China Day 6

WOW!  We walked over 7 miles yesterday.  I wish I could say it was easy for me.
 
We started the day packing everyone up and sending our luggage to the Xi'an Airport.  Lee finally got the group together and we drove an hour to get to the huge complex that houses the 3 digs of the Terra Cotta Warriors.  When I was here in 1985, you could drive right up to the area where the first, most famous dig is.  Now everything is housed in huge, covered arena-type buildings and a big square has been built between them.  I won't even go into the parking lot.  Anyway, we probably walked two miles to get in and two miles out with the other three miles at the digs.  My favorite is still the original dig.

The Warriors were discovered in 1974 by some farmers digging a well.  They found shards and most of them just thought they were junk.  A fourth farmer decided to let the government officials know and he has become famous for it.  He is still alive and actually signs books in the gift shop.  Yes, I bought one.  What can I say?  He looks like he will be dead pretty soon.  Anyway, archeologists came to the site and it was soon determined that these shards were part of a huge field of relics which turned out to be over 6000 warriors and horses and bronze chariots.  The last emperor of the Qin (sounds like Ching) Dynasty was responsible for the clay army because he wanted them to protect him after he died.  Ironically, he was the last emperor of this dynasty which had lasted 400 years.  It was overthrown the following year.  There are still a lot of areas left to dig so there may be many more warriors uncovered in the future but the Chinese government is in no hurry.

After a little shopping, we head the hour to our lunch spot, which was a really great buffet with both Western and Chinese food.  Something for everyone.  Then we have an hour to the airport.
Everyone has been worried about this internal flight.  They have read all of the information that says their bags must not weigh more than 40 lbs and that they can only carry on 11 lbs.  I keep trying to tell them that we have arranged for all bags to be checked as a group and that everything really works out perfectly when it comes to carry-on.  Of course, I am right and it is a breeze getting through security and onto the flight.  Only problem was the flight was over an hour late so we don't get to Shanghai until 8 pm.  Of course, it is an hour to our hotel, depending on traffic.  This has become a joke with us.  Our guide here has the best English so far and her name is Viviene.  I hope she is as good as Joan.

On to another day....more hours on the bus, more Chinese food, more republican snide remarks.
I do have to clarify something.  It turns out that there are only 3 people on this trip that are older than I am.  Everyone else is younger and it is sobering.  One turned 25 yesterday!  There is a 26 year old farmer who is 6'7' and I just love him.  I think most of these people look really old so I can only imagine what they think of me, especially since I am in such bad shape.

Love and miss you all!  Only 5 days to go.