Erin's Birthday in China

In Xi'an, on March 24th, I turned 31. I woke up to a much needed call from my parents, wishing me a happy birthday, and the obligatory cup of coffee, courtesy of our Starbuck's coffee press (how did we do without one for three months!). After getting dressed in clean clothes -- a particular treat when travelling in China and one that took days of preplanning -- we started our day with some cheeseburgers from McDonald's. It was not my typical birthday breakfast of waffles or pancakes but it was easy and we got what we ordered.

We spent the afternoon at the Shaanxi History Museum. It was a perfect way to spend my birthday. The museum is an excellent introduction Chinese history, covering 6000 years of human habitation in the Xi'an area. Below are images of a bronze chariot and a double dragon head urn.

My birthday in China turned out to be a lovely day. We spent the night at the Sheraton, a worthy splurge. I got to talk to my whole family. Best of all, Joey took care of all of the details for a whole day!