Off we went in the smog to the Shaanxi Provincial Museum where our guide Rocky gave us an interesting talk working through the various dynasties. We worked our way through the gift shop but some of the more interesting pictures were not for sale or historic. Any ideas what it's all about?

Soon we were on our way to our next stop which wasn't on the itinerary. Welcome (surprise, surprise) to the government run Xi'an Jade Carving Factory. As usual, there was a small demonstration to tell us about jade and how it is worked. Then the doors swing open to a huge showroom just made for tourists. Put your hand on your wallet.

At lunch we had a chance to buy a few things then it was off to the Ming Dynasty City Wall. Rocky gave us the grand tour,

The Xi'an city wall was built in 1370 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). With a length of 13.74 kilometers, the wall surrounds an area of nine square kilometers, which has been the center of commercial activities and life for many centuries. Changes are in the works.

As part of the plan to better preserve this heritage site, some 170,000 residents now living in the area surrounded by a rectangular historical wall will be moved outside, according to Lin Lize, an official with the Xi'an Municipal Urban Planning and Development Office. The number to be moved outside of the area by 2020 will represent 40 per cent of the existing 420,000 population living inside the enclosure.

A sign enticed us upstairs for a better view. Go upstairs for free you can see the whole city That should read - Come upstairs we have some stuff we would like to sell you. OK, there was a view and the peasant paintings were interesting. But the fun really started when Joan showed an interest in a silk (?) rug. The price kept going down and down as she went down, down and outside. Shopping — always an adventure.

It was now time to head for the airport (Rocky was obviously worn out) for our trip to Beijing, the nation’s seven-century-old capital. It was dark on our arrival and the city was aglow on our way to checking into the Millennium Hotel.

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