Tashi delay :-)

We spent our last afternoon in Xi'an (after we purchased the train tickets to Lhasa) at the Wild Goose pagoda. Julia joined us too.

We caught the bus to the pagoda. Unfortunately the bus bumped another bus which had cut in front of it. We had to wait whilst the drivers argued, in the end all the passengers bailed and found other methods of transport.


The Wild Goose pagoda! Anybody who has seen the Japanese cult serialisation (called Monkey) of the Chinese story Journey to the West, will appreciate this. Here is where the scriptures were originally stored that Trippitaka brought back from India :-)


The monk Trippitaka. Ahh memories, Pigsy, Sandy, MONKEE!!! Remember when monkey used to blown on his hairs and turn them into little fighting demons? :-)


Details from inside the pagoda and some of the surrounding temples.






The monk Trippitaka upon his horse - which is an incarnation of a dragon prince.


Julia and K talked whilst I went and climbed the spiralling staircase to the top of the pagoda. Here are some of the views from the top from each of the four cardinal directions. You can see how modern Xi'an is. There is much building work and expansion being carried out to the south and east sides.






I could look down and see Julia and K seated in the pavilion within the gardens.


This is Julia :-)


Next with Julias help - not only with translation but finding the placce, we went to the Trek Bike Shop where we were kindly welcomed :-)


What every bike shop needs in it's window... :-)


The store had a really good range of stock. I felt right at home here, I was only selling some of these items to stores like this one a little over six months ago :-)


We were presented with some hand painted tshirts - Wang Shui (the proprietor) stands next to me on the right hand side of the photo. Later he kindly took us out for dinner (see K's post below for examples of the food) :-)