X'ian: Home of the Terra Cotta Warriors

We took an overnite soft sleeper train to X'ian that took 12 hours. It was pretty comfortable with 2 lower and 2 upper bunks and a small table. The girls played card games at night while the adults tried to catch up on journal writing or rest.

X'ian was as hot or hotter than Beijing, so not change there. We all loved the Aurum International Hotel which is run by the government. Met some folks from Switzerland and Germany who were sightseeing while waiting for the Solar eclipse to occur. This is when we first realized that we might get to see it too.

We toured the Big Wild Goose Pagoda which is a Buddhist temple and a Muslim temple, did some shopping in the big Muslim market, and of course, saw the Terra Cotta Warriors. That was amazing! The restoration work is incredible. Well worth the visit. It is a large site with a short IMAX movie that explains the history of the site.

These are pictures of the Pagoda and the incense burning there.

Lunch and Tianamen Square

At Tianamen Square we walked past the building that houses Mao's tomb, tried to fly kites until the police asked us not to, and had to view the square from a distance as it was blocked off due to the visit of some dignatary. Four years ago we had the same situation when Condaleeza Rice was visiting.

In Beijing still

The Hutong tour was really fun and interesting. We rode on pedicabs which are pulled by strong men on bikes. Saw lots of umbrellas used to protect from the intense heat and sun. The house we visited was owned by a delightful couple who have met famous folks like Kissinger.

More Photos

The first photo below is of some of the vendors in the Pearl Market, the third is of buildings in the Forbidden city, the others are at the Great Wall.

More photos

Below is a photo of the inside of a Beijing restaurant where we had a lunch. Also, the Bird's Nest at the Olympic venue, and ceiling tiles inside an archway at the Summer Palace. Beijing's old sites are full of color and artistic style from the Ching Dynasty (I believe).

Beijing and X'ian

We were with an organized tour through OCDF and stayed at the Oriental Culture Hotel in a city center location in Beijing. It was nothing special, but we were comfortable there. It was close to a dept. store, restaurants, Bank of China, and interesting markets like a produce and fish store that had exotic smells and sights. We stayed busy with sightseeing which I think helps you get over jet lag more quickly. We visited a small residential center that served DD teens and adults. At the Pearl Center we started practicing our bartering skills. There you can find luxury items and less expensive gifts on about five floors. The shop owners can be aggressive but stop once they hear you say what sounds like, "Boo Yow" and means not interested. Alana and I found a pearl shop that carried a variety of enameled beads that make cute bracelets.

We took a Hutong tour in pedicabs. This is a typical older style neighborhood where homes are built around inner courtyards.