We got to the Beijing Airport before 11am. We gathered around Chuck as he passed out boarding passes. As I told you earlier, Chuck will be traveling with us to the end of the trip.
It was a nightmare going through the security check. We were told to take out all batteries, cameras, electronics, umbrellas, anything with cords. We thought we had everything out. Security was not happy with our carry-on luggage. They went thru both carry-ons, opening up all the cases, putting stuff into the bins and put the carry-on thru x-ray again. They did this a few times and kept saying "batteries?".
Then, I remembered I had put some batteries in one of the carry-on pockets so I would have all the batteries in one place. Brain fart... Finally, this cleared us and we walked/ran to our gate. They were boarding our plane, we barely made it.
We boarded the plane and got into our seats. We are not sitting together, but have isle seats in row 47 and 48. Dave was in front of me and I had asked the guy sitting next to him in the window seat if he would switch with me using hand signals. He understood and was very agreeable with the switch, even though his wife and daughter was sitting in front of him in row 46. But by being on an isle seat, he had easier access to his family. The cutest little girl kept going back in forth between her mother and father.
Despite being a short domestic flight, we had first run movies and a meal. All complementary. We refused the meal as we had the box lunches. I watched a movie, but of course was not able to see the end. I had already seen it: Guardians of the Galaxy 2.
WYNDHAM GRAND XIAN SOUTH
This is another grand and luxurious hotel.
Our room is on the sixth floor (6109).
It's large and overlooks a plaza with a shopping mall on one side. We have a big screen TV with HBO (now I can watch Game of Thrones!) and free WiFi with a strong signal. Also, complementary slippers and toiletries (comb, toothbrush, shower cap, etc). But the snacks on the desk and drinks in the 'fridge come with a price list.
Walk in closet next to bathroom.
See that wood framing under the sink. I kept stubbing my big toe on that @#!! thing. Today (4 weeks after we returned home), it is still black and blue.
This is the view from our window. The shopping mall is to the left. You go through the mall onto a shopping plaza that is two or three blocks long parallel to the mall. Below is a closer look of the mall.
TANG CAFE
After unpacking we went downstairs to the Tang Cafe for dinner. Meals in this cafe are included. It was buffet style with lots of choices.
After dinner we went next door to the...
COLOR AND LIGHT FESTIVAL
The highlight of our first evening in Xian was checking out the festival going on in the shopping plaza right next to our hotel. This was so magical. The shops along the plaza, courtyards, fountains, gardens were decorated with color and thousands of lights; hanging lanterns, laser shows, square panels on the ground that would change color as you walked on it, light and color patterns dancing on the ground and trees strung out with lanterns and lights. There were music stages throughout and lots of other colorful stuff. We do not know what the celebration was for or how long it will go on for. I suspect it had something to do with May Day. May Day is China's Labor Day and they celebrate this event for days.
A short parade with colorful costumes and floats passed by on the plaza.
What a fun night of strolling through all this light and color. In all my traveling, we've never seen anything like it.
There was a large stage set up near the entrance to this plaza and next to our hotel. A show of dancers and singers and laser lights was starting as we returned to our hotel. We stopped to watch some of it and later in our room we could hear it.
Tomorrow we visit the famous Terracotta Warriors!
This is really cool. She stayed that way for quite a while.
What a fun night of strolling through all this light and color. In all my traveling, we've never seen anything like it.
There was a large stage set up near the entrance to this plaza and next to our hotel. A show of dancers and singers and laser lights was starting as we returned to our hotel. We stopped to watch some of it and later in our room we could hear it.
Tomorrow we visit the famous Terracotta Warriors!
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