A Silent Army

Using my notebook with my student's Chinese translation, I managed to make
myself understood to the hotel staff through a series of gestures and sign language. Numbers of the appropriate buses needed to get me to my appointed
destination were written on a piece of paper and a rough drawing made of where I was to catch them. I set off.......

Along my route, the jostling and shoving was not so bad, almost amusing, as when the passer by turned to look to see who they had pushed, their face was a
picture of astonishment when they saw me calmly walking on!

I alighted the first brightly colored vehicle and took it to the last stop, the train station. Here I got into a little difficulty as I unsure of where exactly to catch my next bus, but finally stepped into the middle of the busy traffic, where a policeman was standing on a white pedestal, covered by a large stripey umbrella, directing the traffic, ad midst honking horns, I casually made my way
to him, pointed to my book and followed his hand instructions to the appropriate stop.

There were masses of people clambering on tour coaches for 35 yuan, but as the
trip was to be solely in Chinese and stopping at many 'tourist shopping stops'
I ventured on the the regular bus, that cost only 11 yuan and would allow me access to any site that I wished to see. The attractions included the Mausoleum of the Emperor, the Spa and Museum, but pressed for time and honestly only
interested in the silent soldiers, I settled down for a long journey.

A number of natives were pushing each other for the 'honor' of sitting next to me, they included a 'yellow' monk, teenagers and a child, minus a nappy of course! I forgot to add that on the flight over, young children were permitted to
alight on the plane, with their little bottoms exposed, both an endearing and
amazing sight.

Finally we reached our stop, the final one on the long and winding road. In truth I enjoyed the drive as I looked out of the window in fascination at all there
was to see along the way. Many a souvenir shop, with memorabilia of all sizes and shapes, but the problem being that here among the historical paths, what seems a great memory, once taken home seems just tacky and money not well spent.

From the bus stop, there was quite a walk back to the entrance of the museum.
I am not sure what I was expecting, but not what I saw. First there were the ticket offices, where the queue was long and squashy, the heat unexpected
and sweaty. After purchasing the collective pass to all the museum, there were
an array of wheelchair bearers, preying on the elderly, offering their services for the next few hours, lamenting how far the walk was to be to the soldiers themselves. I could only admire their ability in forming a business
from the simplest idea.

After you enter through the turnstile, there is a light 'carriage' railway that for
a few yuan will take you to the museum entrance. Of course I was not foolish
enough to attempt walking the distance and got on the train for easy access to
the 'famous' pits.