common countryside truck (note the exposed motor)
Waiting for a plane to Xian - Part 1
Waiting for plane to Xian - Part 2
Bell Tower, center of Xian
Eating Yangrou Paomo (mutton soup with crumbled bread and noodles) and drinking exotic tea - Xian
late night snack stand - Xian
Mao is on every bill
Incense burner in the Temple of the Eight Immortals, a Taoist temple in Xian
Scenes of key events in the Taoist philosophy - Temple of the Eight Immortals, Xian
Courtyard - Temple of the Eight Immortals, Xian
In taoist tradition, paper representations of earthly goods--money, important objects--are burned when a person dies so they they may enjoy these things in the afterlife. This is a paper entertainment system. These shops around the temple also sell stacks of fake, paper money (Chinese Yuan and US dollars), appliances, computers, Mahjong sets and cell phones.
Row of shops near the Taoist temple (see also previous photo)
Approaching the "antique street" (see next photo) - Xian
"Antique" shops. (Our guide warned us that the items here have been recently aged.)
Alley in the village of the Cave Dwellers
Entrance to a cave home
Inside the cave home, our guide Clarence Guo (center) explains the layout of the home
Owner of this home (back) and her grandson. the platform is her bed and the smooth stone block is her pillow.
Clarence talks to the lady of the house
Family photos and other memorabilia
Cave's owner (back, right) and her neighbors
Enjoying the photos. Nobody in this village has a camera, so Clarence will bring prints of these photos for the ladies when he visits with the next group of tourists.
Leaving the Cave Dweller village
A new housing development in Xian
Terracotta Army Pit 1 - Over 6,000 warriors and horses stand in traditional battle array facing east. The structure we're in was built over the pits for protection. The complex is an active archeological sites.
Soldiers - Pit 1 - Originally each solder was armed with real, bronze weapons. Note also the differentiation between the faces. No two warrior faces were casted from the same mold.
Warriors - Pit 1. Although the warriors are over 2,000 years old, the site was not discovered until 1974 by a group of farmers drilling a well.
Warriors and horses which pulled a wooden chariot. The charriot has long since disintegrated.
tourists getting photos taken in front of the warriors. The terracotta warriors are one of the top tourist destinations in China receiving over 1.5 million visitors per year.
More Tourists taking pictures in front of the warriors.
Pit 1 - The army was comissioned by China's first emperor, Qin Shi Haung over 2,000 years ago. The army was meant to protect his empire in the afterlife.
More warriors - Pit 1. All ranks of the emperor's army were portrayed: soldiers, archers, generals, charioteers, etc. Recent excavations in this area have uncovered musicians, jugglers and acrobats--suggesting that the 1st emperor (Qin) may have been preparing not just an army, but an entire city for his afterlife.
Horses were also cast in actual size - Pit 1
Closeup of a terracotta officer. The topknot indicates a higher rank. Pit 2
Katy, Jeff and our fantastic, engaging guide Clarence Guo. (He took us to the Taoist Temple, the Cave Dweller Village, a delicious local lunch and to the warrior museum. he did a great job of putting all of these elements in context.)
Xian Bell Tower at night. (note kite at left)
Giagantic, night market in the Muslim Quarter of Xian
Vendor making a sweet, steamed, yummy dessert
Closeup of the aforementioned dessert preparation (see previous photo). Each mold holds a sweet dough that is steamed until warm and solid. The dough is then removed from the mold, decorated with sweet sprinkles and served on a wooden stick. (1 Yuan = approx 15 cents)
Food vendors in the Muslim Quarter of Xian (note arabic script in the signage)
food vendors in the Muslim Quarter of Xian making lamb kabobs
vendors preparing Katy's favorite - vegetables in fried pita-type bread
One of Jeff's favorites - fresh noodles (soon to be covered in cold, spicy sesame peanut sauce)
We saw buildings throughout the country with these solar panels on the roofs. Hot water?? (Xian)
Chinese kite - Xian
Mandatory, morning calisthenics outside the Parkson Department store. The leader at the front of the group shouted instructions as music played.
Great Mosque in Xian - a blend of Chinese and Islamic architecture
food vendor in the morning - near Great Mosque (Xian)
Jeff outside the Bell Tower Youth Hostel - Xian
