Our journey from Beijing to xian was via overnight train. Fortunately, OAT purchased two tickets for each of us so that each two people had a four bunk compartment. In Xian we visited the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, an Islamic street and a local Chinese medicine wholesale market - very interesting things for sale!
One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the 2000 year old Terra Cotta Army which was only discovered in 1974. This 6,000 figure life size figures are ranked in military order and have unique facial expressions. The excavation and reconstruction is on going. We were fortunate because that day the farmer who discovered the figures was at the museum and we met him.
As in Beijing, we were escorted to two local factories (and of course sales rooms). These were a lacuer furniture factory and jade factory. The lacquer factory was instructive and the furniture beautiful. the jade factory was also educational with many wares available for purchase.
