The road to Xi'an was a long one. An 18 hour train ride! We entertained ourselves by hiring a movie player. Five of us put in some money, and we watched 5 movies altogether! It was really hard to find anything to watch, as all the good movies were dubbed in Chinese, and had no subtitles. We eventually found some that were in English, Beofwulf, Atonement, 1408, Rush Hour 3 and Resident Evil.The Muslim Quarter
We arrived at around 6am in the morning, dumped our bags in the hotel, and went off to get some breakfast. Cathy, one of our assistant guides, lives in Xi'an, so she showed us around the area and took us to the most popular spots for different meals.
She took us for breakfast in the Muslim Quarter, where they had the most popular breakfast in town. There was a huge crowd out the front waiting to get food. It was kind of like a potato soup with other vegetables and meat in there. The soup had a strange tingling sensation when you ate it. We think it might be a certain type of chilli that does that. There was also a piece of bread that everyone breaks into their soup. We just ate it like toast, so it didn't taste that great, it's supposed to be soaked in soup before you eat it.
We arrived at around 6am in the morning, dumped our bags in the hotel, and went off to get some breakfast. Cathy, one of our assistant guides, lives in Xi'an, so she showed us around the area and took us to the most popular spots for different meals.
She took us for breakfast in the Muslim Quarter, where they had the most popular breakfast in town. There was a huge crowd out the front waiting to get food. It was kind of like a potato soup with other vegetables and meat in there. The soup had a strange tingling sensation when you ate it. We think it might be a certain type of chilli that does that. There was also a piece of bread that everyone breaks into their soup. We just ate it like toast, so it didn't taste that great, it's supposed to be soaked in soup before you eat it.Cycling Around the City Wall
We hired some bicycles and went with the other couple in our group - Peter and Anita - to ride around the city wall. We both hired tandem bicycles which was a great idea, and heaps of fun! The wall was really wide, and in exceptional shape. We stopped at each corner to look out over the city, and at each building that was built into the city wall. We only explored inside one building, but it was great, it was like a gallery crossed with an expensive antique store. There were so many beautiful things inside.
We hired some bicycles and went with the other couple in our group - Peter and Anita - to ride around the city wall. We both hired tandem bicycles which was a great idea, and heaps of fun! The wall was really wide, and in exceptional shape. We stopped at each corner to look out over the city, and at each building that was built into the city wall. We only explored inside one building, but it was great, it was like a gallery crossed with an expensive antique store. There were so many beautiful things inside.
Along the wall there were little bins with carved bronze figurines on top. They were quite impressive. Each wall had a different animal continued along it. There were turtles, phoenixes and dragons. There were also lanterns lining the walls and displays for the Beijing olympics.
Dumplings of Xi'an
Then we left to eat at a place that is famous for it's dumplings. Some of the dumplings were serious works of art. They were sculpted into the shape of shrimps, flowers, walnuts, leaves and other decorative shapes. We decided to try the dumpling banquet. They served us an incredible feast with so many different types of dumplings, soups and salads. We were so full, but it left us with a dumpling addiction.
Then we left to eat at a place that is famous for it's dumplings. Some of the dumplings were serious works of art. They were sculpted into the shape of shrimps, flowers, walnuts, leaves and other decorative shapes. We decided to try the dumpling banquet. They served us an incredible feast with so many different types of dumplings, soups and salads. We were so full, but it left us with a dumpling addiction.Night-time Entertainment 
That evening, we met up with the group, and ate in a restaurant in the Muslim Quarter again. Some of Cathy's friends came along and ate with us. The place served barbequed foods, including stomach lining, and normal foods like lamb etc. We made friends with one of the girls named Sissi. She is studying IT in Xi'an, and wants to travel after she finishes.
That evening, we met up with the group, and ate in a restaurant in the Muslim Quarter again. Some of Cathy's friends came along and ate with us. The place served barbequed foods, including stomach lining, and normal foods like lamb etc. We made friends with one of the girls named Sissi. She is studying IT in Xi'an, and wants to travel after she finishes.
