Bicycle, Xi'an

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Being a plane city, Xi'an is a good place for cycling, and bicycles may be seen everywhere.

One sign of the evolution of China is the disappearing of the traditional rickshaws.

No one runs anymore, pulling a client: nowadays, the individual transportation remains, but mainly with motorbikes, with bicycles being a fading exception.

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Anne wanted a go "on this little number" to get us back to the hotel. We missed out in Beijing, so not wanting pass up an opportunity, we hopped in.

Compared to a taxi, they are not very cheap and they are certainly not as safe! Taking us from the Drum Tower and the Muslim Quarter back to our motel turned out to be an adventure in itself.

We bartered the price of 25 YUAN and jumped in. The engine roared to life, as did the driver, and I don’t think the horn stopped blasting for the entire trip. We passed by the locals so close, and at such speed, that I am sure that skin was removed from some elbows.

The driver then stopped suddenly, in the middle of town, and said “can’t go further, police. You get out here!” Luckily we were only 2 blocks from the motel!

Xi'An, like most cities in China, is big and bustling. Traffic comes and goes in most any direction regardless of typical traffic direction and flow. So, biking may be a but risky. There are probably many places in town to rent bikes, and the Shuyuan Youth Hostel is one of them They don't have a vast selection, but in a pinch...

Xian holds more then the infamous Terracotta Warriors; it holds a culture in itself. The picture above shows a common means of transportation (tri-cycle) not only in Xian, but also throughout China.