Trip to Xi'an

Like last year, I've also caught a severe cold this year. The temperature shift from over 30 degrees outside and the air conditioning and fans in rooms triggered my immune system. And now the ultimate test is about to take place. Following a family visit in the countryside, our domestic trip to the ancient capital city of Xi'an begins, where temperatures of 40 degrees are forecasted for this week. Xi'an was the first capital of the Chinese Empire under the first emperor Qin Shihuangdi over 2,200 years ago. The famous Terracotta Warriors stand ready at his tomb. Subsequent rulers founded other capitals. Emperor Gaozu moved the capital to Xi'an with the establishment of the Tang dynasty 1,400 years ago, after which the city served as the economic and cultural center of China for 300 years. From here also started one of the most important trade routes of China, the continental Silk Road. Our long train ride skips some stops, while we do stop at others, with cornfields surrounding many train stations. In China, high-speed train stations are often built far from urban areas to prevent delays from slow inner-city routes. The direction of the train station can be identified by its name: We start at Cangzhou West, transfer at Dezhou East, and arrive at Xi'an North. Traveling at 200 to 300 km/h, we zoom past Taiyuan and Linfen, near the tomb of Sima Guan, the great historian of the Song dynasty. This region is considered highly industrialized and reports the highest air pollution in China. We also pass numerous large factory facilities, but I only see a slightly smoking chimney. The visibility is very good, and I can see all the way to the Taiyue Mountains. It seems there have been significant improvements. We are now approaching Xi'an, and the outside temperature is 40 degrees. My health worsens upon arrival at the hotel, as my body temperature adjusts to the outside temperature. My wife quickly runs to the pharmacy to get medication that should make me fit for the upcoming tours.