RANDOM QUOTES, RANDOM THOUGHTS



Monday, February 9, 2009

DAY SEVEN - BACK IN XI'AN, NEW YEAR'S EVE (31 DEC 2009)

We made it to the foot of Huashan at about 1.45 pm and took the Huashan mini buses out to the main road. From there it was within walking distance to the bus departure point back to Xi'an. It was funny that the buses heading back to Xi'an from Huashan did not require a minimum number of passengers to push off. In fact the bus came to ask us while we were walking, picked us up and saved us the trouble of walking to the departure point. After about 5 to 10 mins wait, the bus departed for Huashan with less than 10 persons on board!

Reached the Xi'an train station bus terminal after 4 pm and thereafter was having a hard time flagging down a cab that would make the trip to 南大街 area as it was peak hours which strangely enough coincided with the changing of shift for most cabs! Finally managed to flag a lady cab driver willing to go somewhere near the Drum Tower so boarded it with the Shenzhen lady, 小麦 who was meeting someone near that area.

By the time I got back to the hotel it was nearly 5 pm. Feeling not too tired at all, I headed straight out to see the Great Mosque after a quick bath. The signs were not so easily seen inside the Muslim Quarters, I spent some time going back and forth after getting directions from the helpful stall owners. The Mosque entrance was inside a small lane which could be more easily accessed from the bazaar market than from the main food street. I did not expect the Mosque was styled like a Chinese temple with Tang Dynasty architecture! Before coming here I was imagining it to be something closer to the Mosques in Samarkand (another famous Silk route stop) in Central Asia/Uzbekistan. But this Great Mosque was uniquely one of a kind - a rare fusion of Middle Eastern and Chinese cultures. I managed to see the insides of the main prayer hall and took some photos too! This is a must-see!







The main prayer hall



The Quran carved into the wooden walls around the prayer hall.






Local kids willingly posing for a shot! This is what I admire about the camaradie and close-knit relationships among the China kids, due in part to the one-child policy which makes cousins closer like brothers and sisters, friends more like close relatives and there on. Compare this to Singapore where the majority don't even know the names of our neighbours even though our paths are crossed on a daily basis and corridors so void of life! We have lost something even greater than the prosperity we worked so hard towards. The roots of our society will eventually disappear altogether in no time especially with the free-for-all PR policy of our sick government. How ironic a modern nation striving for excellence forgetting its roots about nation-building, falling prey and succumbing to the lure of progress at any cost.


The bazaar adjacent to the Great Mosque.


By the time I was done at the Great Mosque (清真寺), it was nearly 7pm, had to rush back to prep myself for the dinner appointment at 8pm. Strange enough, still not a shred of tiredness after that hectic Huashan climb! Perhaps the anticipation of that dinner date pumped the adrenalin so much that I was full of excitement and forgot about any physical wear or any muscles aching. Mind over matter really!

Dinner exceeded far beyond my expectations! A picturesque view overlooking the glowing Bell Tower in the night, candlelight settings in a French restaurant (La Seine), sweet red wine, French cuisine (baked escargots, goose liver etc.), a lovely companion looking as angelic as the first time I saw her............WHOA! I was in seventh heaven! She arranged this to perfection! ! Kudos to her! This experience and those moments I shall take with me to my grave.

I did not bring her flowers! That was my ultimate crime. I really should have............

The other downside was my camera, which failed miserably under the low light settings. I had not a single proper photo of HER that evening! Even more disastrous was that we did not even take a photo together..........me too preoccupied enjoying the company and the moments.

To think, all the time I was so worried that I would bore her to death! It turned out OK, nervous and exciting at the same time. THANK YOU!

From the glass window.


This was the best shot I got.


But this one I like the best! Couldn't re-produce the "special" effects even if I wanted to.

After dinner went over to one of her friend's place where a bunch of their "crazy" friends were gathered for the countdown to the New Year. Beers were flowing, hard liquor too, food, cigarette smokes filling the room, music, card games..............leading into 2009! The drinking was way too crazy but then again it's the New Year, a new beginning............

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