Jody, is that they are a little quirky. So it was no suprise to see Jody turn up to get married wearing a cravat and funky trainers. They both looked equally stunning however and the ceremony was fantastic, certainly worth flying over from the other side of the world to see.
It was a beautiful day, hot and sunny, so it was fitting that after the formalities everyone ventured to the pub garden over the road and sipped on Pimms. More family members soon joined before we were engaged in a deliceous Asian-Fusion meal for lunch, in a cute little restaurant just down the road, on Upper Street.
The final part of the day took place in the evening, where 100 people or so filled a cool bar - The Distillers, in Farringdon. True to their quirky form, the newly weds had hired an ice-cream van to serve 99's and other iced goodies to guests for the night outside the venue, and the Wedding cake was actually a tower of different flavoured cup cakes, stacked up to the ceiling. Yum. A salsa band played for large parts of the evening and with the alcohol flowing it made for a perfect night of partying.
Many of the guests headed upstairs to have their photos taken, in all manner of positions and configurations. The photographer was brilliant at getting the best out of the guests. Not that they didn't all look pretty amazing already of course, I'm just saying he did a good job thats all. I spent a lot of the evening talking (and catching up) with all the people that I hadn't yet seen since my return home just a few days before. It was a great night.
I'm not sure even now (almost a month on) that my sister can believe that she is now Amy Smith, but I do know that she is very happy, and thats all that matters. It was a fantastic day and a lot of fun was had by all. May Amy and Jody have a wonderful, successful and happy future together. x x x
Friday, 18 September 2009
London (England) - Returning Home
I knew it would be a manic few days coming up. I hadn't seen so many people for such a long time. My first call, was family. It was good to see the parents again, even though I had met up with them in New Zealand just a few weeks before. I met my Mum at the airport and my Dad on the tube back home. I had missed them, though I couldn't say the same for the London Underground. It hadn't changed. It was still the same old tube and the same old delays. I'm not really sure what I was expecting. I probably would have been more suprised to see the underground system replaced by supersonic space-like crafts whizzing around London at brake-neck speeds, but I suppose I just hoped for something better.
My home town, Southgate, located in the very northern stretches of London, hadn't changed much either. As I walked back home - I quickly realised that everything (apart from the odd shop here and there) was exactally as I had left it. It was then that the feeling of not really being away, hit me. It was as though I hadn't left at all. Very strange, though not in a bad or good, or disappointing or exciting way - just a stange one. When I walked into my house, that hadn't really changed all that much too - yet that did please me. It was familiar and I liked it. The only differences were the welcome home balloons and banners that lined the hall-way - I was pleased about that too. It was good to be home.
A while ago, maybe 2-3 months or so, I was in New Zealand and speaking to a very good (and old) friend back home. It was then that I decided to only tell Michael the date of my return. All the other boys would think I was coming back a few days later and just one day before my Sister's wedding which they all already knew about. It was only a few days difference but I thought it would be fun to suprise them all. It's often the other way around - that the returning traveler comes home to a welcome party - and that did happen, with all my family a few days after I arrived. But with my boys, I thought I'd turn the table a little. I told Mike, I didn't care how, but to get them all in a pub the day after I landed into Heathrow. He didn't let me down, and that night I met Mike outside the pub, before strolling in to some incredibly shocked but happy faces. I remember seeing my friend Naddy's jaw almost hit the floor, before everyone took a second to realise what was going on. It was amazing to see them all after a year and a half and within a few minutes it was all back to normality.
Over the next few days, I saw nearly all the people that I hadn't for so long. I couldn't get to see everyone in such a short time, to get round them all would take a few months but those close at hand, I made the effort (and they did too), to meet up.
Actually, it all ended up quiet convienient for my return back to England. I was staying for a little while, before I decided where to head off next, which job to pursue or if to make the leap into a PhD. However, originally, I had planned to return to New Zealand after a short time. That was before I realised that I couldn't get any more work through my visa. At the time I thought I would return back home for a few weeks and then head off back to Auckland. My reason for returning home - was my Sisters wedding and now, the big day was upon us...............
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Back In Hong Kong - To See It Properly
We reached the chaos of Kowloon and headed straight off to our hotel located on the largest land mass surrounding these shores and simply known as Hong Kong Island. We had about 6 days in HK, to see and do things, but first we needed a rest. We were booked into another swanky hotel, in a great location - on the northern shores of Hong Kong Island. To our delight, our hotel had a roof-top swimming pool and equally to our delight (and very unusual for HK) we had a fair few consecutive days of hot, sunny and cloud / smog free skies. We topped up our tans and relaxed by or in the pool and it was pure bliss. After the manic traveling of China, this is exactly what was needed. We also had a gym and a whole manner of other luxuries which I continually expressed a desire to make use of but never actually did - the sun and the pool was all I needed.
