Xi'an day 15

For the first time in China I am feeling a bit nervous.  I have been told that catching a taxi is really difficult in Xi'an and that I should take the bus to the train station.  Unfortunately no one seems able to book me a taxi either.  The prospect of getting on rush hour buses with all my stuff does not fill me with happiness. So I have decided to leave hours ahead of schedule, incase I have to walk the three or four miles through the city to the station. If I had known about this potential hassle I would have just booked a flight! 

Today has been good though.  I went up the drum tower and managed by chance to catch a drumming show.  There was one at 11 and 3pm and just by luck I arrived in the hall at 10.58! It was great.  Today I got chatting with Yi up the drum tower.  SHe was a student who had been studying in Norway and Germany. She was now home on holiday and had left her province to travel around her country on her own.  Guess what, her home province was Jiangsu, where Carmel and I had been teaching.  She wasn't from Jiangyin though, but she knew the city well. 

While we were talking a guy from Guangdong ( Canton) came up to us and started chatting in English to us. he thought we were both British.  ( Yi was dressed in such a cool style, she didn't look typically Chinese at all, so I don't blame him for thinking that.). he was called RC and also had just graduated and was on holiday from his province. So all three of us independent travellers met up at the Bell Tower!  

Both RC's and Yi's English were amazing and they  both had cAmeras the size of their heads. We left the Bell Tower and I wanted to go to the Great Mosque. It wasn't on either of their agendas but they agreed to go with me.  

Anyway, in we went and wow, it was absolutely wonderful and totally peaceful.  No one there apart from the local Cninese Muslims.  All the magnolia was in magnificent bloom and my new chinese friends were able to translate all the Ancient tablets for me. I feel totally humbled by the beauty of the Xi'an mosque. It really was stunning. Islamic  led design and architecture is still my favourite!   I will post the pics when I am home.  I also know both Yi and RC were impressed too. They couldn't believe how peaceful and beautiful it was.  There are not many tourists in Xi'an yet and locals just don't visit Mosques.

After this we went for lunch together in the Muslim quarter and then we walked off to the wall.  I left them then. (They were going to hire bikes and cycles around the top of the wall.)   I think I was  playing gooseberry on a fledgling romance!   I hope they do stay in touch with each other.  They were both lovely people.  If they get married I hope they invite me!

Right I must go and trudge across the city with all my stuff in rush hour.  Wish  me luck.