The Best Laid Plans. . .

Trip Start Jun 23, 2007
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Trip End Jul 25, 2007


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Flag of China  ,
Friday, July 20, 2007

Our group of seven arrived in Xian on Wednesday evening after a painful overnight train.  Our original plan was to spend two days here, primarily to see the Terracotta Warriors, and then head to Shanghai. As it turned out, getting a ticket on any train, going anywhere, was much harder than expected. Because it is the summer and there 1.3 BILLION people in the country, the trains are often very full.  We settled for "hard" seats which were essentially slightly padded benches that didn't recline.  Needless to say, getting any sleep was difficult.  Once in Xian, we were told that we wouldn't be able to get tickets to Shanghai for 5-10 days! (Later, we learned that there is a thriving black market of scalped train tickets) And then the rain started . . . and didn't stop for three days. 

Despite these hurdles, we had a great time in Xian.  We visited the unbelievable Terracotta Warriors.  Carved out of clay over 2000 years ago, each of the 8000+ warriors and horses are life size.  The faces, hairstyles and poses of each figure are unique and were designed to represent an actual solider in the army of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi, for whom this mausoleum was built.  After completion, the entire army was buried, prepared for battle in the afterlife, never intending to be uncovered again.  They were discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a well.  The reconstruction and restoration of the splintered soldiers by archaeologists is almost as impressive as their original construction.  Later, we explored the Muslim quarter, one of the largest in China.  The market was extensive, with everything from Chairman Mao memorabilia to live crickets in a cage for sale. We biked the fully intact 14km medieval city wall and ran through an impressive nighttime fountain show.  Most gloriously, we belted out "I Will Survive" and "Like a Prayer" in a Chinese karaoke bar.  See, I told you we were re-energized!
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