[Itinerary Page]The Daily Diary of a Wandering Restaurateur
April 27 - X'ian
In 1974, a local farmer was digging a well in his field when he uncovered what looked like part of an old wall. Further excavation uncovered the amazing find that has since has come to be known as the Terracotta Warriors. They were the work of Emperor Qin Shihuang who, it is believed, had the estimated 6,000 figures created to guard him in the afterlife. (Emperors had a lot of slack!) Interestingly, this private army had never been mentioned in any records from the time.
The figures are life-sized, remarkably detailed and include humans, horses and chariots along with weapons. They were originally brightly painted but the coloration faded quickly once the figures were unearthed. Perhaps the most amazing fact of this assemblage is that every warrior is distinctively different. No two are the same height, have identical dress or the same face -- a truly impressive feat of artistic creation on a mass scale.
On the way back to the hotel we stopped at a hospital specializing in traditional Chinese medicine to have someone look at my back. It has been a bit too long between visits to my chiropractor at home and the rock-hard beds in the Chinese hotels have been taking their toll. The doctor checked me out, asked a few questions (mostly in Chinese with Miao interpreting ... but some in English!) then gave me an acupuncture treatment followed by a massage. I'm not sure yet how much it helped, but the total tab was roughly $20, so there really wasn't much to lose! The doctor was a delightful woman and the overall experience of that sort of care was terrific. All in all, another local connection that those in a tour group would have missed.
There is a large Muslim population in this area, bringing some unique elements to the local cuisine. Tonight we set out to explore that portion of the culinary spectrum. While the interior of the restaurant wasn't anything unique (with a few exceptions noted in the photos), the lamb was literally melt-in-your-mouth tender!
© 2008 Restaurant Doctor