Who: Laurita Leuthold of Oregon, Toni Leuthold of Winter Park, Colorado and Deanie and Howard Zelkin of Frisco, Colorado
Where: Terra-cotta Museum, Xi’an, China
Out and about: The burial pits of the first emperor of China Emperor Qin Shihuang who died in 210 B.C. – were discovered in 1974 and are located within an hour of the city of Xi’an. Over 6000 Terra-cotta warriors and their horses in battle formation are being unearthed and reconstructed and are available for public viewing. These life size warriors were individually fashioned and have unique faces, hair styles and clothing and were made to protect the emperor in his afterlife. Xi’an also has a 14 km. restored city wall as well as colorful markets, pagodas, the Bell Tower and the impressive Shaanxi History Museum.
Travel tip: Arrive early at the Terra-cotta Warriors as it becomes crowded later in the day. Autumn usually has the best weather. A tour is the easiest way to experience China. If you choose to try it alone, a city guide can help you get more out of the trip as signs are mostly in Chinese and English is not universally spoken. Only drink bottled water, don’t even brush your teeth with tap water. Be sure to sample the steamed dumplings, a specialty of Xi’an.