To stay for 6 days in Hong Kong (or any worldly location) and do nothing but rest by a swimming pool (to me at least) is a bit of a missed opportunity. You have to take in your surroundings, soak in the atmosphere and experience the culture and lifestyle of those around you. And so, in light of this, we got off our arses and decided to do a few things.
We traveled along and around Hong Kong Island by all means of transport, but most of all I like to use my feet. We had a wander around Hong Kong's Times Square. A bustling place with fancy shops and even fancier dressed locals. It was only then that I realised how affluent Hong Kong really is. Factories and industry seems to have disappeared here and has instead been replaced by office blocks and hard, long-hour working locals. Their wages are reflected in their work, and their designer clothes and sporty cars are reflected in their wages. This is a city full of rich kids, who have cash to burn and they burn it in style. You would probably find it a difficult and depressing place to live if you were broke but come here with a bit of muller and you can have the time of your life. I suppose you could say that about any place in the world - money in some sad sense makes the world go round and not the conservation of angular momentum as I had originally assumed. But in some global destinations having or not having money to enjoy or destroy your life is enhanced to extreme ends of the scale, and HK is certainly one of those locations.
We ventured to the southern portions of Hong Kong Island, where we were submerged in the intertwining alleys of Stanley Market. Down in this part of HK, Stanley has a very European feel to it. The white-washed villas in the hillside reminded me of my kids holidays in Greece. Smart little cafes line the water front and the hectic crowds just don't stretch this far down. Its relaxing, and after a while you quickly forget that your in Hong Kong. We then moved around the corner to Repulse Bay Beach. It's a nice stretch of clear sand but its HK's most popular beach and for that reason, plus the incredible weather, it was hard to find the clear sand.
A year ago or so, Harriet, her friend Rob and cousin Kate came to Hong Kong on their way to New Zealand, so Harriet was quite familiar with the city. During their last visit, a friend of a friend of Kate's, who was born in HK but had lived in New Zealand for many years was now back in this Asian city, living and working. Her name was Shiki and Harriet contacted her again so she could take us out on the town. To me, she would essentailly be a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend - but then, who's counting!!!
Shiki is a really fun person and an excellent tour guide of at least the night scene in HK, which was fine by us. I mean in the day, its easy to get around and find the tourist attractions with minimal effort. But to find the best places to go out at night is somewhat more of an effort. You really need to know the city and as we later found out - you need to know the right people. To get into many of the clubs in HK, you need to know someone who is a member of that club. They pay a yearly subscription of some outrageous amount and then your in - and all your mates too. So for two consecutive nights, Shiki took us out to the club scene with all her friends. It was fun to see how the HK locals go out and party. Actually, we were taken to some quite exclusive places, where models and wealthy youngsters would gather and look cool - I didn't feel out of place for a second - ha!!! We were taken around the Soho district, where most of the partying takes place. Shiki introduced us to all her friends, some who spoke perfect English, others who didn't, but all very welcoming and friendly. Shiki herself, still has a very strong kiwi accent. A few days before we arrived Shiki had split up with her boyfriend, and by pure coincidence (we assumed), we spent a lot of time trying to run away from him as he seemed to turn up where-ever we were. Nevertheless, we had fun those two nights.
Shiki also took us to us to her home, where she lives with her uncle in Kowloon. We spent our lunch time, eating out in a very traditional (not a tourist in site) restaurant. We let Shiki and her uncle order the food. They brought out a dozen different dishes, all very different to anything I had eaten before and all very deliceous. Shiki and Harriet also took me up Victoria Peak. They had both been up before but it's a must do if you visit Hong Kong. Hong Kong Island is pretty hilly. Mountains run through the Island, and up on one of them - Victoria Peak, they have built a cable car (some time ago), allowing folks to get the most incredible view over the city. The cable car is an experience in itself. A slow and steep ride up the side of the mountain. At the top, they have restaurants and tourist amusements, but it is the view that focuses the main attraction. We went up at night and the view over HK is just phenomenal - the skyline of the city lit up in all the colours you could think of.
