(1 of 3 of The Two Towers)
The bell can be heard from the Muslim quarter. Solemn and sonorous, it heralds the breaking of dawn. And the same faces go about their morning routines.
***
He hops on his bike and speeds off along the city walls. The walls are unbelievably thick, evident from the wide ramparts. Wide enough for three lanes of cars. No wonder Xi'an was once known as Chang'an.
It takes the average cyclist two hours to make a full circle. This is how big the city is. And these walls were built on the walls of the Tang Dynasty palace. The city walls proper were much further out at the glorious height of the city's long history.
Along the Western wall, he sees the residential area. Decrepit flats. A local school snuggled between them. Its students practising drills in the field. At the northern wall, he encounters a cordon due to renovation work. Frustrated, he races back the way he came from. It's almost noon. This is what it all boils down to: a great race with time.
***
He hops on his bike and speeds off along the city walls. The walls are unbelievably thick, evident from the wide ramparts. Wide enough for three lanes of cars. No wonder Xi'an was once known as Chang'an.
It takes the average cyclist two hours to make a full circle. This is how big the city is. And these walls were built on the walls of the Tang Dynasty palace. The city walls proper were much further out at the glorious height of the city's long history.
Along the Western wall, he sees the residential area. Decrepit flats. A local school snuggled between them. Its students practising drills in the field. At the northern wall, he encounters a cordon due to renovation work. Frustrated, he races back the way he came from. It's almost noon. This is what it all boils down to: a great race with time.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment