XI'AN PICTURES

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

 

*** caveat: Elsie is now picking the pictures to include here! ***

Provincial Museum

Again Lions to protect things ... beautifully done

A picture so that we would remember just where the hell we were

This was neat... we could get within 5 feet of the figures here. They were so intricate that at life size you had the feeling that you were looking at live people

This was the only one that was found intact. "The Kneeing Archer" He was beautiful! All the other soldiers had to be put together like a huge jigsaw puzzle

"Big Wild Goose Pagoda"

"Big Wild Goose Pagoda"

"Big Wild Goose Pagoda"

"Big Wild Goose Pagoda"

Trumpet flower near the "Big Wild Goose Pagoda"

Neolithic Museum

Outside the Neolithic Museum Do I look like a Ming Dynasty Lord????? Be nice ....

Elsie could have done with a few more inches of height here ... or is that demure "Lady Elsie"?

Inside the Musuem they were making copies of the soldiers for sale

Look like cookie moulds

Pure jade in one piece ... now this would look good at the front of our house

Intricate carvings that made you stop and look

These girls sure had a lot of talent

Entrance to the site for the Terracotta Warriors

This was taken with the 50mil lens

This was taken with the 215mil lens ... see what I mean about being removed from them?

Just so we wouldn't forget

You just wish that you could get closer

Just so we wouldn't forget

Closer would help?

These mounds cover still more of the soldiers that they will excavate in the future

The horses were particularly well done

The original Kneeling Archer

This guy did blow my socks off

A General in full regalia

A Spear man

There were two bronze chariots. I finally gave up and took a flash picture

As we were leaving the site you can get a general idea just how many people were there

"Mom" returning home from the farmers market

The old form of transport is still alive and well

A family on the move

This is the ancient City Wall of Xi'an. Notice how wide it is.

You can rent bikes to tour the Wall ... or you could get a Rickshaw. Does that guy look frightened that we would get on his rickshaw???

From the Wall looking towards the Bell and Drum Tower. Cough cough ...

The moat is gone of course and filled in with houses

Smack dab in the middle of the old moat

The Guide John looking cool

Good perspective of the merchant streets

A little bit of the moat is still there

cough... cough ... Wheeze ...cough ...cough

Yeah that is my foot .... brought back memories of my misspent youth

Elsie enjoying her Masseur

Waiting for the great "Dumpling Dinner"

Tang Dynasty Show

Tang Dynasty Show

Tang Dynasty Show

Tang Dynasty Show

Mount Huashan

Spectacular views!!! Reminds us of The Chieftain Squamish.

And look ... BLUE SKY!!!!

The colours were changing

It was sure a great change from Xi'an

Now, if you look at the right side of the picture, you see the path to the Hotel we were to take. Follow along to the middle of the picture and you can see more of the steps heading up at over a 45 % grade. With our luggage????

The gondola ....

looking down to the steps that the the Gondola replaced. They look like fun eh?

You had to take a bus to the Gondola and this is the road it went on ... very narrow and dangerous

Bell Tower in Xi'an

Bell Tower Park

Muslim Market Entrance

Neat place to visit. Notice the birds.

Busy downtown street

one of our nondescript meals ... but at least they gave me a full beer

Elsie Packing. Hmmm!!

The first Class Lounge in the Beijing Airport

I found a beer!!! and a comfortable chair ... still trying to get the kinks out caused by the flight from Xi'an

Beijing Control Tower

Luxury heading home