Xi'an

Day 7- June 15th

We hopped on a flight to Xi’an today. I have seen the difference in the service of American airlines versus International airlines. The nice steward on this Asian airline felt so bad that there were no vegetarian options for meals that he returned with an apple. I was very surprised, after the snippy reaction from the American lady on my original flight over to China. I have certainly learned my lesson to call ahead for a special meal, but at least this man was not willing to let me go hungry, and for only an hour long flight! I’ve noticed that every foreign airline provides some sort of snack, no matter how long the flight, most likely to compete with the train business. But American airlines have certainly become stingier with their expenses; remember when they would give you peanuts!? No more peanuts for us! I even remember Frontier giving freshly baked cookies! *Sigh* Those were the good days…

Xi’an was the start of the Silk Road, the transport passage of silk, spices, etc by camel and horse for the markets. We began our exploration with an eight and a half mile bike ride along the entire city wall. The wall is over 1,500 years old! It was really cool to bike along such an ancient structure, quite an amazing feat that it has survived this long and to be in such great condition! 

We also stopped to watch some dancers rehearsing their number in the middle of the square, I suppose they will be performing for a big festival soon. I like the different style of their cultural dancing, it looks like movements from the martial arts, but with grace and beauty.

We were pretty exhausted after our afternoon exercise so we all headed to bed, excited for more Xi’an adventures in the morning! 

Day 8- June 16th

The next morning we drove to the Terra-cotta Warriors, (Terra-cotta means baked Earth).  They were made in 210bce (before Christ) and weren’t discovered until 1974 by farmers! Over 600 pits have been found so far containing 8000 soldiers, 670 horses, 130 chariots, and they are still in the process of digging them up. While he was alive, the First Emperor instructed he was to be buried between the Great Mountain and the yellow river, with his army to protect him in his afterlife. Historians believe that it took 727,000 laborers to make the army and that the Emperor had them buried alive to keep the project sacred when he died. This certainly explains why there was no record of the statues until they were discovered! Among the soldiers, there were two Royal chariots found; the first was the police car to lead the escort, and the second was the “air-conditioned” chariot for the Emperor. 

The Emperor’s chariot was made of bronze to look like a turtle’s shell, symbolizing longevity. The windows were designed so he could see out while he was in the chariot, but no one could see inside. The horses’ reins alternated between silver and gold.

The pits were organized in a strategic battle assembly; the police cart and Emperor at the head, followed by the archers, the Calvary, the footmen, and finally, the chariots. The pits were covered with a wooden roof, and sealed once all the soldiers were placed in their appropriate pit. But, several of the pits were destroyed in the years following; from an enemy ordering it to be set on fire and abolished (which was thankfully not entirely successful), to the destruction from natural occurrences of the ground sinking and the roofs collapsing. 

Only one soldier statue was found completely intact, the details in his shoe and the red pigment on his suit of armor were astounding to look at. The museum keeps him in a glass case, of course, so everyone can admire the work of art. 

There are three pits open to the public: the first had the roofs still covering the interior, the second was where the high ranking officials were found and where animal sacrifices were performed, and the third was the largest pit with hundreds of statues and scientists busy working on unearthing and repairing even more.

It was interesting getting to see the statues close up and see the various details the craftsmen used so that no two soldiers looked alike.  This was definitely my favorite part of the trip so far because I loved learning about the Terra-cotta warriors in history class and I was so excited to see them for myself! Another UNESCO World Heritage Site to check off from my BucketList! :D

After the museum, we popped in to a jewelry store where our guide’s friends told us how to spot a fake Jade product:

-It should be hard, not easy to break

-You can rub real pieces together and it will not smell burnt or sound scratchy

-You should be able to see flowers and shapes when light is shown thru it

Later that night we headed to tour the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, a quaint little Buddhist temple. I enjoyed walking the peaceful grounds and listening to the chants from the local Buddhist monks. 

There was a lot of beautiful statues and gardens to admire. 

 

 

We were one of the last to leave the area, and headed to a park where Sean knew there was to be a water and lights show, similar to the one at the Bellagio. They played Chinese cultural music as well as other fun catchy tunes and lovely lyrical music. It was pretty funny that the Doherty’s were there to see the water show, but the Chinese wanted to see the Dohertys. I was asked to take pictures with several people, and a few wanted to try out their English with me. I really think I should take my mom’s advice and start charging for my time! 

HAHA ;)

Also, I tried Asian pear which has a pear taste but an apple’s crunch and consistency. Ya, not a fan! But I did like it steamed! 

Some cultural differences that we’ve come to expect here:

-Spitting everywhere 

-Not yielding to pedestrians, or driving lines, or really any good driving techniques and procedures!

-When hosting a dinner; the host usually doesn't eat much, just attends to needs of visitors. It's rude to leave if your host hasn't stood up to go or "dismissed" you

-Squatting everywhere, in the toilets or for relaxation 

-Kids peeing and pooping on street 

-Toilet paper and yes, even soap, are not always provided so always take toilet paper and handsanitizer with you when braving the bathrooms, you Queen of the Squatters, you!