Travelog for: Kalea

Hello, mom!
You know one of the Xi'an landmarks - the big wild goose pagoda! It is very famous in history of China, is Tang Dynasty masterpiece of Buddhist architecture. It has a history of 1300 years, about it, please see: Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
It is in this famous temple, the name is: 大慈恩寺(Da ci'en si).








This is the Qing Dynasty lion.


Ok, now you can see "big wild goose pagoda"!!! 








Also can see the famous statue of "Xuanzang(玄奘"!!! He has been translation Buddhist scriptures, in this Temple. Great master,hostmom love he very much!!! About he, please see: Xuanzang



This is a monument of Xuanzang.


Now we are back to the wild goose pagoda square. You can see it's map.




you can see a lot of statue. It describes the Chinese Tang Dynasty's people, clothing and life situations.




There are some other sculpture.


Many people use water as ink, practicing Chinese calligraphy on the ground.












I have a happy day. 
Love you, mom! 

Hello, mom!
Today I, hostmom and other TV play piano.




Then, we go.


This is Drum Tower of Xi'an. And the bell tower, it is also one of the symbol of Xi'an. There was a very famous history. Of course, it in the maintenance period, when the February 6th open again, we will come to visit! About it, please see this: Drum Tower




"Huimin Street"! This is a very famous place in Xi'an, it is Muslim living place. So there are a lot of Chinese traditional flok art works shop and characteristics food. We often come here, take the Metro from our house just needs two station. There are famous Mosque, many tourists from different countries will came to this street to visit.

This is a small alley of this street. This looks like a gate's building, we call it: Pailou (or Paifang). Please see it: Pailou




This is the heritage of the Xi'an, it is an old house. In 1871, there is a person in the ancient national exams, get second. So emperor rewarded him with a large house. This house structure is very complex, very beautiful. This old house have a monument, it's address is in this Street No.144.

The gate:






The old wall:


A pair of Lions in the gate, which is a traditional Chinese.




Its monuments:




This are traditional Chinese folk art works, very interesting! Now as a kind decoration.


These statues, described the many working people about 100 years ago's life.






Love you, mom!

Hello, mom!
Today we went to a special place: Hua pagoda of Baoqing temple.
We pass by a shopping mall, you can see the PRADA and LV stores behind me.


This is very important, also is protect cultural relics, in Xi'an. This pagoda was built in a.d 601-604.


You can see the pagoda and monuments.


The pagoda and ancient sculpture.


This pagoda's different language version of the introduction, but was destroyed, unfortunately.




Then we go to the subway to buy something to eat.


On our way home, must pass by Xi'an city wall. It is very Great, let people proud of the ancient architecture! Xi'an city wall is located in the city center, a total of 18 gates. Now we see is the "south gate", also called: Yongning gate. It is China's most complete preservation of the city walls, every day there are a lot of foreign tourists to visit.
Please see this: Xi'an city wall


















Finally, pass by a shopping mall, Gucci and so on behind me. Many young people like it.


We have a nice day! Love you, mom! 

Hello, mom!!!
Today we go to the Ancient Cultural Street of Shuyuanmen.
You can see a traditional Chinese characteristics. The gate:




Very famous: Guangzhong Academy:




Its monuments:




There are many small shops on both sides of the street:






















The ancient old house:










Chinese traditional, Chinese brush:


Many Chinese fans shops:








Xi'an's traditional crafts, hand made. These are little donkey:




Tiger-head shoes! When hostmom was a child, also have this kind shoes, haha.


Chinese traditional calligraphy and painting:














Love you, mom!!

Hello, mom!
Today we went to Qujiang Ruins/Heritage Park. This is a Tang Dynasty ruins, near it there are a lot of other cultural heritage. In the summer it is very beautiful, you can see a lot of flowers and beautiful Chinese architecture. But now the weather is still cold, no flowers. So, we don't take too many pictures.


















Love you, mom!

Hello, mom!
Not too much time in the morning, so today we go to the KFC to eat breakfast. Although, everybody thinks it is junk food. 


Chinese New Year is coming, you can see all the new year red decoration everywhere.
If you look carefully, behind me have a tower. It is very famous: small wild goose pagoda, it is also one symbol of xi'an. Please see this: Small wild goose pagoda








In the new year period, every year there is a famous traditional new year fair. There are many good food sold, from all parts of the country. It's old-fashioned candy. It usually consists of peanut and sesame hand made.




And people in Xinjiang make a kind tradition kebabs, is the most popular. We eat it, very good.


We also buy some old-fashioned candy, back home. 


Love you, mom!

Hello, mom!
Today, hostmom specially to take me to see the landmark building of Xi'an: bell tower and drum tower. It was built in 1384 and 1380. We were there for a long time, get a lot of photos taken at different times. I hope you like.. This is the first time this year to open it, before in the maintenance period closing.
Take the metro.






Here you can see a lot of new year's decorations on the tree.


This is Drum Tower, at different angle, different time. Hostmom think it will be worth the wait. About it, please see: Drum Tower














It is the bell tower, also very great history, is also very important! About it, please see: Bell Tower




Now we went to "Huimin Street". This is a very famous place in Xi'an, it is Muslim living place. So there are a lot of Chinese traditional flok art works shop and characteristics food. We often come here, take the Metro from our house just needs two station. There are famous Mosque, many tourists from different countries will came to this street to visit.
This is a small alley of this street. This looks like a gate's building, we call it: Pailou (or Paifang). Please see: Pailou




Have people practice Chinese calligraphy. Very beautiful.


