Here is Cal in front of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It's right next door to our hotel in Xian. It was rainy that day, but nice and warm now, if a little muggy. The pagoda makes a good beacon for us, but since it looks the same from each side, we still got lost only a little ways from the entrance to our hotel. We have been saved and helped many times already. At least I have learned to say thank you (something like shay shay). And we've managed to order food without meat (and very tasty food, too) 
Yes, that's me, ChaCha, arriving in Xian. A day late, since our plane was delayed out of SF and consequently into Beijing, thereby keeping us from making our connecting flight to Xian. Was this a tragedy? Not at all, since we were whisked to a nice if boring hotel, put up for the night, gratis, and delivered back to the airport the next morning in time for a flight to Xian! Of course, we understood not one word, except "Don't worry!" We worried anyway, but did indeed arrive in Xian on Saturday morning (I think...who can keep track, what with the international dateline and all.) The photo commemorates the moment at which my passport and money cards had been restored to me after I dropped the little black pouch on the floor of the plane! YIKES!But, as has been our experience so far, we received help and were able to continue in our bumbling fashion. Sherry Butler got it so right: people here are very helpful.
Now if I could just get someone to help me set the images up properly, that would make my day (thought I had it this time, but, oh, no) This is the view out of our window at our hotel. Quite the nicest place I've stayed in a long time, with a pond with ducks and peacocks wandering about and a big marble lobby and comfortable bed with nice sheets. Of course, we won't stay long...too spendy, but very nice to break our fall a bit. It is right next to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The following photos were taken there.
The place is really like a big park, full of Chinese tourists. The original site was established in 642 AD to honor some big shot's mother. Good for him, I say. It has also served as the monastery at which the Buddha's teachings were first transcribed into Chinese. I loved this carving..all made from a huge boulder. There was so much exquisite art of all media and eras that I had to be selective. A few people there treated it as the sacred site that it is, bowing and praying, but not many.
We've been impressed with the numbers of newly planted trees we've seen. Construction construction construction...literally night and day. Much emphasis on the coming Olympics...as if anyone could forget.
1 comment:
ok, i am playing catch up as i have been out of town. speaking of construction literally night and day. during my trip to china i stayed at a rather fancy (by my standards)hotel my first night. in the morning, a sunday, the construction started at around 3 am. i called the lobby like 'yo dude, it's friggin sunday'. they passed me on to a supervisor who didn't understand the sunday reference at all. and 3 am? so what 3 am?
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