Into mainland China finally

  Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
Sunday, May 4, 2008

I head off to Xi'an today but not before a Junk boat tour that Della has organized.  I get on the boat and see Kristin Kovner (another one of Lauren's friends from NYC) but realize that the two-hour tour I had been ready for was actually a six-hour booze cruise.  Unfortunately, I have to graciously bow off the boat in order to make my flight and while I'm sure I missed a good time, the Kerins made sure to send me off in style.  I cannot say enough about how nice the Kerins family was to me.  If they aren't careful, I'll be back in Hong Kong very soon because it felt just like home.  We hit up Isola for lunch where I had truffled pizza and nearly died on the spot.  Note: I actually checked my bag in before lunch at a 'terminal' downtown.  I was skeptical that I would see my bags again as the bag left my sight a good 40 kms from the airport, but it turned out to be the most convenient system I've ever used.




On to Xi'an, I get in after dinner and meet up with Christine (from Cape Town) and her friend Nadia (living in Shenzen but from South Africa).  They join me at dinner and then we walk around the city through markets and past the drum and bell towers.  We have our portraits drawn and mine looks nothing like me (well, maybe an Asian version of me) but at least Jorge and Donkey's pictures turned out well.  Our little crew heads back to the hotel for a decent night's sleep before a big day at the terracotta soldiers.