Terracotta Warriors

 It was hard work getting to Xian, and we didn't arrive at the hotel until after midnight. Then we had a wake up call from reception at 6.30am.

It was totally unnecessary to get up that early, but I don't think that the guides ever amend their schedules. Breakfast was packed with every other hotel resident, as we were all woken at exactly the same time.

But no more moaning, we were going to see the warriors.

First we stopped off to visit a mosque. There are 77,000 Muslims in Xian out of a population of over ten million and there has been a mosque on this site for over 1,000 years.

We weren't excited as we have seen lots of mosques over the years so knew what to expect.

However, this one was a surprise as to the untrained eye it looked exactly like a Chinese temple. Although it was a very lovely one.

With the addition of two superb jars at the main entrance.

Back on the bus and to the factory shop to see how the warriors were made, and to have the chance to buy a replica.

The warriors were buried over 2,200 years ago, and scientists have discovered exactly how they were made in pieces and then fitted together after firing.

The heads are dropped into the neck hole and each one is individual. It is now possible to get a computerised image of your own head that can be custom made and delivered to your home.

We didn't do that and instead just got a photo.

This is exactly what we did 18 years ago when we last visited, the only difference is my hair colour.

Then on to the real thing.

The warriors were buried to protect the emperor and apparently he died unexpectedly before it was completed, so in one corner the warriors aren't finished off properly.

Most of the warriors and their horses were damaged over the centuries because the wooden beams holding up the soil above them collapsed and they got squashed.

In 1974 a 19 year old farmer found part of a body in his field and reported it to the government who then realised what an important find it was.

In the years before that farmers had also found pieces but thought that they were bad omens or haunted so they destroyed them.

We were very lucky because the actual farmer was in the gift shop and was signing copies of his book!

He looked more like the Godfather than a farmer and his life must have changed so much. However, the cynics in our group wondered if it was really him and not just a selling opportunity.