Wonderful time in Xi’an!
Kris was an excellent tour guide. She met us upon our arrival at the train station, delivered us to our hotel and during the drive there gave us an overview of Xi’an. Kris was friendly, fun and most enjoyable. The trip to the Terra Cotta Warriors was simply outstanding. We had so many enjoyable moments that it is difficult to describe which was best. While the weather was very cold, somehow Kris provided great warmth to this trip. To end our time together in Xi’an, Kris walked me to this scrumptious bakery to pick up a few desserts to take to our hotel room. It was a perfect way to end our time in Xi’an. Kris was a great guide and I highly recommend her.
Professional and Knowledgeable
Sunflower in Beijing arranged for Kris and a driver to meet us at the train station. Sunflower literally escorted us to our train seats on the train. On the return, Kris was not allowed to do this but she got a pass so she could go inside the train station to explain very carefully to us how the system worked.Her instructions were very precise and helped us immensely as some things were in English and some things were not.
We would highly recommend the non-stop bullet train.It allows you to skip all the issues with air travel. More importantly, it gives you a good idea of the countryside between Beijing and Xian while still being very comfortable especially if you buy the more expensive class.
When we arrived, it was already mid-afternoon so the first day was an extended half-day. We walked in the Muslim quarter and walked on the city wall. Kris showed us many highlights including food specialties. Her knowledge is encyclopedic but she presented the information in a non- boring way. We were grateful for her approach as we were still tired from traveling from the U.S. She also had a fun surprise for us and positioned us perfectly for a fountain show. It was a lovely way to end the day.
The next day, we spent much of the day with Kris and the warriors. Kris did an amazing job of telling us the stories that go with the re-discovery of the warriors, preservation, the different pits etc. It was great the way she made the visit very memorable. We also had a lot of laughs when all of a sudden my husband decided he wanted to bring back a full-sized replica. Kris did not wince at what could have been a total derailment of the day's activities. Fortunately, it was decided that she could help us from afar should the desire to have a warrior of our own still seem like a good idea later. She was so diplomatic and professional and truly saved the day. We, thus, maximized our limited time in Xian.
She recommended a local restaurant that was delicious. She helped us pick dishes that we were not familiar with in the US, including being very helpful with my vegetarianism.
Through all of this, we were able to establish a rapport in a very short amount of time and get a sense of her story and life in the PRC. For us, we like connecting with our guides in this way. It seems to make it much easier to remember things when wound around a person with which you are spending time. She was able to share how her life fit in with the growth of the city, etc.
I would definitely recommend Kris for her skills and presentation!
