Tour of Shanghai

Mad food market

Old wutangs being demolished and people moved out of town to build high rise

Poor and rich divide. Old and new divide.

Barbers/whore saloons every third shop in one part.

Communist area of town.

french area of town.

Shanghai by night

Similar to the seedy stretch of Beijing but more expensive, more whores, more white guys to pay for the whores.

Shanghai

Hotel - very nice old school style, very plush! Living it up.

City appears to be much less space than previously visited in China and more akin to Tokyo perhaps although the old style buildings are still more apparent intermingled wiht the new high tech and futuristic sky scrapers.

At this stage and with a few days left my camera battery was 'exhausted'. I had no converter for the plug and didnt get round to getting one so this is where the photos of the tour end. I'm hoping to get some pictures sent over from the Japanese crew to upload soon.

Another day in X'ian

Pretty much just spent the day trying to get night train tickets to shanghai all day at various places = hostels, banks etc. We finally got tickets right at the end of the day.

Got there in the end...

X'ian (pronounced Cian) is actually a really cool place and I wish we had stayed there longer. Despite the bad pollution that plagues the city it is in fact a lovely place to spend some time. The people are extremely friendly and surprisingly seemed to find us as something of an attraction. The place must get a lot of tourists due to the Warriors yet still we found them to find us quite novel. Everyone we met wanted to stop and speak with us, and the women were beautiful.

There was a fair amount of apparent poverty in X'ian which makes you wonder whether the government simply ships them out of both Shanghai and Beijing n their efforts to 'clean up' the city. The people seem hardened with their rosy cheeks and frost bitten hands (and occasionally faces) yet still wear the biggest smiles you're likely to see anywhere in the World.

The Muslim quarter is fascinating and the food amazing - be sure to check it out both night and day.

Check the place out, spend a few days, you’ll like it.


Get the evening train to shanghai - 16 hours of pleasure with Aroop coughing, spluttering, snoring and exercising his wrists the entire journey.

Xi'an - Terracotta Warriors

The warriors were a bit of a let down to be honest - just as impressive to see on the web or a
book. On reflection and looking back and at the images they were pretty impressive and if it really did happen (which in reality it most probably did) then the whole thing is amazing. (However the rest of my comments still hold true).

The whole thing is too geared up for the tourism side of things and it over shadows the reality and spectacle of the actual thing to be honest.

I even wondered whether the whole thing is in fact a hoax made up by the Chinese for tourism purposes!

We did however getting driven to a restuarant for some food (probably the driver's sister or friend) and had some excellent freshly made and cooked noodles (a speciality of the area). They tasted very much like fresh pasta in Europe. Pasta was in fact brought to Italy from China, although the Greek wouldn't believe that...... Look it up Chris.

Stayed in a top hotel last night night and visited the Muslim quarters for a cool night market and some top food.

Night train to Xi'an

12 hour train trip in style to Xi'an

Aroop crying about the air temp though but very very bearable.

Arrive in Xi'an - usual confusion with all the nonsense at the trainstation wiht taxis and hustlers and hotel owners etc.

Off to see Terracotta warriors today.

Cycling round Beijing - Flea Market, Silk Market

We cycled around the older parts of Beijing - the traditional Wutung areas of living. A large area of housing connected with a crazy network of alleyways and lanes. We met several people on our cycle through the district and the people were extremely friendly and seemed very happy despite the cramped living conditions they appeared to co-exist. I guess it was the equivalent of a council estate in London, except we came out alive and with our wallets still in our pockets.
Pictures

Incidentally this little Chinese girl seemed to love Aroop, and Aroop appeared to love her.

We visited the flea market where you go to buy your ripped off clothing and dvds and just about everything for that matter whilst you are in Beijing. It's an indoor market and is less hassley than Shanghai's outdoor equivalent. The girls on the stalls are all very pretty and liek a bit of banter from the boys.

Outside the market I bought some well needed socks off this lovely Mongolian chick. Forgot how pretty she was till I looked at the pictures. Maybe I should have made a passport offer she couln't refuse....

Crazy random meal in restuarant.

Tiannemen square at night.