Class Fieldtrip!

Wow, I haven't updated in a while...sorry about that! I just got back yesterday from a weeklong fieldtrip with my program that was amazing! We went first to Pingyao Ancient Town, which is mostly a Chinese travel destination not a Western one, so it was nice to not be so touristy. We stayed in a pretty little hotel that was traditionally furnished, complete with a big shared bed and sand pillows! We got to ride really old, almost ready to fall apart bikes around the city and we walked on top of the city wall, which was in pretty good condition for as old as it is! While we were there we went to the first bank of China as well as an old courthouse; both were honestly not that exciting, but oh well.
We left Pingyao after 2 days there and went to Shanxi's provincial capital, Taiyuan to see a famous courtyard and visit a vinegar factory...that was an experience! We were all crying and coughing from the fumes, but the vinegar was really good! Then we took an overnight train to Xi'an, which was admittedly a little dirty and disgusting haha. The next day was the highlight of the trip-the Terracotta Warriors!!! I was as giddy as Christmas morning by the time we actually got to see them, and they were all I had expected and more. There are actually three pits of warriors, Pit 1 contains 6,000 Infantry and is probably what you imagine when you hear "Terracotta Warriors", but there is also Pit 2, which is a 1,000 member Honor Guard including chariots and cavalry, and Pit 3, which is the Command Center. I was in love =)
After that we left for South Wutai town and went to a architecture/custom museum, then to Donghan village for a short homestay. To be honest I didn't really like the food there, but all the neighbors have a tradition of playing and dancing each night on the basketball court, which was such a cool experience! All the elderly women taught us Chinese line-dances, and we loved dancing to American songs like Cotton-eyed Joe and the Hokey Pokey!
After the homestay we returned to Xi'an and had a dumpling dinner, which consisted of over 14 different styles of dumplings, some of which were designed to look like what was inside-like a pig for pork dumplings, a duck for duck dumplings, and fish for seafood dumplings! The next day we visited the Muslim Quarter of Xi'an, which is populated by the minority group the Hui. We visited the Great Mosque and learned about the history of Chinese muslims, which was really interesting. Then we went to a local middle school and met with some students-the little girl I became friends with spoke English WAY better than I spoke Chinese! I joined in a game of basketball with what was supposed to be all middle schoolers, but ended up having three teachers! (we got destroyed) The next morning we got to bike around the Xi'an city wall, which was about 14K and in much better condition than Pingyao's wall. It was a great way to end the trip! If only I could avoid having to take midterms this week... =(

Pingyao City Wall

Pingyao Ancient Town

Our hotel room-very traditional Chinese style

Adorable courtyard outside our room

The really old bikes we rode around the city

Chinese prison cell haha

Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an

TERRACOTTA WARRIORS!!! (Pit 1)

Pit 2-Honor Guard

Pit 3-Command Center

"Mr. Lucky"-the only warrior to survive intact

Architecture/Custom Museum

Museum Architecture

On top of Xi'an's city wall

The view looking back from Xi'an city gate