2013: A Beijing Odyssey: Episode 5: Art in Beijing and Xi'an

Chinese society has rich cultural and historical heritage. An easy way to witness the depth of China's cultural treasures is through art, which is what this episode of 2013: A Beijing Odyssey is all about! Beijing itself is not renowned for being the most beautiful city, however, there are some very fun and unexpected spots nestled in the sprawling metropolis that are worth checking out. One popular place is Wudaokou. Popular for it's nightlife, restaurants, and shopping, Wudaokou attracts thousands of Beijingers daily. After visiting it for the first time I could see why! Most notable were the red statues in the center of the district, as well as the Totoro shaped pastries we found at a nearby French bakery. Delicious food art is a winner in my book!

Totoro was so tasty! It was almost to cute to eat.

The rest of the time was spent in Xi'an, the ancient capital of the Qin Dynasty. Suffice it to say Emperor Qin was incredibly powerful and influential in establishing China as it exists today. The city was more or less similar to Beijing, especially in pollution levels, however, the history and cultural charm of this central Chinese city made the trip a special experience. Meeting Professor Ding and seeing the Terracotta Warriors was awesome! I never imagined that I would visit these places in person, and will carry those memories with 
me for the rest of my life! Enjoy the vlog!

In addition to the Terracotta Warriors and the tablet prints I saw at one of the temples in Xi'an, I also visited a museum. It was kind of weird because I didn't understand what is was. There were little toy people, horses, carts, and other animals buried in the ground. Apparently they were from one of the first dynasties. Too bad nobody knew that! CET really should have sprung for a tour guide because it made no sense. The last part was cool because it had so many different exhibits. From swords to clothes, to ornate porcelain ships, the range of their collection was pretty impressive. Not sure how much of it was exhibit and how much was gift shop, but interesting non the less.

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