Xian Day 1 ~ Wild Goose Pagoda

This is the view from our hotel room. 

All the apartment buildings were amazing to me.  We were told from our guide that the people can own an apartment for 70 years than it reverts back to the government.  So generations cannot live in the same place.  The government feels that 70 years is the life of an apartment.  It's then gutted and rebuilt.  That's one way to control wealth. :/   

When we went out on the roads we truly felt it was life or death.  Nobody stops for pedestrians.  There were some intersections where only one direction had a light.  The other direction went whenever they wanted.  There were people on scooters everywhere, and they would weave all over the place.  There were a couple of times that I thought we were going to get hit.  Drivers would double and triple park too. 

In Hong Kong, our guide told us a joke.  I hope I can share it right.  In America people drive in the right lane.  In Hong Kong people drive in the left lane.  In China people drive insane.  :P  It's true.  It was insane!!

This is the Wild Goose Pagoda.  It was built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty.  It use to have two more levels before an earthquake.

This garden had "stake to tie a horse" posts everywhere.  They were cool.  I'm sure my boys would love to have one in our yard. :)

This woman wrote Brian and now she is writing Alison.  I still need to get it framed.

By ringing this bell it's suppose to give you luck, or posperity, or long life.  ;)  It seemed that everything meant one of those things.  We kind of made a joke about it.  Years and years ago common people could not ring this bell.  It was only used for special occasions.