Xi'an, December 24th
Trip to China 2019-2020

To get to the "Xian Terracotta Warriors and Horses" location, I will take the 307. It was possible to book on-line tourist buses that go directly, but I have decided on a line bus. I like to learn the local transport of the many cities I visit. As expected, many faster buses pass us in our way to the excavation site.

A horde of Groups of tourists get down from private buses. But, the parking lot is ready for way more visitors. This is one of the perks of traveling during the off-season, as you will have more room to enjoy the experience. There are many western tourists, that is interesting for a change. The Xian Terracotta Warriors and Horses is famous enough to attract tourists from the West even in low season.

The mausoleum consists of three different excavations sites. I start by visiting the two smaller sites and then make my way to the largest one. I feel an increasing sense of awe. The largest site is truly a sight to behold and not to be missed as soldier after soldier lines up in a massive parade of warriors.

Broken pieces of pottery pile up in the ground. Farther away, archeologists are carefully piecing together the warriors like a three-dimensional puzzle. The amount of work to create the terracotta warriors is impressive. The dedication to bringing them to their original glory is admirable as well. After looking at the figures for a long time and taking a couple of hundred pictures of the site from as many different angles, I am satisfied with the visit and ready to move on.

I get into the 307 again for my next destination, the Huaqing Hot Springs. An impressive pool with water pouring out of a dragon’s head gets my attention. And this is just one of the several hot spring pools in the complex. After visiting several historical buildings, I start my ascension to Mount Li.

I cannot see the top of the mountain but just stairs going up. I start my ascension. After a while, I am still going up more and more stairs. Once more, the views are less-than-good. A thick smog covers the foot of the mountain. I continue ascending anyway. We feel like being in a pilgrimage to the top. As the stairs become more and more steeply groups of people stop to rest. I continue pushing for the top.

I finally get there. The prize after so much effort is a reproduction of a vigilance tower and the pride of overcoming a challenge. Now that I am here, I go up several more stairs up to the tower's last floor. The views would be incredible if it were not for the smog.

As I walk down, I can see the hope in the eyes of the first hikers I see. They had seen me go up a few minutes ago, they realize that the summit has to be close by. I smile back acknowledging their realization.

For my way back to the city, I want a faster bus. As I approach the stop, there is a bus waiting there. A woman harries me to get in. I only have time to ask for “Xi’an railway station”. I get a nod as an answer. The bus is packed, the next stop is the last one, and a couple of travelers sit in a folding chairs in the aisle as there are no more sits remaining. This bus is an express that only stops a couple of times before arriving at Xi’an, it was a good choice to get to the city. I got back to the hotel. It has been a challenging but fun day.