Xi'an is a gorgeous city, much bigger than I expected it to be. It was one of the ancient capitals of China so there is a huge wall as well as a moat built around the entire city. It is quite modern but still has many amazing historic sites as well - we stayed at eh Citadines Hotel which was very central and within walking distance of both the Drum Tower and the Bell Tower.
We hired a guide for one day, Clarence, who took us to see a beautiful Daoist Temple, the Terra Cotta warriors, and even a small village where many of the people live in caves carved right in the side of a hill. They were very welcoming to us and let us see the way they live. It was very interesting to see the caves still being used while newer, more modern homes were being built right next to them, fascinating. That night we also saw one the largest water/laser light shows in China; we basically stood right in the middle of the fountains - very cool!
The most amazing part of the trip, of course, was our visit to the warriors. I was so excited because it was something I wanted to see for so long. As we arrived at the site I was absolutely amazed by the buildings that have been constructed around the warriors. Obviously, for tourists to see them there needed to be buildings but it is amazing! There are several sites that are all in various stages of digging and although many of the statues have been discovered and many of them have been restored, there are thousands that have not even been uncovered yet. Just the number of warriors that were originally created is breathtaking, not to even mention the fact that they are all unique and all situated around the emperor's tomb as if standing guard. AMAZING!! One of my most favorite places yet.
One funny side note, as we walked around the warriors, mesmerized by how amazing they were, we were literally pushing people away from our children who were surrounded by what looked like paparazzi. Hilarious that the western kids were more interesting to some of the locals than the terra cotta warriors!
After our three amazing days in Xi'an, we boarded another plane back to Hong Kong for the tournament. The boys all had a great time hanging out with all their hockey buddies and playing lots of games. They both played very well and Ethan's team even went to the finals, losing in the final game. It is a really fun trip that gives us a chance to hang out with some really fun parents and kids in a great city. It was a fabulous trip that, especially for the kids, combined the perfect amount of history and fun with friends.