This is the heritage of the Xi'an, it is an old house. In 1871, there is a person in the ancient national exams, get second. So emperor rewarded him with a large house. This house structure is very complex, very beautiful. This time we did not go in, but later we will again.
This old house have a monument, it's address is in this Street No.144. At night, very beautiful.


On the road, you can see more new year decoration. I love the night xi'an...


Goodnight, mom!

Hello, mom!
Today we went to the Shaanxi Provincial Art Museum, see "Tanzania -TingaTinga painting exhibition". It's only 5 minutes away from hostmom home, we walked. Hostmom always like to come here, we have a nice day.












Beautiful works!!!














At last we came to a Korean restaurant nearby. China has a lot of Korean restaurant, Xi'an also has a lot of Korean students and workers, their cuisine is always very popular.

This is the seafood soup.


We called it: 紫菜包飯, hostmom most like tuna. Today we still choose it.


This is a spicy sauted rice cake.


This is bibimbap, we called: Banfan.




Love you, mom!

I'm in Oklahoma City now! A few of us toys (and our hosts) went out to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). We watched the preliminary fights on my hosts Chrome Book, then watched the Pay-Per-View event on the restaurants big screen tv's. I had some chili queso and then some mini corn dogs and fries!

I went to work with my host! She works in technical support. Then we went out for lunch at Subway. I had the sweet onion teryaki.

My host made me some goggles and I love them! The silver paint worn thin, so we went to Hobby Lobby to get some more. She re-painted them and then put a little sealer on it to keep it from rubbing off.

My host is part of a Steampunk crew called Airship Horizons, and they make stuff to sell. She worked for months on figuring out how to make Steampunk toy goggles. She went through a lot of prototypes and finally got one that worked. She made a mold of the goggles in the regular size and in a tiny size - so they'll fit us smaller toys! She paints them and wraps them in a fabric to finish them.

I wanted to let you know that me and host are safe a well! We had a devastating tornado that has killed many people today (it's all over the news). Thankfully my host and I are safe and with power. Please keep our friends in your thoughts!

WARNING! This post is about the devastation we've experienced in Oklahoma recently.

On May 20th, there was a devastating tornado that destroyed schools and homes in Moore, Oklahoma. That tornado kill 24 people, which included 9 children, and many more where injured. Teachers put themselves on top of children to save their lives. My hosts co-worker Jeff was the first person to get to Briarwood Elementary, which was completely destroyed by the tornado. He saved several children and teachers and his daughter was thankfully among the rescued! Jeff broke both his arms saving lives that day. It was a horrible experience for a a lot of people... it was devastating. Thankfully, myself and my host and her loved are alive and well! My host and I cried a lot that day, as it was a very emotional experience.

Jeff on the news!

Interactive images that shows the amount of damage the tornado caused.

On May 23rd, the first funerals were held where parents buried their children. If this wasn't enough, the Westboro Baptist Church tried to protest the funeral. They are a radical religious group that is pretty awful. They said that God hates us and killed the children in the storm because we are all sinners. It was a very hateful thing to do and they were arrested - it's illegal to protest funerals in Oklahoma.

And then there was yesterday - May 31st. We were in the middle of a tornado. It was a powerful storm and it was very scarey given what had just happened a week ago. The tornado was a lot bigger than the one last week. We were in the middle of the circulation, but we all came out alive and well! When the storm first hit, it was a lot of rain and high winds. Then the hail started to beat at the walls. The sirens were sounding outside for about an hour. It seemed like the hail and rain wouldn't stop. We were huddled in the bathroom (the bathtub is the safest place in the house) and we listened to the news telling us about the tornados that were coming for us. When the power went out and the internet dropped, and the cell reception died... we could no longer know where the tornadoes were. It was like being blind and hunted. It was frightening.

100,000 people, including us, were without power. We lost power around 6pm and then didn't get it back until today around 1:30pm. Cell phone reception is still down. Luckily, the fridge and freezer kept cold and our food didn't spoil. This afternoon, we learned that 5 people died and more than 70 people are in the hospital. Luckily, the tornado that was coming right at us, decided to "hop" over our apartment complex and went south of us!

Out here in the states, we have Storm Chasers, which are people who make a living chasing storms and tornados. They provide valuable information during the storms that helps to saves lives. One of the crews got too close to a multi-vortex tornado and the vehicle was destroyed. Two of them died (corrected info). And they got some amazing video of the tornado that passed through El Reno, OK - yes there were several tornadoes yesterday.

Here's the video!

Here's a photo of the destroyed vehicle.

Aside from the tornados and hail, there was lots of flooding. We braved the rain and hail around midnight and ate at a diner called IHOP where they had power. We spent some time in comfort with a friend, and it was a nice way to relax after an intense evening.

And now for the pictures!! Look closely, because there are photos of downed power lines that are live. We had to be very careful there taking photos. I couldn't be in every photo, but I thought you might like to see the photos anyway!

Do you see how big this strawberry is?!

Recently, we discovered a bowling alley within walking distance! We got to bowl as long as we wanted for $10 (per person). They also have food... like hot dogs and fries! It's nice having a place nearby where you can get exercise and have fun with friends!