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Wednesday,
April 20, 2011
Today was considered a Free Day.
We ate breakfast at the hotel buffet - fruit, yogurt, eggs over
easy, noodle soup, bread, cheese- there are many Western
selections and Chinese Selections. I certainly can find enough
to eat at the breakfast Buffet.
We then left the hotel and turned left. We walked a few blocks
and game to the Bell Tower. The Bell Tower is surrounded by
traffic- in a round about. You must go under the road to cross
the street. I took along the stroller and needed to carry the
stroller up and down many flights of steps. We then saw the Drum
Tower and walked around the tower and came upon the Muslim
Quarter. We saw many interesting Chinese sights at the Muslim
Quarter it is a street lined with vendors selling dried fruits
and nuts. The International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an
China is in progress. At the Drum and Bell Towers many beautiful
flowers Sping flowers were on exhibit- like pansies, petunias-
colors of pink, yellow, purple and red. This area was a park
many people were exercising and enjoying the area. We found a
bench and I look Elliott out of the stroller and we played. Many
Chinese people would stare at us and check out our faces. It is
my understanding I am the only one Xi'an adopting this week.
Next week they anticipate 5 families. I have not seen very many
people with my face or speaking English today. We stopped by a
vendor and was able to pick up 8 traditional Chinese outfits for
the children- now Ethan and Elliott and Evelyn and Emily will
have matching Chinese outfits. In addition, I was able to
purchase a few other items.
Next we went to the Xi'an Shopping center, we looked at the
children department and when we came out it was raining It was
time to head back to the hotel. I was a little turned around and
knew I needed East Street to return to the hotel. I had a
business card from the hotel and was able to show the business
card and get pointed in the correct direction. We made it back
to the hotel in the rain. We both took afternoon naps, played
and skype with home. Elliott is so handsome ! He is our Prince
Charming. He loves to look in my eyes as I feed him his bottle,
we are playing pat a cake, sharing kisses and lots of love. I
certainly feel he know he is my son, We are waiting a call from
our tour guide for the plan for Thursday.
Love,
Elliott and Mama XXX 000 |
The Bell Tower Xi'an- is a classical building with carved beams
and painted rafters. It stands in the center of the downtown
area where the North Street, South Street, East Street and West
Street meet. It houses a huge bell that was originally used to
strike time every morning in ancient times. It is a historical
monument of Shaanxi Province. The Bell Tower was first built in
Yingxiang Temple in 1384,
which was used to mark the center of the city. It was moved to
the present site in 1582 as a result of the city's expansion
program.
The Drum Tower -about 500 meters northwest of the Bell Tower
stands another significant building the Drum Tower. It was build
in 1380, four years earlier than the Bell Tower. There use to be
a huge drum in the tower which told the time at dusk. The Bell
Tower and Drum Tower have been referred to as the morning bell
and dusk bell. Later, the drum was no longer used to tell time
but used to give warnings in time of war.
Elliott is having fun playing with Mama. |
