The Red Pandas have long bushy tails and look like redhead raccoons.

They are impossibly fun and cute and goofy.

Bullet train to Chengdu, home of the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center

The “People’s Park” is crowded with locals playing games, singing and dancing with their groups, and even a Matchmakers corner, where parents post “Personal ads” describing their unmarried children, and meet prospective other parents to set up dates for their kids. We are told the kids are increasingly less inclined to accept all this these days, as is understandable.

Random market pix.

The Muslim Quarter in Xi’an was fascinating. Beautiful gardens and architecture, great food market.

Hard to find something we won’t try......but deep-fried crickets (and live scorpions) might just qualify.

non-foodies.....just maybe fast-forward ahead. 😎🍲🍝

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(many of the finest pieces are in displays & behind glass - pardon reflections and crowds in photos)

Unearthed in 1974, the warriors are funerary art, intended to protect the Emperor Qin Shi Huang (approx 260-210 BCE) in the afterlife. Generals, archers, horses and 8,000 soldiers. There are many more sites which are not yet excavated - and they will remain so, at least for a while. The Chinese, very thoughtfully, have reserved much excavation for future generations down the road, when there will obviously be better and more high-tech methods of excavation and preservation.

The Terra Cotta Army and the Great Wall - two MAJOR bucket list items within 3 days. Mighty fine.

!!!

We’ve moved on to Xi’an. We took a stroll on top of the massive City Wall. (the Terracotta Warriors tomorrow!)

Also at the Great Wall. 🙄