Xi'an

Our last trip in China was to Xi'an to see the Terracotta Warriors. This was an amazing archeological site that dates back to around the third century BC. The Emperor Qin had this constructed for his burial. Each warrior is unique and it is estimated that there are over 8000 soldiers. We had a wonderful tour guide who gave us a historical account of Emperor Qin. We also saw the farmer who discovered the site while digging a well in 1974. He currently sits in the gift shop and signs books for the hundreds of tourists who visit the site on a daily basis.

Xi'an is an ancient city which is credited as the most Eastern point of the Silk Road. We were able to walk and bike around the ancient city walls. It was a great experience to get out and see the blend of the modern city and many of the century old buildings within the walls.

There is a small Muslim culture that is present in Xi'an and we enjoyed the remainder of our short visit walking and sampling the foods in the Muslim corridor.

This was a short weekend trip that we were thankful that we were able to squeeze in before we left China.

A small sampling of the Tarracotta Warriors.

This picture gives you an idea as to the size of the excavation site.

Notice that each soldier is unique.

Each warrior was originally painted in bright colors. Once the air hits these ancient pieces, the paint quickly fades away.

One of the bronze chariots.

On top of the ancient city wall.

Cycling around the city on top of the wall.

Walking through the Muslim corridor.