Full day of touring in Xian

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28 May (Thursday) - We planned for an early start so that we would beat the crowds at the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum, so after breakfast and checking out of the Ibis Hotel, we met with Jack our driver/guide. He dropped our luggage off at the Mercure Hotel, and we proceeded to Bang Po Village, the remains of a 6000 year old village (on the way to the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum). By now my foot was really painful...a reoccurence of the gout. They didn't have a functioning wheelchair so I hobbled around leaning on Will's shoulder. The museum was interesting; more for the age and skeletal remains than for anything else. Our next stop was a terra cotta factory where they make reproductions of the warriors. Of course, there was also the obligatory souvenir shop, which we really didn't mind, as were hadn't had time to shop up to this point. I was able to buy a very nice Chinese embroidered wool jacket for Linda, the one thing on her list for China, so now I don't have to ruch around at the last minute in Shanghai to find one.

Our next stop was the Terra Cotta Warriors Museum, arriving about 11 AM. I was concerned that we would find crowds, but due to the poor weather, we didn't find it too bad. It also helped that both Mom and I were able to have wheelchairs, with rather aggressive pushers who managed to get through the crowds; although my foot was rammed into people several times, with much pain and suffering! It was a good thing they had wheelchairs since it was about 1 km from the entrance to the pits. We hired a guide who took us to all three pits, and explained everything in detail. I had always thought that the warriors were buried, but actually they were in rooms with wood beams holding the covering dirt. The beams eventually rotted, and collapsed, so the warrior were buried, but unintentionally. The Emperors Tomb is 56 square kilometers, and only a fraction has been excavated. It began to rain on the way back to the entrance, but the wheelchair pusher gave me his umbrella...he was well paid for his services! There were many choices for lunch, but we settled for KFC (sorry again, Rosanna).

Our next stop was the Shaanxi History Museum. They only give out 6000 tickets per day to cut down on crowding, and by the time we got there all were gone. However, Jack had a friend who let us in a back door, therefore also avoiding the long lines. We were able to obtain wheelchairs at the information desk, so the tour around the museum was comfortable, although in this case Will was my pusher, and he had some problems ramming my foot into people. The Shaanxi History Museum traces many thousand years of Shaanxi and Xian history, beginning with Man descending from the Apes, which I thought was going a bit too far back, but the Chinese have a dramatic view of their history. Fourteen different dynasties had their capital in Xian, including the first one to unify China. I won't even try to recall that history here!

One the way back to our hotel we went by the Goose Pagoda, and many beautiful lakes and parks. Xian is a large modern city. This might be an appropriate point to talk about traffic and pollution, having been to three cities. Shanghai's traffic was very manageable. They have elevated superhighways that alleviate much of the conjestion. The drivers are also more aggressive; when changing lanes, you have the right of way as long as you get the nore of your car in front of the car in the next lane. Drivers never look in their side mirrors to find breaks in the traffic, but just barge in...kind of like Naples, Italy. I'm amazed that there weren't more accidents. In Lanzhou, they drive with their horns blasting. If they see anyone ahead they blast their horn to establish their right of way. In Xian, the congestion was the worst, and when the road is blocked, then it is alright to drive on the sidewalk. We almost got run over several times while strolling along the sidewalk. As for pollution, Shanghai was very smoggy, but Mark said that this was about the worst he had seen. Lanzhou was supposed to be one of the world's most polluted cities, but we saw blue skies. Xian was been rainy, so it's hard to say what is clouds and what is smog. Overall, the air pollution hasn't been bad...no eye irritation, etc.

We checked in to our hotel about 5:30 PM and had dinner in the hotel's Italian restaurant. After dinner we relaxed, watched cable TV, and went to bed early.

29 May (Friday) - We had the hotels all you could eat brunch at 9 AM. Then Mom, Carol, and Will took a taxi to the Wall; with the intention of hiring a golf cart to drive the 14 km perimeter in one hour. I stayed at the hotel, due to my painful foot, and to take this opportunity to write my blog and read email. They should be back in time to take the taxi to the airport at 1 PM. We have a 4 PM flight to Shanghai, which arrives there at 6 PM. But more about that in my next blog...

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Photos

Dim Sum Lunch in Xian
Strangely, the Chinese didn't understand what I meant whn I asked for dim sum.

Terra Cotta Warrior Museum Pit #1
Over 6000 cavalry, archers, foot soldiers were uncovered

A kneeling archer, the only figure found intact
All the rest had to be reconstrcuted from many frangments