April 20, 2009
Today, we woke up early to board the plane to Xi’an. It was hard to get out of bed at 4:30. but it was really exciting at the same time to go to our second city! After the flight, we immediately went to the city wall. Xi’an is very different from what I expected. It’s very green and sunny, and the ancient style buildings contrast sharply with the huge buildings and the tiny neighborhoods. Our tour guide pointed out that all buildings near the city wall need to be built in the traditional Tang dynasty style, with elegant curved roofs and few floors. As we drove to the city wall (amidst the traffic and the huge groups of people), the preservation of this magnificent architecture absolutely amazed me.
At the wall, we rented bicycles. Some people chose one person bikes, while others rode tandems. Mrs. Lee and I got a tandem bike and we rode around the perimeter of the city. The wall was unbelievable; there were huge, ancient gates scattered throughout, and the area was not crowded. It gave us amazing views of the entire city. We were able to see the Tang style buildings and the shops and small houses dwarfed by skyscrapers. We got to talk a lot about Pathways as an experience, and about AP World back home. This afternoon, we are going to the Greater Wild Goose Pagoda and the Muslim Market. Then, later tonight, the group is getting massages. A great way to follow up hiking the Great Wall and biking the Xi’an city wall!
Today, we woke up early to board the plane to Xi’an. It was hard to get out of bed at 4:30. but it was really exciting at the same time to go to our second city! After the flight, we immediately went to the city wall. Xi’an is very different from what I expected. It’s very green and sunny, and the ancient style buildings contrast sharply with the huge buildings and the tiny neighborhoods. Our tour guide pointed out that all buildings near the city wall need to be built in the traditional Tang dynasty style, with elegant curved roofs and few floors. As we drove to the city wall (amidst the traffic and the huge groups of people), the preservation of this magnificent architecture absolutely amazed me.
At the wall, we rented bicycles. Some people chose one person bikes, while others rode tandems. Mrs. Lee and I got a tandem bike and we rode around the perimeter of the city. The wall was unbelievable; there were huge, ancient gates scattered throughout, and the area was not crowded. It gave us amazing views of the entire city. We were able to see the Tang style buildings and the shops and small houses dwarfed by skyscrapers. We got to talk a lot about Pathways as an experience, and about AP World back home. This afternoon, we are going to the Greater Wild Goose Pagoda and the Muslim Market. Then, later tonight, the group is getting massages. A great way to follow up hiking the Great Wall and biking the Xi’an city wall!
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