Terra Cotta Warrior Day

Here is our first family picture ! Simon hasn't gotten the 'smile for the picture' thing, but as you'll see, I captured a few smiles when he wasn't expecting it. (BTW they don't say 'cheese' here, but rather 'pomegranite', or perhaps I have confused that with another fruit.hmm) The Chinese call the Terra Cotta Warriors, the eighth wonder of the world, and anyone who has seen them would probably agree. The wonder to me is all that work and artistry was deliberately hidden under the ground for no one to see. or ever find. Some farmers were digging a well and discovered it. It was a great place to visit with 10 year old boys. As expected, Simon read everyword and evesdropped on some of the tour guides who were speaking in Chinese (our was speaking English) and Jed skipped through happily, occassionally stopping to look and study something.

Tonight we will go back and forth ( I hope ) between the New Year celebrations at the Xian Temple and an important Manchester soccer game.

As a first course they chose Spagetti (I had fried rice, Jerry went straight to the ice cream course.) The boys finished up with ice cream for the second day in a row. I sense a change in diet awaiting us back in NC. For the last year, since we've had Dominic and Rosie we have eaten rice nearly every day. These two Northern Chinese boys are 'noodle boys'. And I don't mean the rice noodles that I have come to love, but heavy hand made wheat noodles. (David Rusch are you out there??)