Today´s destination was the most easterly point of our trip, the city of Xian. The road was winding its way through the green hills, plenty of terraces and apple trees. We were lucky – apple harvesting was on, so we could enjoy the jammy taste of asian apples.

80 km ahead of Xian we stopped. Some Emperor tombs of the Tang dynasty attracted our attention. For all of the Michael Ende fans: Princess Li Si was burried here after beeing killed by her grandmother! So we learnt that the rescue of the princess by Jim Knopf and Lukas was for nothing… for all the ones who do not know the story: it´s a children´s tale but really worth to be read (“Jim Knopf und Lukas” by Michael Ende).

We visited three tombs, all constructed in the same way: Flanked by statues a path lead to the tomb. Two watch towers were situated on both sides of the path. The entrance to the tomb was situated somewhere behind the towers, but not, as one would suppose, in the fledline of the path. Right from the entrance a corridor declines steeply towards the burial chamber. This passage way is in all sites we visited painted in the same manner – the tomb rule is not “ladies first”! In the steep entrance part of the corridor frescos show men e.g. on horses. In niches on both sides of the passage pottery for daily use was deposited.  In a kind of entry chamber just ahead of the actual tomb ladies are starring at you from the wall. Then you enter the burial hall with a big coffin (about 3x4x2 m). Above that chamber is a burial mound.

20 km ahead of the city we reached the agglomeration of Xian, counting 9 million inhabitants (for a comparison: Switzerland´s population is about 7 millions). Such a big city has of course very crowded roads, a fact which pleased Moritz. He enjoyed to sqeeze his way throug the traffic jam without mercy.

Finally at our hotel in the centre of Xian near the bell tower, we arrived at our most eastern point after 32 days and 15,228 km!

After finding a garage to do some checks and repairs of the cars it became late, but we found a good chinese restaurant where we could fill up our bellies.

Of course the Toyota Crew didn´t wanted to miss the opportunity to meet the locals on the street. No minute and Ueli got three girls who wanted to teach us chinese songs. Some time of trying and we rejected. So we tippled with the girls up to the early morning. Some of the beer must have been worse because Clemens didn´t feel well the next day after our little party.

The first day’s program in Xian was quite a chill out. In the morning we visited the famous big mosque of Xian which is built in chinese style with a beautiful garden in front of the praying hall. Afterwards we tried to save as much money as possible for the biggest amount of goods by bargaining at the bazar in the muslim quarter next to the mosque.

For reactivation of our shopping energy we had about 130 kebabs at one of the tiny restaurants in the street. This was to much for Clemens so he had to use his mattress until dusk. The others went on shpping for the rest of the day.

In the evening Bärbel, Eva, Gerd and Moritz met for a family dinner while the others got on with the girls and had a hotpot for the night.

Next day at 8.15 a local guide picked us up in front of the hotel to visit the famous Terracotta Army east of Xian. This army is the excavated part of a system of tenthousends of military guards, which are surrounding the burial of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi (247- 202 v. Chr.). For details see the Enceclopedia Britanica!

Our competent but also extremely communicative guide – his lips never stopped moving – took us after this highlight to a nice garden area with hot springs and hundreds of tourists, called Huaqing. The original spa, already established 3000 years ago, had been transformed into a museum in the fifties and had seen since these times as famous visitors as Chirac (when he was young), good old uncle Ho, presidents of US, Germany and Latvia and naturally all the communist rabble.

Back in Xian an american all-you-can-eat buffet was waiting for us with lots of nice  sights (for dermatologists) of aged naked shanks, which visit was followed by the National Museum of Shangxi Province. Yes, a lot of nice things are exhibited there, but it’s sure not the British Museum, Chinese section. We said good-bye to our local guide and everyone went his own shopping ways. Late at 10.00 pm our cars arrived from the service station at our hotel. Clemens, Gerd & Moritz checked the results, only to notice, that the chassis has been screwed down (for better expressway running, the serviceman explained) instead of up, but we were promised to arrange this next morning. Ueli continnued his chinese love stories…

(TC)