On my last day in HK, Harriet wanted to tan up by the pool, but I was up for seeing more. I headed off to Lantau Island. It's the same island that houses HK Disneyland and the airport, but they were not the reason that I was heading here. I went to a small town called Ngong Ping. It's a charming town, very quiet with little shops lining its only street. Next to the town however, is a famous Buddist (Po Lin) Monestary and up on a nearby hill is the Big Buddha. There are a number of stairs to climb and in the heat, it certainly was exhausting. Once your at the top however, you are greeted by a huge bronze Buddha statue. Tian Tan Buddha is 34m high and up until 2007, was the largest outdoor- bronze seated Buddha in the world. Inside is a museum about the Buddha and the Po Lin Monestary and surrounding the stucture are a number of Buddist statues. Up on the hill you get a fantastic (if slightly misty) view of the surrounding mountain-side. I also visited the Po Lin Monestary and saw many Buddist's (robed in orange) praying. It was an interesting experience and something that I had not really seen since the beginning of my travels in SE Asia.
Harriet and I had had the most fantastic two weeks. It was tiring, sweaty and a lot of hard work but it was worth it. We saw and experienced so many fabulous things, met some incredible people and just had a damn good time. It was time for our final flight. In 12 or so hours I would be back in London, England - and my home. I had been away for just over a year and a half (18 and a half months) but it was finally time. I was excited, nervous and full of anticipation. I couldn't wait. I would get to see all my family and friends again, walk down some familiar streets, taste the delights of British food, the sunny weather - I was ready. After an anxious plane flight, I stepped into Heathrow Airport, the last place I had seen when I left. I was back home, and I hadn't even told any of my friends that I was coming back today. I thought I would suprise them - I wonder what they will say......................???
Friday, 11 September 2009
Back In Shanghai For The Day
Again, Harriet and I quickly made friends with the local Chinese man in our cabin berth. It's a shame that I can't for the life of me remember his name because he was very friendly, loved to practise his English with us and was incredibly helpful when it was called upon. We spent most of the night chatting and playing card games. He entertained us for a most of the journey, which was lucky because for the first time, our train was suffering technical problems and we actually ended up getting into Shanghai about 4 hours late!!!
He was a young man who worked in the computer games industry, but who then went onto explain that you couldn't legally buy a Playstation or X-Box console in China (you can from Hong Kong) and that the government also block a lot of websites, denying you access to specific pieces of information, which explained the reason that I had a lot of trouble accessing Facebook. The political situation in China is complicated.
He also recommended a few places to visit around Shanghai that we had not yet seen, and when we departed he got onto the subway with us and then walked us all the way to the first location before returning to the subway to head home and see his family. I can't imagine too many English folk I know doing that for a tourist they had never met before.
The place he walked us to was called Xin Tian Di. It's a rejuvenated neighbourhood of Shanghai, filled with narrow streets that are full of smart coffee shops and restaurants. It has a modern and affluent feel to it and is regarded as the new, trendy part of town. It was designed by an American architect, yet has a design that seems to fuse Chinese and European style, well at least in my opinion. It's pretty cool and is making its name as an entertainment center.
After a look around and a bite to eat, we took a taxi to a popular spot with tourists and locals alike, known as Yu Yuan Gardens, but to me felt more like a very Chinese-styled water village. The area had very narrow streets borded by elegant buildings and street market style shops as well as food stools that had particularly interesting cuisine. Water features surround the old-styled buildings and the whole area has a bustling atmosphere along the busy streets yet a relaxing feel once out onto the sections dominated by the water-garden.
After a day enjoying the sun and sights of Shanghai, we jumped in a tuk tuk. I had forgotten how much fun they were as I hadn't ventured into one since my times in South East Asia, but then got into an argument with the driver over pricing that I thought we had agreed before the journey (apparently not), which funnily enough also reminded me of my past traveling experiences. We eventually made it to the train station for our long journey back to Hong Kong.
We had a about 6 days coming up in Hong Kong and among all the sight seeing, I couldn't wait to first do absolutely nothing. It had been a hectic ride across China and we were absolutely knackered, plus the fact that we also both smelt worse than a seal giving birth, so we would definately enjoy some rest and relaxation (and a good scrub) before doing anything even mildly active. Yet despite the craziness, our times in China had been fun, interesting and all-in-all, an incredible experience that we would both not forget in a hurry. I'd love to come back and see more. It's such a vast country and places from one corner to the next are so very different from each other that you could spend a life-time exploring the place. For now though, I had had a real taster and it was time for Hong Kong, which I was equally excited about returning to................
