Day 6 starts with a visit to the Xi’an Cultural Exchange Museum …
… And then on to the Dayan Ta Great Wild Goose Pagoda …
After lunch at the Chang An Hotel restaurant we walk on the Xi’an Ancient City Wall. Late in the afternoon we head to the Xi’an Airport and take China Eastern flight 2307 to Guilin. The airports in smaller Chinese cities are fairly utilitarian, but the Chinese airlines seem to be well run. On this flight the cabin crew is friendly, well-trained, and efficient. The plane is immaculate. And on the 2 hour flight to Guilin a hot meal is served!
The overnight train to Xi’an seems like it was made for a great night’s sleep. Gently rocking over the rails, I should have been out cold. But instead, still jet-lagged, I only catch an hour or two of sleep. There are four of us in the sleeper cabin, Ron from my tour group, and two people we don’t know. Aside from head nods and waving our conversation is limited. By morning we are hundreds of miles from the Beijing crowds and passing the tranquil fields on the outskirts of Xi’an …
We check into the Canaan International Hotel, drop off our bags, and get breakfast. Then we visit the Xi’an Banpo Musuem, the Terracotta Army Fatory, and the Huaquing Chi Hot Spring Palace …
The final stop of the day is the Terracotta Army Museum …
Discovered by local farmers in the 1970’s, an archeological dig has unearthed hundreds of terracotta warriors and other figures …
Today is our last day in Beijing, so while the bus is loading up I have some time to take a few pictures of the street in front of the hotel. From the noise at night I know this is always a busy street and this morning the parade of bicycles, cars, and buses continues nonstop …
The first stop is a hutong – a neighborhood of traditional “courtyard” homes. We visit a hutong that overlooks a lake …
After seeing the Pandas at the Beijing Zoo, we have lunch at McDonald’s …
On the bus ride to the Temple of Heaven we pass the very distinctive headquarters building for China Central Television …
… and finally we arrive at the Temple of Heaven.
After dinner we head to the Beijing West Train Station and board the overnight Z19 train to Xi’an …
It’s not the Orient Express, but the train to Xi’an is an adventure.
Tomorrow we visit the Terracotta Warriors.
Day 3 begins with a tour of Beijing Banner Jadeware City, a workshop where artisans make jade carvings. Like all of these tours they end with shopping for the pieces you’ve been admiring for the past couple of hours. I dutifully make a purchase.
After the bus driver shoehorns our 50′ bus into a 49′ parking space we arrive at the Juyongguan section of The Great Wall. This is the “easy” side of the climb – which we did climb – and it was not easy …
Next we visit Cloisonne Enamel for lunch, another artisan tour, and more shopping. No purchases for me this time. I’m not sure how I would carry this home …
After visiting the Ming Tomb, Donna and Mickey walk the Sacred Way …
We end the day with the acrobatic show at the Beijing Theatre and then the Peking Duck Dinner at Beijing Bianyifang Roust Duck Group …
Tomorrow is our last day in Beijing.
After breakfast at the Beijing Kaiheng Century Hotel, Day 2 gets started with a bus ride to Tiananmen Square. It’s a holiday in China so the square is crowded with many tourist groups.
Outside the entrance to the Forbidden City …
And inside the Forbidden City …
We spend several hours walking from Tiananmen Square, through the Forbidden City, and then end up in the Imperial Garden.
After a bus ride and lunch (at a Beijing McDonald’s!) Day 2 continues with a tour of the Summer Palace and a boat ride on Kunmimg Lake.
View from the balcony ...
Michael S. Liberman