Whom did Marco Polo travel with?

One of the most of famous travelers in all of history was Marco Polo. It is said that at the age of 17, he left Italy with his father and uncle. It took them over three years to cross the mountains and deserts of Asia. In the year 1275, they reached China. They stayed in China for 17 years, as guests of the emperor. He sent them on many trips around his empire. They found China far more advanced than Italy or any other country in Europe. After he returned to Italy, Marco Polo told many of his stories to a friend. The book, The Travels of Marco Polo, became the most popular book in Europe. People found it difficult to believe his stories of people, animals, places and things. These are a few of his descriptions: In one area of China, there were black stones. People dug them out of the ground. They lit the black stones and they burned very slowly, giving off heat. The people there used these stones to cook and to heat their homes. Most people believed Marco Polo’s stories. But others told him that they did not believe his descriptions. He answered that he did not tell half of what he saw.