Xi'an photos

Time for our last (and largest) set of holiday photos: Xi'an (pronounced "shee-an.") We spent the last three days of our break there, where we took enjoyed history, culture, and street food (equally.) On our first day, we traveled about an hour out of the city to visit the Terracotta Warriors, a massive army of over 8,000 life-sized soldiers and horses built for the tomb of the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, dating back to 210 BC. Much of the site is still being excavated, but what we could see what impressive. The sheer quantity and level of detail of the army was incredible, making it easy to believe the estimate that over 750,000 workers took part in its construction.

On our second day in Xi'an, we walked around the city on its city walls (40 feet high and 8 miles in length!) Xi'an is one of the only cities in China with its walls still intact and it was pretty amazing to take in the views from on tops. On our last day, we visited The Great Mosque, one of the largest mosques in China. Xi'an is home to a large Muslim population, so we also enjoyed the Muslim Quarter surrounding the Mosque, complete with delicious street food and no shortage of sights, sounds, and smells to take in.

While there, we also were able to see the Bell Tower and Drum Tower, two large landmarks in the center of town, and take in a fountain and light show at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which was built in 652, during the Tang Dynasty. Between exploring the sights (and to escape the rainy weather), we enjoyed spending time at our hostel, too, which had multiple interior courtyards and a great restaurant.

More pictures here: http://hsinchina.shutterfly.com/974.