Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Full Day in Xi'an
Greetings!
We woke up after 9 hours of sleep feeling much, much, mucho better! Like the docs promised us, one or two Cipro and it’s knocked out. Kim Smith waited too long and she's still not 100% but is still on the mend.
7:30 western style breakfast. Did you know teenage boys eat a LOT??? We're grateful for those breakfasts with all you can eat. They do.
8:30 we departed for the Shaanxi Provincial Historical Museum... compare it to our Smithsonian Natural History and American History Museum. VERY wonderful! Highlights were seeing the oldest human (Homo Erectus) skull ever found, here in this province, seeing the amazing art and relics from the Tang Dynasty, and being able to follow China's history for 7,000 years in artifacts and art. Ancient musical instruments were fascinating, too. There was an attempt to describe the Chinese musical scale through a series of large bronze bells. Morgan and I are still trying to figure that out. The original Chinese tones are only five of them, and we think they are from five bell sizes, but there were 10 bells in the display, and the first and last were roughly an octave apart. We're going to try to figure that out when we get home and get "free" Google power. Wow! Makes me feel so primitive in the U.S. (but no less proud, certainly). The Tang Dynasty can be compared to Western culture's Renaissance Period and mix that with our Enlightenment period all into one. Amazing cultural expansion during that time!
When we arrived at the Museum, there was a large ceremony going on out front on the steps. Today is the 85th anniversary of the Republic, and there was a large choir on the steps (about 200 singers) that were performing and part of a large ceremony with the Communist government officials and military trainees. We took the time to listen to the choir music. That was a nice 'extra' we didn't expect.
11:00 we went to the Jade Factory. We learned a lot about the qualities of jade, how to tell good jade from lower grades of jade, and what "real" jade is like (jadeite). John found a sculpture of jadeite that was selling for a million Yuan. It was amazing. My only hope when I came was to be able to find a jade pendant for my daughters and myself. Although I can't afford jadeite, Morgan and I are really happy with ours, and we're banking that Christine will love hers, too! xoxo for Christine.
Lunch buffet was excellent. Our group loves noodles. They put on quite the noodle making display here, and we all love the sauce, either beef or chicken, that goes on top. Perfect cuisine for any queasy tummies, too.
Then off to the "Wild Goose Pagoda", a former Buddhist temple and garden area with a famous 13 story tall tower pagoda. The top two floors were damaged in WWII, but our 'boys' had fun climbing the 174 steps that are still there. Wonderful gardens, very peaceful. A perfect way for us to be able to feel what they are trying to teach us about Feng Shui and "balance" in life. The original bell from the Bell Tower across the street from our hotel (that we toured last night) was also on display there.
Then off to the Great Mosque. This was a once in a lifetime event! It’s the largest Islamic mosque with Chinese architecture in the world... of course... Because China is east of Mecca, Muslims pray to the west here and things are arranged toward the west. It took me awhile to get that clear in my head. There are several stele with the Koran inscribed in Arabic (in a Chinese pagoda type building), next to the Ming Dynasty's interpretation of it in Chinese on the stele next to it. .... I was amazed that they were just out there in the open, no apparent effort being made to preserve them! Large "gates" or archways of Chinese architecture with Arabic writing inscribed. The Mosque is still in use, and we were able to see some men at prayer in their prayer hall, and witness a few of the men at 'study'. Chinese Muslim wear a white silk head cover (not meaning to be disrespectful or funny, but it looks like a pill-box hat) and wear very plain clothing. Shoes are off their feet when they are "under cover" of the mosque prayer rooms and study rooms.
Getting to the Mosque, we had to walk back alleys and walkways to get there. It is the only Muslim section of town, so the atmosphere was different and we appreciated not being attacked by sales people!! It’s a different feeling being off the bus and walking to places, being right in there with the people. I like that a lot.
So... We're at rest at the hotel, and the performers are preparing to leave at 6pm in red shirts and black pants for the Xi'an Conservatory of Music for their rehearsal! We aren't sure what's going on, frankly, but when we get there we think we are supposed to be singing about 40 minutes of our music, and then sing a song with a choir from their school with their students (thus the rehearsal at 6pm). The performance is at 8:00 at the Conservatory. Kate has them all ready in spirit. It was fun today as the "back of the bus" started picking up in song spontaneously in perfect four part harmony. Our tour guides aren't sure what to make of us, but they get it that it’s special to us, so that's OK.
9:00 banquet tonight at the Tang Dynasty Show restaurant tonight. They have a SIX star bathroom there! The soap is poured onto your hands by an attendant through a porcelain tea pot!!! I think the ladies go to restroom there whether it’s necessary or not!
We depart on an 8am flight in the morning for Shanghai, but take a train right away to Souzhou where we will stay two nights.
We've caught news that there's massive flooding back home (assuming so, since we know Washington DC has been closed down in parts). Although we've also noticed that your temperatures are 30 degrees cooler than ours. We hope all is well back home!!!
I'll be back to you in Souzhou... silk capital of the world!!
