Xi'an - Deja Vu
I came to Xi'an three years ago with my summer program in Beijing and so it was kind of embarrassing when I got to all the sites today and thought...huh...I've been here before...so this is what this was...
Anyway, it wasn't a waste because it was the first time my mom saw it all and she wanted slash needed slash BEGGED for my company. Ok, not really -- actually, not at all -- but we were coming to these spots regardless of whether I saw them or not.
Alas, a brief synopsis of our eight hour tour (for the reading pleasure of my father as he is probably the sole reader - HI BA!)
Terra Cotta Warriors Museum.
Much remains uncovered -- archaeologists are waiting for better tools.
The Front Row.
The Heads.
The Kneeling Archer.
The most intact statue uncovered so far.
The View from the Qin Emperor's Tomb.
About 1.5 km away from the Terra Cotta Army, the tomb is 30 meters below the earth and it remains unopened as archaeologists are hesitant to risk destroying it. There's elaborate traps surrounding the tomb (something with mercury?).
Huaqing Hot Springs.
It costs anywhere from 20 RMB to 9,000 RMB (about $2.85 - $1285) to take a bath at this place.
Foot Baths for 20 RMB. People normally wait in line for 45 mins to take one of these. But because of the earthquake, tourist season has been at a low point. We didn't take one.
Because alas! THIS was free!
All the tourists were doubling over giggling as they took a picture with this statue of Yang Guifei. These baths were a gift from the Tang Emperor to Yang Guifei, his favorite concubine (who was actually his son's concubine, hence, a 34 year age difference). She was considered beautiful also because she was plumb -- 138 jing, which is 184 lbs, and she was 161 cm, which is 5'3".
My mom said that I was born into the wrong era. Thanks, Mom.
Chiang Kai-shek's headquarters were at this hot spring. Bullet hole from the Xi'an Incident.
Ci'en Temple (Da Yian Ta or Wild Goose Pagoda).
Commissioned by the Emperor Gaozong for the Buddhist monk Tang Xuanzhuang upon his return from India. Four years to get to India, upon which many stories like Xi You Ji are based upon. He stayed in India for about 17 years, to study the Buddhist Holy books, before bringing them back to China to translate into Chinese, hence making a huge contribution to the development of Buddhism in China.
Birds.
I felt kinda bad because free birds were eating their food!
Momma.
Reminiscent of one of my favorite series of pictures from Beijing.
Beijing 2005.
Dan trying to figure out what the hell Hyejin is trying to tell him.
She wanted him to hi-five the monk.
Later that day...
Dinner!
At the famous Jia San Dumplings -- the original location.
Cow stomach soup. MMMMM
Beef dumplings. MMMMM
Beef soup dumplings. MMMMM
Less soupy than Joe's Shanghai (still my favorite) but pretty good -- tasted suspiciously of lamb, however.
Where the magic happens.
The waiters were most definitely under 17.
Street food mmmmmm raw fish out in the heat mmmmmm.
The Squatter.
Post dinner festivities
The Ci'en Temple at night.
At 8:00 PM, there's supposed to be a big water fountain display akin to that of the Bellagio. Well, for one thing, the fountain area is about 1/10 of the Bellagio's. Second, IT DIDN'T EVEN HAPPEN!!! 7:40 we hopped in a cab, 7:58 we made it in the nick of time! 8:00 NOTHING! 8:15 NOTHING! 8:30 NOTHING! 8:45 - Mom: "who's going to put on a fountain display at 8:45?" - NOTHING!
so sad.
It might have been because there was a "gathering" outside the fountain -- college students rally together in spiritual support for those in Sichuan. "Sichaun people (ren ming), JIA YOU!" "JIA YOU!" "China people, JIA YOU!" "JIA YOU!" and so it went. Depriving me of my fountain display ... and 25 RMB in taxi fare.
At least I got a fun picture out of it.
candle light.
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