Pack (it's surprising just how much one can *un*pack in only 3 days), Buffet Breakfast in the Hotel - and I nearly get caught putting *Soy Sauce* on my pancakes - since it - and the Maple Syrup - are right next to each other and both have about the same color. A reminder to be careful when dumping things onto my plate!
On the way out, we pass a Japanese couple, struggling to be understood by the Chinese hostess. Neither knows the others' language, so *both* are struggling along with *English* - the common language they share. Wish I could help, but I don't know any Chinese *or* Japanese, so we just smile and head down to the bus and back to the airport.
Wow. We're already *leaving* Beijing. Perhaps never to be here again. So much in such a little time!
Odysseys takes care of getting us all checked in - just hands us back our passports and boarding passes - and we head thru the security check. I always *hate* security checks: I get everything all packed carefully, then have to open it all up again, take out my laptop, strip down and put all of my metal into my backpack. Grrrr! And we get a bit of a surprise: "personal space" does not exist here in Beijing. We are told to stand on a little box, stretch our our arms, and be unceremoniously totally - well - "felt up" by the female security guards. They are quick - but very thorough. And this is not just people who beep the metal detector: EVERYBODY is frisked. OoooKay. Not a place where I want to make a scene and wind up in a Chinese jail.
So. We get to the gate and will be flying "Chinese Southern" to Xian.
Nice, modern airliners. No problems. I doze as we fly West and we are whisked thru arrivals and bag check - and onto a waiting bus. Very nice.
As we drive to Xian we are reminded that "The National Bird of China - is the Crane".
Extensive construction is just *everywhere*. High-rise buildings shooting skyward.In order to be efficient, we go directly to the Xian Museum even before our hotel.
Since this is the land of the "Terra Cotta Warriors" - the museum is stuffed with them - and gives a preview of tomorrow - when we will travel to the main site. The real "stars of the show" here are rare pieces which have their *color* intact. We learn that all of the original figures were painted, but as soon as they come in contact with the air, the lacquer just peels off. Archaeologists have recently have success with a special injection technique which shoots a glue under the lacquer to keep it attached - but it is still experimental and difficult so the colored figures are still quite rare.
There are also other artifacts like Buddha's
and *smaller* "Terra Cotta warriors": apparently the buried figures were originally made of *paper* and were small, then slowly progressed to harder substances - and larger sizes - until they got to life size. 
The museum is actually surprisingly extensive - given that it doesn't look *that* large from the outside.
We wind up our viewing and as we walk back to the bus, I'm fascinated by an enterprising kite-seller outside. She is selling little 4" x 4" kites - strung together one after the other - into a line of *10* kites - and she has a set flying - stretching out from the front lawn of the museum. And then I keep looking and she has actually tied together maybe *10* *sets* of kites so that the little kites are stretching almost as far as I can see. Perhaps *100* kites all stretched out - flying in the breeze. Quite impressive!
The bus takes us to the City Wall. "Old Xian" was surrounded by a huge wall - of proportions to rival the "Great Wall" - but only about 2.5 miles total length - in a rectangle. At one point, Xian was the capital of China, so it has a proud history. We park by the wall and walk up the stairs onto the wall.
*This* wall is flat - all along (no steps along the wall) - so it hosts regular 5K runs and bicyclists and such - and looks like it would be quite pleasant to walk the wall - but we don't have time - so we take photos and enjoy the feel and view. Both *of* the wall 
and *from* the wall 
A quick stop at the Sheraton Xian to check in, then back out to a Tang Dynasty Cultural show and dinner. Much more tolerable than the Opera: beautiful costumes and movements and traditional, though more-Western-sounding music - including the "horizonal harp"
(Well, that's what it *sounded* like to me). 
Beautiful - including a piece which is said to have duplicated a wonderful dream that the Emperor had - featuring his mistress. He told his mistress all about it and, as a present to the Emperor, she re-created the dream.
I'm betting that she was wearing a lot less in the original dream, but maybe that's just me. And the food was interesting and good, too.A nice end to our first day in Xian. Back to the Sheraton. There is a strong chemical smell coming out of the A/C ducts, but to bed we go.
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