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Xi'an
On our train from Beijing to Xi'an, we were sharing a berth with a lovely Chinese family, who all spoke very good English. All the Chinese people we had met were very friendly and particularly helpful whenever it was required - which was generally frequent and this family were no different. The family were traveling back home to Xi'an (where we were heading) and soon proceeded to tell us all about the city, where to go and what to see and do. They had a funny young daughter who amused us for a fair amount of the train ride. I didn't realise at the time, but they explained that all Chinese people have two names, a normal (Chinese) name and a westernised or English version. When he pronounced his daughters name it must have been about 38 characters long and took almost a full minute to say. Then he told us it translated to Emily!!! I wondered what my name would be in Chinese.
Xi'an is a beautiful old city. It forms one of the oldest cities in China and was once the countries capital during some particularly important dynasties. Surrounding the area are the old city walls. The whole place is filled with ancient tradition and history and you really feel it when you're there. On our first day, we didn't really do a lot. We walked the streets and down little back-alleys. It really felt like we were fused into real Chinese life. Near our hotel was a fabulous little street market. Most were locals selling and buying all manner of items. They had real Chinese street food straight of the stalls too, so I didn't miss the opportunity to delve straight in. I can't really put my finger on what it was that I liked about Xi'an almost as soon as I stepped off the train but I now think it was because the place felt a lot more personal.
The following day we decided to head over to the site of one of the most incredible archaeological finds in world history. About 40km to the east of Xi'an's city center is the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang and his Terracotta Army. First our driver and guide naturally took us to a terracotta making factory where they explained how the army soldiers were made and asked if we wanted to then purchase some newly made statues, from ones that could fit into your hand up to full life sized models. I quickly explained that a 6 foot tall, two tonne teracotta warrior was unlikely to fit into my back-pack and we continued on to see the real thing.
In 1974, some local farmers were drilling a water well, in the Shaanxi Province (a suburb of Xi'an), when they stumbled across a pit filled with hundreds of life-size terracotta warrior statues. This discovery prompted archaeologists from all around the world to flock to the Shaanxi Province, to investigate. Today, they have uncovered four pits with over 8,000 army soldiers in total, and excavation still continues. Along with the warriors are approximately 130 chariots with 520 horses, 150 cavalry horses as well as officials, acrobats, strongmen, and musicians. Each army warrior is classified by rank (e.g. soldier, general etc.) and every one is completely different to his neighbour, which suggests that they were directly modelled on real soldiers at the time. This is essentially the world's first Madame Tussauds gallery.
The Terracotta Army is a form of funerary art buried with the first Qin Emperor in 210 BC and consequently, they are also sometimes referred to as "Qin's Armies. Their purpose was to help rule another empire in the afterlife, as similar to ancient Egyptian practices. We headed over to the Mausouleum complex, where you can visit three of the pits and the museum which provides countless pieces of information on the armies construction and purpose as well as presents some of the artifacts that were found in the excavation pits along with the warriors.
Pit 1 is the most impressive. The area is huge, like being in an airplane hanger. There are thousands of army soldiers as well as some chariots and horses on display. They are all standing upright as though ready for battle at any moment. In some areas of the pit, they are still extracting more soldiers, while in other parts they are still piecing the men back together - it's a time-consuming process. Pits 2 and 3 get progressively smaller but still house some wonderful examples of the life-size men. We then had a walk around the museum, which is equally impressive and allows you to piece togther bits of information that you wern't treated to in the excavation pits. It was a fascinating experience.
On our way back to the taxi, we walked through a busy market where replica warriors are sold as well as thousands of books and other souvenirs related to the terracotta army. In one bookshop is a man signing books and taking photos with customers. His name is Mr Yang and he was the first farmer to discover the Terracotta Army in 1974. It was his farm that stood above one of the greatest treasures in Chinese history. Our guide said he was paid about 30 Yuan (£3) for the find and had to give up his farm. He was treated well by the government in the fact that they relocated him, but he is largely forgotten about in the grand scheme of things. We met him and shook his hand, a nice fellow that perhaps deserved more than he got - but thats life I suppose.
After, our guide recommended somewhere for us to eat and then took us to a very famous mountain in Xi'an. We took a cable car up to the top for great views over the city, despite the mist.
We later returned and eventually boarded our next train. Because there is no direct train from Xi'an back to Hong Kong, we would have to head back to our first Chinese stop - Shanghai, spend a day there and then later get the 20 hour ride back the way we came. Still, we hadn't seen everything in Shanghai (it's impossible in a couple of days) so we were glad to be returning for a second visit.........
