Hands ready to hold weapons
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
The weapons found here are now in storage, but they are reported to be still sharp and stainless.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Pit one at the Army of the Terracotta Warriors
Pit one at the Army of the Terracotta Warriors
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Bus 306 (8 RMB roundtrip) brought me to the Army of the Terracotta Warriors (entry 90 RMB). There are three excavation pits here. Pit one is the largest. There are some 6000 warriors here with different faces and heads. These warriors were placed here to protect the tomb and soul of Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Off to Xining
I visited the Terracotta warriors while in Xi'an. They are pretty neat. I will post pictures soon. I am headed off to Xining tonight on an overnight train. It will take 12 hours, and all the reserved seats and bunks were taken as the train originates from Beijing (18 hours away). All I could manage was standing room. Grrreat! Awwwwwesome.
Grand Mosque of Xi'an
Grand Mosque of Xi'an
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
From Chengdu, I took another overnight train to Xi'an, the capital of the Shanxi province. This is considered to be the heart of China by many. This is the place of the Terracotta warriors, the tomb of the first emperor of China. Xi'an is a walled city of over 6 million people. There are hordes of tourists here, but only a few Westerners.
Panda
Panda
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
There is a Panda research center about 10 km outside of Chengdu. There are about 40 giant pandas kept here with an active nursery. They appear to be pretty lazy animals, no wonder they're going extinct. The ones I saw spent their time lying on their backs chewing up bamboo shoots.
To get to the Research center, don't take the "tours" sold by the hotels for 70 RMB. The entry ticket is only 30 RMB and you just take a citybus to Qinglong bus terminal for 1 RMB (number 83 from the train station or number 001 throughout the city)and take minibus number 1 next door to the terminal (1.50 RMB) to the Research center.
Sichuan hot chili oil
Sichuan hot chili oil
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
In Kunming, I stayed one night (back at Camellia's Hostel for 30 RMB), enjoyed some great food at the food court and at Walmart, before taking an 18 hour sleeper train to Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan (Szechuan) province. It was overcast and drizzly in Chengdu, but there was hot food to be had. Some of the best food in China is from the Sichuan province, and almost all of it is blisteringly spicy.
Gorge view
Gorge view
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
On day three, I hiked down to Tina's guesthouse, down by the road. I left the Aussies and Swedes behind to make my way back to Lijiang and Kunming. It only took a couple hours to get to the road, and from there I hired a minivan (60 RMB, ouch!) to get me back to Qiaotao, where I caught a bus (15 RMB) back to Lijiang.
At Lijiang, I bought a ticket on the sleeper bus to go back to Kunming (122 RMB), 8 hours away.
Chinese chess
Chinese chess
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
A couple of the boys were playing chess between chores.
Dinner with the Li's
Dinner with the Li's
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
For dinner, we asked to eat with the family in their kitchen.
Cracking walnuts and drinking beer
Cracking walnuts and drinking beer
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
We spent the rest of the afternoon drinking tea, beer, and cracking walnuts that they supplied for free.
Drinking milk tea
Drinking milk tea
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
On the way to Five Fingers Guesthouse, we passed many interesting plants. I asked Mr. Li about the interesting plants and he explained that they could make it into a nice milk tea. "Five Fingers" was named after Five Fingers Mountain which was behind the guesthouse. Mr. Li and his wife, family of three kids, and his mother lived at this "guesthouse". During the day, he picked corn and tended his animals, and once in a while some guests would show up.
The gorge is 3900 meters below the peaks
The gorge is 3900 meters below the peaks
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Purportedly, one of the deepest gorges in the world.
Naxi Family Guesthouse is somewhere down there
Naxi Family Guesthouse is somewhere down there
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
This is the view from 24 or 28 bends.
Climbing up the trail
Climbing up the trail
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
On day two, we all set out at different paces from Naxi Guesthouse towards Five Fingers Guesthouse at 9:00 am. We stopped for lunch at Tea Horse Guesthouse for an hour and made it to Five Fingers around 4:00 pm. We ascended to the highest point on the trail at 2600-meters at the top of 28-bends. I think Qiaotao is at about 2100-meters.
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