Humble Beginnings
Jackie and I set off on our great Xi'an adventure and of course, always up for a new experience, decided to take the train...ahem...the 20 hour over-night train. If we only knew what was in store for us as we boarded our clunky red and grey train, we might have considered rethinking our decision. After waiting a while for the train people to try to open the rusty train car door, we all flooded into the train. I looked in amazement at what stood before me...a tiny compartment with two triple bunks, no doors and no privacy. There were other 66 people joining us for this 20 hour train ride. Jackie and I struggled to get up into our top bunk, which we had been told by people were referred to as the "coffin bunks". They couldn't have been more right!! We could not even sit up and could barely roll over!! Jackie and I just cracked up as we crawled into the tiny space onto sheets that had not been changed in quite some time....What a start to our adventure!! As we settled down to sleep, the lights were still on at 10 pm...hmm...and they were blasting some sort of Chinese rap music combined with a harpsichord. With all that and the many people chatting up a storm all around us and the AC blasting us from the ceiling, lets just say it was a very long night!! :)
 Wait...THIS is our train...ohhh boy, they can't even get the door unjammed to let us in the train....  Jackie just stretching her legs... |  All of our train-car roomies...what a Partayyy  I seriously am STUCK!!! ahh!!  The lovely family next-door that we played several card games with...well the best we could w/o being able to speak Chinese!! |
Awesome Hostel
| |  Once we got to Xi'an we were overjoyed to reunite with Tyler!! |
A delicious Breakfast at Han Tang Hostel
 Bacon, eggs, toast, sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms!!! What a feast!! |  Of course...with Coffee |
Venturing around Xi'an
As soon as we got off the train and dropped off our things at the hostel, we jumped right in, and headed to the Great Xi'an Ancient City Wall!! Jackie and I rode a tandem bicycle and had a great time and Tyler went the safe route and decided to ride a solo bike. It took us about an hour and 15 minutes to bike around the city walls! It was a lot of fun!!
 ...Off to a bit of a rocky start...  And you BET we rode this Tandem bicycle in STYLE!!! |  Getting the hang of it!!  Wahoo!! look how awesome we are!!! |  The perfect Tyler pose! |  Making new friends along the way...  Jackie!! The Terra-Cotta Warrior!!!!! |
Sights to See and Places to be...
The Xi'an Bell Tower
 Shaanxi History Museum |  Muslim corner  The Qin Mausoleum |
Tang Dynasty Dance Show
Terra-Cotta Army
Starbucks with the Ladies!!
I went with the ladies from work (Alpine Pro) for a Starbucks date!! So much fun!!! Of course the perfect way to spend any hot, summer afternoon!!
 Tina, Linda, Me, Jessica and Judy  Judy, the new Bride, just had her wedding last weekend!! |  Linda and I  Tina is so sweet and always sure to look out for me!! |
Duck feet with Oo-Yan and Kingna!!
 On the bus after work heading to the Noodle restaurant! |  Kingna and I |
We got Duck noodle soup and a side dish of webbed duck feet....mmmm!! And yes, I ate them, i felt bad that Kingna and Oo-Yan had ordered them especially for me...(gulp)....
Dosen't that just look TASTY??!!!
| I took the Bullet train up to Shanghai this weekend to meet up with Jackie to go to our Holland Fellow friends' graduation from Fudan University!!
We began our day by searching and searching to find a rumored Dunkin' Donuts. After many hours of wandering in the blistering heat we finally found it!! After a delicious breakfast of donuts and coffee we headed out to do some exploring and shopping. We shopped around a bit, then took a looooooong subway ride to Fudan's campus. We got there earlier than expected of course we went to our FAV dumpling place and had the most delicious dumplings everrrrr!! (we had discovered this place while we were doing the Holland Fellows program at Fudan.) Our feet were aching so we stopped and go FOOT MASSAGES!! It was incredible!!! My feet have never felt so glorious!!
After that we went to meet up with Cathy, George and Grace. We saw Emily and Virginia do their red carpet walk (they looked absolutely beautiful!!). Then we all went to dinner and met up with Tao, Robert and Aaron. After that we attended their Fudan University talent show/farewell ceremony. Where we got to see Grace do her hip hop dance and Michael sing!! It was so much fun!!!
After that Jackie and I trudged home on subway after subway. The next morning we die more shopping and exploring of YuYuen Gardens in Shanghai. It was hot and crowded, but we had a blast! Even got some bubble tea!!
 Beautiful Emily! |  Beautiful Virginia! |  Michael and I |  DUNKIN' DONUTS!!!!!!!  Eatin' Dumplins' |  Jackie is in HEAVEN!!!  Gettin' a foot massage!!! |  Cathy and I  John and I at Fudan University  Of course...George making his "creepy" face!!  Tao!!! |
My train ride back to Jiaxing was quite an adventure. When I purchased my tickets I had not realized that my ticket back was set for the 30th of June, and I was planning on going back the 1st of July. Me, being very oblivious to this fact attempted to board the train with an invalid ticket. When I went to the ticket check the machine kept rejecting it. I just gave a confused look to the lady checking tickets and she smiled and let me through. Once I boarded the train, I went and found my seat, only to be approached by and elderly lady showing me her seat number and I realized that I was in her seat. looked down at my ticket and it also said car 5 seat 03D and so did hers. I was so confused!! Then they pointed to the date on my ticket 2012.06.30. OOPS!!!! My heart sank!! Oh no!! My train was YESTERDAY!!! I gave the lady HER seat back and stood at the front of the train. A little while later somebody motioned for me to go sit in an empty seat in the car ahead of me. I thought "Ok, well i guess it is better than standing". So I went and sat down, in FIRST CLASS!! Yes, that is rights they gave me a first class seat. I was in heaven!! And very thankful that I even got on the train!! Once I arrived back in Jiaxing, I was a little nervous about the ticket check at the exit of the station. But once again, it was no problem, They just looked at me, smiled and let me through!! I love China!! Even when I make mistakes, like taking my train a day late, everything just comes together with a smile!!! I quickly boarded the last bus 97 bound for downtown Jiaxing and heaved a sigh of relief!! Almost home!!
The Shanghai Hongqiao Railway station on a calm day!! lol
RSS Feed