Initial Impressions

I write from China. I had a hard time believing I was coming here before I left. I am here with Marlene and Kendra, the best travel buddies one can I ask for. The trip was borne out of the desire to see China while Marlene's brother, Ernie, or Ernesto for those of you who remember Italy posts, was living and teaching here. 

Marlene and I traveled together, and we were to meet Kendra in Beijing, as she was coming from Abu Dhabi (check out her blog kmjtravels.wordpress.com). Marlene and I were wiped by the time we boarded the plane. We still didn't believe exactly what was happening.  It was about a 12 hour ride, and we slept a lot. We opted for the Chinese food option on principle but as Marlene said, "It was terrible and satisfying at the same time." Delta should outsource that to Panda Express (at least). 

We landed, got through immigration and customs swiftly, and the first thing we spotted in the airport was...wait for it...a Starbucks! Cuckoo, I know. Our first win came when we talked to a couple of ladies about transportation to the hotel, where we were meeting Kendra. They quoted 150 yuan ($25) for a car service. Mars--doing a wonderful job of communicating--asked my opinion. I said let's roll the dice on a cab. So we did. About 15 minutes and 14 yuan later ($2.25) we arrived. 

I have to say the first night didn't feel like we were anywhere special. I was in a hotel room with two of my closest friends with whom I've traveled many times over. It was fun, just not any different.  The next day we traveled to our first destination, Xi'an, again by plane. Sadly, Marlene and I had the worst cup of coffee we've ever had at the airport (Italy, you take the cake in quality airport coffee). Happily, Kendra and I all had shrimp wonton noodle soup, while Mar opted for beef noodle. 

The city of Xi'an is southwest of Beijing, about 90 minutes by plane. It's population is about 10m people, or by comparison 1.3x Washington State or the entire population (sans illegals) of Greece. 

A highlight of the arrival was getting a taxi driver from the arrivals area (a no-no). So our driver loaded our bags but didn't close the trunk, and we wondered because it was raining. Once we got out of the airport, he hopped out and shut it. Off we went! Because May 1 is a national holiday (Labor Day) and lands on a Wednesday this year, most have Monday and Tuesday off as well. So we hit some traffic. And he was AWESOME! I felt like I was in Greece again. Xi'an is a walled city, and we were staying within the walls. He crossed multiple lanes of traffic multiple times, negotiated pedestrians, and even traveled down restricted bus lanes. I have two favorite moments with him: the first is when he unbuckled himself, got out of the car in the rain, yelled at a bus driver he was cutting off *in the bus lane.* The second was when he used an oncoming white Audi sedan, which was trying to make a left, as a pick, crossing all lanes of traffic to get around it on the outside to eke out a few extra meters of travel! He was amazing. I felt very at home. We got his business card for a potential return trip to the airport. 

When we arrived here, we found Ernesto and his friend, Jeff. It was a fun reunion, and because Ernesto is involved, high energy. We checked into the room, which has a "fashionable guest room" status. What that means is the beds and the shower are separated by a wall of partially frosted glass. I can explain later... 

We decided to use our first evening to see the wall. The wall is a out a 14 km (~8.5-mile) perimeter, and you can walk it, bike it, or as the guide book states for the "truly lazy" see it via golf cart. We opted for bikes--rain be damned!! 

There's something about being on a bike that makes me really happy. And being with friends only enhances the experience. The rental period was for 100 minutes so we didn't dilly dally. There are two long sides and two short sides. The outer perimeter was lined with red flags and classic Chinese music was piped in. The terrain was made of brick, so watching for missing ones was critical to the comfort of the ride. 

The duality of China can be seen in its grandiosity balanced by its poverty. The wall is 12m high (~40 feet). It was about 4m wide up top. From time to time we paused to overlook the views, huge and multiple condo complexes being built beyond the city walls while aging complexes made up the interior. I'd see a brightly painted pagoda rooftop that would lure me to the inner side to peer at what it was. At the overlook, I could see it surrounded by old cars and piles of trash. At other points, all I could see to the inside were trees. The outside is completely industrial, with cranes dotting the view as far as the eye can see. 

The rain subsided and we kept moving. It was fun. It was just pure fun. It helped to acclimate me to my surroundings. We went to dinner in a setting that reminded me of the dim sum restaurants I've visited in New York. We strolled back to the hotel, and stopped for ice creams on the way. I can't tell you how many times I turned to my friends or they to me to say "We're in China." With each mention of it, the idea takes a stronger hold. The delivery is changing from being matter of fact to showing excitement. Now, I believe I'm here. 

More to come...