Travel Tales #3 – Getting Scammed in Xian, China

Like the old saying goes, “Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.” I always thought that was a dumb saying as poison or disease might not kill me, but it definitely doesn’t make me stronger. However, I think what the saying is trying to teach is that the experience we gain from a conquered crisis will indeed make us mentally stronger in future situations. That is of course, if it doesn’t kill you! Alas, just like Beijing a few months later, I was previously scammed in Xi’an, China.

Xi’an, China is a wonderful historical city, famous for its 12-meter-tall city walls that surround the town till this very day. While there are lots of cool things to see here, most people come with one main site on their mind, the Mausoleum of the first Qin Emperor, also known as the Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. With this, however, comes a horde of scammers Read more

This post is in addition to the Terracotta Army WHS post found here. It is mainly to entice you to visit Xi’an, China and give you more things to do. Here are three more things you can do.

1) Drum and Bell Towers of Xi’an

The towers are inside the walled section of the city of Xi’an near the center, so you can’t miss them. They are pretty cool monuments that have stood since the beginning of the Ming Dynasty in the 1390’s. You are allowed to ring the bell (for a small fee), but not the drums. Both towers offer great views of the city, and have small museums inside. The museums are unfortunately in Mandarin Chinese only, but they are still worth a look.

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The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor


Terracotta ArmyLocation:
 Xi’an,Shaanxi Province, China
Visited: December 28, 2009

Opinion and Background:

This is more spectacular than the Great Wall of China. I thought I’d start this blog on a good note. Seeing thousands of clay soldiers with different expressions, clothes, hair styles and even different shoes leaves a person speechless. Some of the more amazing ones are in individual exhibits in the same complex. The terracotta army is as good as advertised, and definitely worth a look. The First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, thought that by building this army, he could be protected in the afterlife. The army was never meant to be displayed and was buried along with his body. It wasn’t discovered until 1974, even though they were buried in the 3rd century BC. Despite their dull color now, the Terracotta Warriors were originally painted by hand, evident in some of the more preserved soldiers. This particular emperor is the first to unify China as a whole, as well as the first to attempt to build parts of what is now known as The Great Wall of China.

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