On my way to Xian, I took a much needed layover in Taiyuan. I was able to clean up after my stint in the mountains and take care of a few errands. There, I visited the Shanxi Museum, which had one of the best collections I've seen. Artifacts over 4000 years old from China's first traces of civilization were impressive. Also on display were exquisite examples of ancient Chinese porcelain, currency, architecture, and Buddhist relics.
I arrived in Xian via overnight sleeper train, which was not that bad. My first day in Xian, once the capital of China, I made my way around the well-preserved city wall on bike. I also made my way to the Great Mosque near the center of the city. Xian's position along the Silk Road made it a fertile place for religious diffusion from the Mediterranean. Outside the Great Mosque was one of the best flea markets I've seen. One particular strength was the abundance of knock-offs: Ray-Bans, Lacoste, Bretling watches, whatever!
The following day, I visited one of the most anticipated sights of the entire trip, the Terracotta Warriors! Over 2200 years ago, the first emperor of the Qin dynasty (the same one
from the movie Hero) created a vast army of thousands of life-size porcelain soldiers, horses, and chariots, complete with weapons and gear. These were to accompany him in his tomb to the afterlife. Out of all the things that I've seen ever, this was for sure top three in terms of most amazing due to its sheer size, old age, and the interesting history surrounding emperor Qin. It was definitely worth the venture out to Xian and I'm glad I got it done. So good part of my China tour!
I'm enjoying my last night of solo travel and savoring the solitude, for tomorrow I head to Shanghai where I will meet up with a friend from Houston. In Taiwan, I will also be with friends and family so for the rest of my travels, I shall be in good company.
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