Monday morning and it's off for another day of ancient history. I am finding it all completely mind blowing to see so many sights that are this old. Today is a nice sunny brisk (minus 4 degree) day!! I am wearing so many layers of clothes I’m starting to look like the 'Michelin man".

First stop today was a factory in Lintong County where they reproduce the warriors and horses as well as create some fine Chinese laquerware, silk embroidery and jade in every colour. Was able to walk around and get a feel for what was to come…the originals.



The world famous Terracotta Warriors and Horses are truly amazing. To think that they would never have been discovered if the farmer dug his well another metre away!! I actually got to meet one of the farmers who made the discovery in 1974 – he is now 76 years old but needless to say very well off!! The detail is incredible and each warrior looks different. It has been established beyond doubt that these artifacts and relics come from the Qin Dynasty (211-206 BC). The first pit is the largest with columns of soldiers and war chariots behind them. Archeologists have spent years putting together the pieces like a jigsaw puzzle and their painstaking work is there to be admired. The second pit is smaller but still contains over 1000 warriors. The third pit is believed to be the command centre of the armed forces with less than 100 warriors and 4 horses. Altogether they have uncovered over 7000 soldiers, horses, chariots and weaponry from the pits. They have stopped excavation because as soon as the warriors are uncovered they lose their colour and archeologists still haven’t worked out how to preserve it – hence nobody knows how many there might be in total. The Emperors (Qin Shi Huang) mausoleum is actually several kilometres away and just looks like a small hill. It is untouched at the moment and one is left with the feeling that perhaps it should remain that way.

After this breathtaking visit we stopped at a Chinese Teahouse where I was honoured with a traditional tea ceremony. It was so nice sitting relaxing in a warm room and watching the steps of the ceremony – most of which I can’t remember in correct order. I got to taste some very different teas including lychee black tea, Zi yang rich selenium tea, dragon well tea and An xi Tie guan Yin tea!!

Then it was off to the Banpo Museum which my travel agent included but I didn’t know much about it…..boy am I glad she included this place. It is totally amazing. It is an archeological site containing the remains of Neolithic settlements dating from approximately 4500 BC!!! Some of the relics that have been uncovered are in such good condition you would never believe they were 6000 years old. I know I am a bit macabre but I had to take photos of the 6000 year old skeletons that they have unearthed. The museum contains original relics as well as reproductions of the houses based on the archeological finds. One of the most interesting places I have ever seen. Outside the museum was a statue in a pond of ICE – photo included just to show it really was freezing cold again!!

We then headed back into the city to visit the Muslim Quarter including the market (a tourist rip off if ever I saw one!) and the Great Mosque. The Mosque was originally built in the Tang Dynasty (685-762) and renovated later in the Ming Dynasty. It is still used today and we arrived just as they were commencing dusk prayer time. We could not enter the praying hall but could walk freely through the courtyards with their manicured gardens, stone arches and Xingxin Tower which I had my photo taken in front of.

I’m now back at my hotel absorbing all that I have seen and heard over the last 2 days. Tomorrow I’m off to Hangzhou so its bye for now. xx