We were trying to be as independent as we could be in a strange city where we can't read most of the signs and can only speak a few dozen words and phrases. Out of stubborn pride I suppose -- well, not just pride (and boy, our conviction that we could hit the ground and find our way around took quite a beating,) but a desire for thrift. P.J. O'Rourke said that the mark of an advanced civilization is how quickly it can suck the money out of your wallet. Xi'an certainly passes this test. So I thought I'd share some detail about what we experienced and learned.
Okay, so for our summer vacation we flew to Xi'an, an inland city in Shaanxi province which was formerly the national capital for several ancient dynasties. In the heart of the city is a complete (but partially reconstructed) city wall and the streets are laid out in a grid pattern. It would be pretty hard to get lost, you might think, if your landmarks include a four-storey-high city wall with gates marked "South," "North," "East" and "West." Yet Ross and I kept getting ourselves turned around and confused about which way we walked to get to the Bell Tower and which way to the bus station. Even with two maps!
We were trying to be as independent as we could be in a strange city where we can't read most of the signs and can only speak a few dozen words and phrases. Out of stubborn pride I suppose -- well, not just pride (and boy, our conviction that we could hit the ground and find our way around took quite a beating,) but a desire for thrift. P.J. O'Rourke said that the mark of an advanced civilization is how quickly it can suck the money out of your wallet. Xi'an certainly passes this test. So I thought I'd share some detail about what we experienced and learned.
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About the author:I blog about my research into Jane Austen and her world, plus a few other interests. Welcome! My earlier posts (prior to June 2017) are about my time as a teacher of ESL in China (just click on "China" in the menu below). More about me here. Categories
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