We ended the trip showing off Xi’an to the other teachers with a visit to our own city wall where I climbed aboard a "wedding sedan" which John is lifting (there should actually be 8 men to carry it if proper respect is being shown the bride!).
The highlight of the trip was seeing the Terracotta Warriors, dating from AD 221. We have seen replicas and read of them, but seeing them for real was something else again. Thousands and thousands of uniquely molded full-sized figures, infantry, archers, cavalry, and generals together with magnificent horses all made from the terracotta clay. It is estimated that the project took some 720,000 workers to create the tomb project, all to honor the emperor who unified China, who wished to go into the next world surrounded by all the comforts of this world.
Our last event was a wonderful dumpling dinner followed by a stunning celebration of the Tang Dynasty through music and costumes that took our breath away.
Everyone else returned to their 5 star (this one was nice) hotel to sleep before flying out to their home cities the following morning, but John and I and the Monsons, hopped cabs and headed for our respective hovels. So nice to be home again.
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