Comments on: I Hate Xi’an

By: ND

ND — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:22:29 +0000

“Chinalbeit”

I would like to publish this interesting report in our digital magazine:
http://newdynasty.com.cn

Contact me if that is fine!

Manuel

By: Peter McArthur

Peter McArthur — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:49:26 +0000

Enjoyed your post – always fun to read about other people’s disasters. But when you get down to it, you got mugged once, and ripped off by a taxi driver; two things that happen about every five minutes in London; my home city. I went to Xi’an last year and had a great time – best fun bicycling along the top of the city walls – I had to push a guy out of the way who tried to jump the queue for a bike, but nothing heavier than that.
We went to see the warriors – but bargained with a taxi driver, a price before hand, to take us there, wait, and then take us back; which he stuck to. We had a great time.
You say you have been in China three years, but you seem a little naive; there are some basic things you look out for in any big city, especially when you’re that universal target – the tourist.
I think you are being a bit hard on Xi’an. The things you describe could happen anywhere. A young Chinese friend of mine was in Oxford, England, checking out its world famous uni. While out walking, in broad daylight, she was handed a cheap magazine by a large black chap ( I only mention his colour because this was her first interaction with a black man – we are all ambassadors – muggers of Xi’an included ) and then he demanded, menacingly, ten quid for the unrequested and unwanted magazine – which being a small Chinese school girl, in a foreign city, she handed over . It hasn’t diminished her dream of studying in Britain though.
Can’t argue about Chinese driving however! I once saw seven accidents in one day. Funny they are worried about swine flu, ( a fever, a sore throat – the very occasional death ) when it’s the carnage on their roads they should be worried about – they drive like they are in a video game and no one really gets hurt.

By: Jay

Jay — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 06:25:26 +0000

I just returned to the States after 4 years in China and it’s great to be back and wonderful to be out of China. I had too many experiences like yours.

By: gweilo

gweilo — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:11:45 +0000

Yeah, the fountain is a pretty notorious spot for muggings and pickpockets – basically everyone there is a tourist, and people get their stuff stolen there regularly. When they do the fountain show, they actually play a bunch of warnings about being robbed there. It sounds like you stayed at Park Qin, which is a pretty decent hostel, I think. I like it there, but I only visited for about 2 days.

Taxi drivers in Xi’an are weird. I actually had several of them refuse to pick me up – “no waiguoren” they said.