Xi'an and just regular life

I went to Xi'an this weekend to visit some friends there.  Xi'an is a very old city in China that is renowned for it's history related to Emperor Qin, especially his Terracotta soldiers.  There are many interesting places to visit as well as modern restaurants and shopping areas. I took an overnight train from Lanzhou on Thursday that left at 10 p.m. and arrived at 7 a.m.  My first few years in China I didn't really sleep well on the overnight trains but now, after six years, I think I've finally learned that there's nothing to be scared of and I can fall asleep.  There are six beds in a compartment and I usually sleep on one of the top bunk so I feel pretty safe up there.  Lanzhou is high in elevation (about a mile up from sea level) so as we descended from northwest Gansu province to central Shaanxi, province my ears were popping from the altitude change.(See videos)

 

 

My first stop after getting off the train--McDonalds for breakfast.  Pancakes, sausage, hash brown, orange juice!  (all of these items are hard to find or make in China).  We only have KFC in Lanzhou, so McDonalds is a real treat.  After a lovely dinner at an Indian restaurant on Friday night I went to a huge wholesale market store called "Metro" that's kinda like a Costco or a super Wal-mart back home.  I got lots of fun Western food products I can't get in Lanzhou (cake mixes, shredded coconut, spinach fettuccine, dark chocolate, brown sugar).  Saturday I went to a pagoda with some friends and it was a little overcast.  Smog not fog, even though it looks like fog.

Sunday I flew home in cold precipitation.  When I left Lanzhou on Thursday it was in the 50s and indoor temps were bearable.  Sunday something happened!   Oh my goodness, it snowed on Sunday.  What a surprise was waiting for me.  The city still hasn't turned on our heat, but I've heard it will come on Nov. 1st.  Let's hope so!  I'm already wearing long johns under all my clothes to keep warm and pulling my electric heater around with me wherever I go in my apartment, and it's only October!  On the plane ride home, I sat next to a pregnant woman and her husband.  As the plane was getting ready for take off, a nice flight attendant came by and gave her a pillow.  "Here, put this over your stomach and then buckle your seatbelt over it."  She did without question like it was the most logical thing a pregnant woman should do on a plane.

Yesterday I taught for six hours and then went to the gym.  It was snowing again in the afternoon-nothing that sticks just flurries, but still--come on!  It's October!  One other interesting thing--at the gym one of the girls was working out with her winter jacket on.  Really, it's not THAT cold, especially with all these people producing so much body heat as they exercise.  But the best part was that not only was she wearing a winter coat as she walked on the tread mill, she was sporting a rhinestone princess tiara on head. 

Next edition will be-celebrating my birthday party with Chinese and American friends this weekend.  For those of you who know me, you already know what we are going to do. . .