This post is actually from yesterday, but the internet cafe where I wrote it was using an outdated browser, and it would not let me hit the “post” button. Here it is, in case you were wondering what happened:

I have safely made it to Lanzhou, but, much to my dismay, I just discovered that my hotel does not have the internet access that I was promised.  I’m writing this from a smoke-filled internet cafe, trying to tune out the gaming teenagers and Tibetan monks.  As a result, I’m unable to post any photos, or post all the text that I wrote today on the train.

The landscape changed dramatically over the course of my journey today.  I am now decidedly in the desert.  I passed from fertile plain, through lush green hillsides, to the mountainous yellow-colored terrain from which I’m writing.  I spent most of the trip staring out the window.

For the first time today, I had a moment of panic, thinking that I am totally stupid to be attempting this trip with zero language skills.  Finding my hotel this evening was incredibly difficult, and once there, I had a very difficult time communicating with the staff.  Hand gestures can only get one so far.

I don’t know what my internet access will be like over the next several days, but I’m betting it won’t be good.  I’ll try to keep the posts coming if possible, but it looks like they’ll be missing photos, and will be pretty short.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to post a big batch of updates when I get to another major city (By the way, Lanzhou is no small town.  At 3 million people, it would be the third largest city in the US, ahead of Chicago.)

Today was another adventure-filled but exhausting day.  Unfortunately, I again lack the energy to post the enlightening text that I had hoped to write this evening.  So, I’ll do what I did yesterday, and post a bunch of photos to give you an idea of what I did today.

Tomorrow is a transit day.  I’ll be making my way to Lanzhou, which has been called the most polluted city in the world.  I should get there in the evening, just in time for its renowned night market, and leave the next morning.  I’m actually looking forward to the 9-hour train ride because it will give me a chance to catch up on some sleep, and give my feet a rest.  I should also have a chance to do the writing about the trip thus far.  Hopefully, tomorrow night, I’ll be able to give you some more details about what I’ve seen and done.  As a quick preview, today involved getting dropped off in the middle of nowhere in 100-degree heat, getting in an argument with an overzealous tour guide who was trying to convince me that I needed to hire her, and consuming the best meal so far.  Here are the photos:

Step 1: Take stock of the disk-shaped bread that is put in front of you, and look around the room to see what everyone else is doing. The are all staring at you. Now, let the old lady who handed you the bowl show you what you should really be doing.

Step 2: Peel the bread apart and tear it into little pieces. Look around the room again. They are still staring at you. Let the waitress take your bowl away from you.

Step 3: After waiting patiently for ten minutes, accept the bowl back from the waitress. Notice that your little bits of bread are now covered in soup, meat, noodles, tofu, spring onions, and mushrooms. Begin eating this soup with the chopsticks provided (to the delight of everyone who is still staring at you).

Blue eggs or brown eggs today?

A potentially refreshing drink with leechee, asian pear, and coconut that was surprisingly less refreshing than expected.

The bronze horses that were buried with the Emperor Qin 2200 years ago

A warrior captivates

The officers

To answer some questions from yesterday's post, this is the mascot of the 2011 Xian Horticultural Expo. It (he? she?) is everywhere. This one was found at the entrance to the Terracotta Warriors Museum.

My best meal so far: dumplings in a tangy and spicy broth with fresh cilantro, lemongrass, and hot peppers.

My dinner venue

The Muslim Quarter comes alive in the evening.

Dessert! This was made of rice, and, to my surprise, I really enjoyed it. It had a hint of orange, and a bunch of flavors that I couldn't quite identify.

Hundreds of swallows enjoy a hearty feast around the Drum Tower at dusk. One of them can be seen here.

I finally made it to Xi’an around noon today, and I tried to make the most of the rest of the day.  I’m posting a bunch of pictures as an appetizer right now.  Text will follow when I’m not falling asleep at the keyboard.

Cuttlefish on a stick. Delicious!

The view from the bell tower

Climbing the steps to the Drum Tower

A view back to the Bell Tower

Of course!

Purveyor of the best energy drinks in all of Shaanxi Province

The Muslim Quarter

I was afraid that I would miss cherry season this year

The Great Mosque: the uncanny combination of Chinese architecture, Islam, and exhausted Swedish tourists

Side gate - the Great Mosque

Xi'an's intact city walls

I wonder if the Chinese invented the Flemish bond, too.

The South Gate

The view from the ancient wall

The 3.8m-long noodle and its two soup accompaniments

I have absolutely no idea what this was, and I probably don't want to know. It was tasty, however, and my mouth is still burning. I think that the image is blurry because my hand was shaking with anticipation.

The woman who prepared the mystery skewer

Well, things have gotten off to a rather bumpy start.  My flight from San Francisco to Beijing was delayed over two hours, and as a consequence, I missed my connecting flight to Xi’an (the last one of the day).

Upon collecting my luggage, I was told to see the manager at the information counter “upstairs.”  After being sent back and forth three times between two different information counters (on floors 2 and 4) of the airport, and once my level of frustration had begun to peak, I was finally able to speak to an Air China manager.  When I gave him my boarding pass, he mysteriously ran away, shouting something over his shoulder.  Not quite sure what to do, I stayed put, and hoped that he would eventually return.  Finally, about fifteen minutes later, he returned with three friends in ties.  They, without saying anything, politely escorted me outside to a minibus with a hotel name on the side.  Before I knew it, about fifteen other passengers, and their luggage, had joined me in the 12 passenger bus.  About twenty minutes later, the bus pulled up at the hotel, from which I am writing this post.

Unfortunately, I don’t have much time to relax, because they are driving me back to the airport at 5:30 AM to catch my new flight.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to report on my first day in Xi’an tomorrow.

My hotel

My chariot, which arrived two hours late

By popular demand, I have added a page with maps.  I have started with my route marked on a map of the world and individual maps of my routes through China and Central Asia.  Check out the maps by clicking on the menu above, or by clicking here.