The first round of classes are over now, and we’re 3.5 weeks into the program. Time for a break, and about two-thirds of the class has decided to take a trip to Xi’an to see the Terra Cotta warriors.
We’ve been booked on an overnight train that will get us there by 9 am the next morning. Our accommodations on the train are pretty Spartan, with six bunk beds to one small cabin. It sounds uncomfortable but actually it feels like going back to summer camp. I would recommend doing this at some point for anyone interested in China, as it’s something locals do regularly and you’ll never see in America.
Here’s a picture (none of my came up clear so this is just from the internet) of a sleeper cabin:
Sleeper Cabin on the train to Xi’an
In Xi’an we finally got to visit the mythical Terra Cotter warriors. If you’re a history buff or interested in long-lost artifacts, you’ll love it. Personally, I decided to go to see them because everyone had talked about them so much that I felt I should cross it off my list. For me the most interesting part of seeing them was actually learning that there are many more sites just like the one pictured below, hidden all over the city by the old Emperor. While the Chinese government knows of their location it’s not been open to the public because doing so would damage the remains. Go China!
Last, and by far the best part of the trip, was riding bikes on the old city wall. Xi’an used to be the capital of China, so the emperor had a giant wall erected around the city, which is kept in pretty good shape, enough that we were able to bike easily. The weather was about 85° Fahrenheit and it would’ve been miserable walking around the wall in the heat, but riding a bike around and being able to see the city that way was just perfect.