Xi'an

From Shanghai we travelled overnight (21 hours) to Xi'an, situated in the northwest of China and is more than 3,000 years old. Xi'an, an autenthic Chinese City,  became 1974 famous because of the archaeological found of the Terracotta soldiers and Horses.This mighty army of terracotta warriors and horses, found in three vaults, is the most popular tourist attractions in all of China. An in-site museum has been built over the three excavated pits, covering a floorspace of 20,000 square meters and displaying 2,000 life-like terracotta warriors (there are believed to be around 8,000 in total), 100 or so chariots, and 30,000 weapons. The assemblage has been billed by the tourist industry as the Eighth Wonder of the World. These sculptures are depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.  Whose purpose was to protect the emperor in his afterlife. Incredible how 700'000 workers were working for this king vision - only to protect him after death. 

Pingyau

By speed train,  on some points 250 km/h, we slide to Pingyou.  Cute little city in the middle of nowhere,  but very Chinese.
During the Qing Dynasty, Pingyao was a financial centre of China and whose history dates back some 2,700 years. It's renowned for its well-preserved city walls.

Shanghai

As we needed a little break of moving around every second day, we decided to stay a little while in this famous city.  We enjoyed ourself by have a nice flat, washing our stuff carefully and had some lazy days.  We did some sightseeing,  danced one night long in a famous club and met some nice people.

Huangshuan to Shanghai

Huangshuan - where the misty mountains or also called Yellow Mountains are situated. By cable car you drive up to the hills and you enjoy the breathtaking view on the Yellow Mountains. 

Up on the top you can hike around the mountains.  For me as a mountain girl,  it was a beautiful surrounding,  but to be amazing there was to many Chinese People around. 

We stayed one night on the top of the mountain and travelled the next day to our next destination;  Shanghai.

Hangzhou to Huangshuan

From Hangzhou, where we visit the West Lake, Temples and had a deep breath of Chinese life style, we travelled by bus to Huangshuan.

Xiamen

At 5 o'clock in the morning, exhausted and thrown out of the Bus just outside of the city (it was a cheap Bus,  they don't stop in the city centre) we arrived in Xiamen.

Because of the big language barrier we couldn't find our hotel until 11 a.m. We managed to find 2 persons which speak English, and they wrote us down the directions in Chinese.  These notes we could show the people in the street and on the bus, so finally we get to our hostel. Everybody is very helpful - one guy even guide us the last kilometer to the hostel. 

Xiamen is not Hong Kong, but Xiamen is definitely a very modern place.

We had a relaxing day in the most important tourist area Gulangyu Island, a small island which contains some beautiful colonial buildings and is car free.

Speed Train to Hangzhou

Prepared well everthing written in Chinese we start our journey to Hangzhou by Train.  Chinese Trains are famous worldwide because of there punctuality, cleanliness,  modernity and speed. 

I don't know if it is in all China like here at the coast - but for me it seems everthing surreal.  Like a future world. Amazing big modern buildings,  everybody dressed nicely,  everything in order,  clean, watering the flowers, everthing decorated nicely.  Just perfect.  Nothing is in disorder.  Everthing works properly and everthing is organised well. People rush around like little roboots. The Train Station is like an Airport.

Maybe it impresses me that much because we travelled in really poor countries so far. India is the complete opposite of China.

China - Guangzaou to Xiamen

By Bus from Hongkong over the Chinese Check Point to Guangzaou.  Guangzaou big ugly city of South China.

After checking out the Chinese Internet Explorer we discovered that Facebook, Twitter,  Google,  Gmail,  and a lot of more stuff are not allowed in China. Hard to find out which other search tools there are if you are just used to using Google etc.

China - really hard to handle because of the language barrier. The population doesn't speak English. Ordering Food, finding a way, finding the hotel is a horrible scenario.

Already explored Chinese Food in Hongkong, we tried already in the first evening to be open for new things.  Stefanie loves to try everything and she does it. Jonathan and I are slightly more complicated with Food so we stay with meat and vegetables.  Must say I am even complicated with meat. What doesn't really look like meat goes not in my mouth.  Also because I watched a documentary before we entered China, about dogs in China,  how they use there skin to make lether and then sell the meat as beef meat. So I am currently little sceptical. 

But the Food so far is really tasty and we enjoy to discover new things.

After a good night sleep we took a Bus in the afternoon to Xiamen Peninsula.  It took as over 16 hours in a sleeper bus,  we actually expected only 10 hours.  But the Bus was alright and after Indian busses and trains a piece of cake.

Happppppppy new year from Hong Kong

Hong Kong - expensive and amazing. Nature,  Harbour,  Beach and big buildings with 7.5 Mio people around.

We really like it here.  Tomorrow we get our passports back after 4 days waiting time for the China Visa and we will disappear into China for 30 days.

Wishing everybody a good start into YEAR 2015