Xi’an, and why I disliked this city

Posted by Vivi on 2012/02/14 · Leave a Comment

Xi’an is a 3000 years old city, offering many sights for tourists. It’s known for the Terracotta Warriors, an army of human-sized statues buried deep in the ground, supposed to protect the tomb of a crazy Emperor. Only a small part of them have been discovered, archaeologists know that many more are lying under the surrounding fields.

Xi’an started to developp after the Warriors were found and is still far from the modernity of Chengdu or Beijing.

I reached the city after a 14 hours train ride from Beijing. I had big expectations, but it was raining, and as I looked outside the window of the car when my guide showed me around, I felt… uneasy.

Unfinished buildings, chaotic driving (the worst I’ve seen in this country) and huge bundles of electric wires, pending from everywhere, just made the place really ugly.

I was impressed by the Warriors. The wall surrounding the city was pretty, and I liked the architecture, modern buildings made to look like old China.

I think the combination of bad weather, bad hotel room (no hot water in my shower, A/C and boiler weren’t working) and unfinished, messy city got me. I couldn’t wait to get out of there. I have to add, that when I got there, I had not eaten in 30 hours and since my train was 2 hours late, my guide had to respect her schedule and made me visit everything right away. It was only 7 hours later that I could finally eat something.

I was delighted to arrive in Chengdu after 2 days in Xi’an, but I do want to go back one day, in 10~15 years when the city will be finished, and with a sunny and warm weather.

And, let’s not forget that Xi’an has the best Engrish sign I ever saw :