China Peony Festival Tour April 2009

 

Monday, April 13th Xian – Luoyang

After breakfast we visited the Chinese Calligraphy Museum and the Xi’an Tang Imperial City Hanguang Entrance Remains Museum. Walking on the top of the Xian City wall gives you a real sense of how wide and thick it is…amazing and in perfect shape! If you look down over the wall you can see all kinds of wonderful places to sit and enjoy. It's the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world.

China’s ancient capital city during the great Tang Dynasty. “In the West, there was Rome; whilst in the East, none could compare to Xian”.

The Dacien Temple and the Da Yan Pagoda
Originally built in 652 during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), it functioned to collect Buddhist materials that were taken from India by the hierarch Xuanzang. Built of brick, its structure is very firm. Inside the pagoda, stairs twist up so that visitors can climb and overlook the panorama of Xian City from the arch-shaped doors on four sides of each storey. It stands at 64.5 metres high.

Just look at the peonies we discovered here! What a beautiful spot. The monks were sitting in the shade along with their birdcages.

We made a couple of other stops as well, one to a shop with incredible artwork and then a fabric shop…that had furniture as well.

Then we enjoy lunch before we board our train to Luoyang (and forget what you heard about train travel being squished into hard seats) We have comfortable soft seating and people walking up and down the aisles selling all kinds of things – makes the trip go by so fast!) Upon arrival transfer to Luoyang Peony Hotel for the next 3 nights.