Gwen
We woke up after 9 hours of sleep feeling much, much, mucho better! Like the docs promised us, one or two Cipro and it’s knocked out. Kim Smith waited too long and she's still not 100% but is still on the mend.
7:30 western style breakfast. Did you know teenage boys eat a LOT??? We're grateful for those breakfasts with all you can eat. They do.
8:30 we departed for the Shaanxi Provincial Historical Museum... compare it to our Smithsonian Natural History and American History Museum. VERY wonderful! Highlights were seeing the oldest human (Homo Erectus) skull ever found, here in this province, seeing the amazing art and relics from the Tang Dynasty, and being able to follow China's history for 7,000 years in artifacts and art. Ancient musical instruments were fascinating, too. There was an attempt to describe the Chinese musical scale through a series of large bronze bells. Morgan and I are still trying to figure that out. The original Chinese tones are only five of them, and we think they are from five bell sizes, but there were 10 bells in the display, and the first and last were roughly an octave apart. We're going to try to figure that out when we get home and get "free" Google power. Wow! Makes me feel so primitive in the U.S. (but no less proud, certainly). The Tang Dynasty can be compared to Western culture's Renaissance Period and mix that with our Enlightenment period all into one. Amazing cultural expansion during that time!
When we arrived at the Museum, there was a large ceremony going on out front on the steps. Today is the 85th anniversary of the Republic, and there was a large choir on the steps (about 200 singers) that were performing and part of a large ceremony with the Communist government officials and military trainees. We took the time to listen to the choir music. That was a nice 'extra' we didn't expect.
11:00 we went to the Jade Factory. We learned a lot about the qualities of jade, how to tell good jade from lower grades of jade, and what "real" jade is like (jadeite). John found a sculpture of jadeite that was selling for a million Yuan. It was amazing. My only hope when I came was to be able to find a jade pendant for my daughters and myself. Although I can't afford jadeite, Morgan and I are really happy with ours, and we're banking that Christine will love hers, too! xoxo for Christine.
Lunch buffet was excellent. Our group loves noodles. They put on quite the noodle making display here, and we all love the sauce, either beef or chicken, that goes on top. Perfect cuisine for any queasy tummies, too.
Then off to the "Wild Goose Pagoda", a former Buddhist temple and garden area with a famous 13 story tall tower pagoda. The top two floors were damaged in WWII, but our 'boys' had fun climbing the 174 steps that are still there. Wonderful gardens, very peaceful. A perfect way for us to be able to feel what they are trying to teach us about Feng Shui and "balance" in life. The original bell from the Bell Tower across the street from our hotel (that we toured last night) was also on display there.
Then off to the Great Mosque. This was a once in a lifetime event! It’s the largest Islamic mosque with Chinese architecture in the world... of course... Because China is east of Mecca, Muslims pray to the west here and things are arranged toward the west. It took me awhile to get that clear in my head. There are several stele with the Koran inscribed in Arabic (in a Chinese pagoda type building), next to the Ming Dynasty's interpretation of it in Chinese on the stele next to it. .... I was amazed that they were just out there in the open, no apparent effort being made to preserve them! Large "gates" or archways of Chinese architecture with Arabic writing inscribed. The Mosque is still in use, and we were able to see some men at prayer in their prayer hall, and witness a few of the men at 'study'. Chinese Muslim wear a white silk head cover (not meaning to be disrespectful or funny, but it looks like a pill-box hat) and wear very plain clothing. Shoes are off their feet when they are "under cover" of the mosque prayer rooms and study rooms.
Getting to the Mosque, we had to walk back alleys and walkways to get there. It is the only Muslim section of town, so the atmosphere was different and we appreciated not being attacked by sales people!! It’s a different feeling being off the bus and walking to places, being right in there with the people. I like that a lot.
So... We're at rest at the hotel, and the performers are preparing to leave at 6pm in red shirts and black pants for the Xi'an Conservatory of Music for their rehearsal! We aren't sure what's going on, frankly, but when we get there we think we are supposed to be singing about 40 minutes of our music, and then sing a song with a choir from their school with their students (thus the rehearsal at 6pm). The performance is at 8:00 at the Conservatory. Kate has them all ready in spirit. It was fun today as the "back of the bus" started picking up in song spontaneously in perfect four part harmony. Our tour guides aren't sure what to make of us, but they get it that it’s special to us, so that's OK.
9:00 banquet tonight at the Tang Dynasty Show restaurant tonight. They have a SIX star bathroom there! The soap is poured onto your hands by an attendant through a porcelain tea pot!!! I think the ladies go to restroom there whether it’s necessary or not!
We depart on an 8am flight in the morning for Shanghai, but take a train right away to Souzhou where we will stay two nights.
We've caught news that there's massive flooding back home (assuming so, since we know Washington DC has been closed down in parts). Although we've also noticed that your temperatures are 30 degrees cooler than ours. We hope all is well back home!!!
I'll be back to you in Souzhou... silk capital of the world!!
Gwen
