Chaperones:
Today is our final full day in Xi'an and we've been very busy. Xi'an is renowned for its silk, jade, Terra Cotta Warriors and rich history and today we saw all three! We began the day at a Jade Market where we learned about grades and colors of jade.

Then, we went to see the magnificent Terra Cotta Warriors. From there, we moved onto the Emperor's Hot Springs. These springs were used often by Emperors during the winter months and in more recent history were the site of Chiang Kai-Shek's capture in the Xi'an Incident.

We wrapped the day up by picking up some prom gowns and having an impromptu fashion show! Tomorrow we'll be heading back to Beijing to wrap up our trip! Today's author, Alyssa Rollins is hard at work on today's entry, but we wanted to share these images with you. Her work will be posted here as soon as she's got it ready!

The students and teachers from BUHS pose at the terra cotta warrior museum.

You can see the care and effort it takes to piece together a terra cotta warrior that was smashed apart 2200 years ago. It is the ultimate jigsaw puzzle!

The rewards of reassembling millions of terra cotta pieces are these beautiful terra cotta horses and soldiers.

Once restored, the terra cotta warriors are a formidable site. It's estimated that there are about 10,000 total pieces buried here. Work has greatly slowed while scientists look for more effective ways to unearth these treasures without damaging them.

We'll hold class anywhere!

Jordan loves eat unusual foods. Here, he's found a tasty "pulled pork" sandwich.

Here is the view from out hotel window. Yes, that is a McDonald's located in front of the Drum Tower at Xi'an's city center. Behind the Drum Tower is the Muslim district where we purchased dresses and spent a lot of time meandering through the narrow streets.

 

Alyssa, today's author, posing with a lion at the Hot Springs.

The manager of the jade studio expounds the qualities of fine jade.

A view of the warriors in Pit 1. This is the largest pit and the one where the most excavation been done. In 1974, this pit was discovered by a group of local farmers digging a well.

As usual, people are eager to join us for photos. Here are the AACE students with some other visitors at the hot springs.

While in the city center in Xi'an, this man was
selling rides on his unique bicycle.
Here, Asya takes it out for a spin and to the
left, Meg gives it a try.

"coffee cake"?

Above: The Silk Road is alive and well for us! Here you can see some of the new dresses custom made for our students. The ladies drew quite a crowd during this photo shoot.

 

Left: With the brightly lit drum tower as a backdrop, this group of students (and a new friend to their right) enjoy the Xi'an nightlife