Shaanxi Vacations, Shaanxi Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

I spent three weeks in March of 2007 traveling through China. Recently, a friend planning a trip there asked if I had any advice, so I drafted these tips for him.

       After checking out of our hostel and dropping out bags off at the luggage storate area near the reception, Jason and I walked to the South Gate of the Xi'an city walls, which was conveniently located near our hostel. We paid 40 RMB each and received a ticket that would allow us to climb up and around the ancient walls, which were built in 1370 under the direction of the first Ming emperor. We climbed the steps up the 39 ft walls, built on the foundations o...

XI'AN:  wow.   We were amazed at the terracotta warriors.  Pit one had 6000 soldiers standing in formation.  We were told each one took 3-4 months to put together as they were like a 3 dimensional puzzle.  They were originally discovered by 3 farmers during the huge drought in 1985 (I think)  they were digging a well:   they kept finding pieces of pottery then  finally found a head.  they were really upset by it and tossed ...

I can't believe I'm moving on to Xi'an now ... my Beijing 'experience' was to short :(   ... but I am looking froward to Xi'an, China.  I know when I get there I'll have little time to contact my friend, Gary, who I met 3 years ago in Economics at Laurentian University (Sudbury, Ontarion, Canada) ... now he's back home, in Xi'an, having just completed his 4 yr degree.  I'm waiting for the train to arrive so that I can not only tour the famous landmarks of Xi'an, ...