Our after dinner entertainment, was at a huge square where the biggest musical fountain display in Asia is performed. The fountains were lit against the night sky, and beautiful music chorused alongside the display. It was amazing to watch.
We had a few drinks at a local pub later, and sampled a few cocktails. Thomas, the Danish guy in our group, was absolutely thrilled at the signs for Carlsberg everywhere, as it is a Danish beer. He convinced almost everyone to have a Carlsberg, because as the slogan says, it's "the best beer in the world".
We had a few drinks at a local pub later, and sampled a few cocktails. Thomas, the Danish guy in our group, was absolutely thrilled at the signs for Carlsberg everywhere, as it is a Danish beer. He convinced almost everyone to have a Carlsberg, because as the slogan says, it's "the best beer in the world".
Terracotta Warriors 
The next day we went to see the Terracotta Warriors. This is the main attraction in Xi'an. We stopped first to see a factory where they make terracotta warriors and many other handicrafts in the traditional way. We saw people moulding the warriors, putting pieces of them together, and massive clay torsos without heads. We also saw people carving pictures into lacquer, paining screens and shaping pieces of fine rocks to be inset into pictures.
There were full-scale warriors on display, furniture, paintings and samurai swords. We met a group of Greek people from Melbourne, who invited us to their restaurant Nikos Tavern in Ringwood. Apparently there's plate throwing, dancing on the tables - the full deal.
Then we were taken to the actual site where the terracotta warriors were discovered. For those who aren't sure, the warriors were made in their thousands at the orders of a King who wanted to be sure that he would be guarded in the afterlife. So he built an enormous tomb for himself, filled with clay soldiers. The soldiers were bigger than life size, and were painted to look like real people. They carried real weapons and each had different uniforms according to their rank. All warriors are facing East and stand in their battle formations.
The distance that these warriors cover underground, is incomprehensible. Unfortunately for the king, his tomb was raided and set on fire, so most of the warriors were broken by falling beams, and the chariots were burned. Only one has been uncovered intact. The rest have been put back together piece by piece.
The soldiers were discovered by a farmer 2200 years after they were buried there. The site was incredible, even just in the size of pits filled with soldiers.
The next day we went to see the Terracotta Warriors. This is the main attraction in Xi'an. We stopped first to see a factory where they make terracotta warriors and many other handicrafts in the traditional way. We saw people moulding the warriors, putting pieces of them together, and massive clay torsos without heads. We also saw people carving pictures into lacquer, paining screens and shaping pieces of fine rocks to be inset into pictures.There were full-scale warriors on display, furniture, paintings and samurai swords. We met a group of Greek people from Melbourne, who invited us to their restaurant Nikos Tavern in Ringwood. Apparently there's plate throwing, dancing on the tables - the full deal.Then we were taken to the actual site where the terracotta warriors were discovered. For those who aren't sure, the warriors were made in their thousands at the orders of a King who wanted to be sure that he would be guarded in the afterlife. So he built an enormous tomb for himself, filled with clay soldiers. The soldiers were bigger than life size, and were painted to look like real people. They carried real weapons and each had different uniforms according to their rank. All warriors are facing East and stand in their battle formations.The distance that these warriors cover underground, is incomprehensible. Unfortunately for the king, his tomb was raided and set on fire, so most of the warriors were broken by falling beams, and the chariots were burned. Only one has been uncovered intact. The rest have been put back together piece by piece.The soldiers were discovered by a farmer 2200 years after they were buried there. The site was incredible, even just in the size of pits filled with soldiers.Dinner and Drinks
For dinner that night we met up with the group again, and visited a local place where you buy coupons and exchange them at different windows in a canteen-like setting. We got so much for so little money! We tried our first fried dumplings, as the ones we had the day before were steamed. They were insanely tasty and we haven't hesitated to buy them at every opportunity since. 
We stopped in a youth hostel for a few drinks because our activity for the night was KTV - karaoke! We played table football, and the best drinking game we have ever come across. In this game, you have an ace from each suit, and you name each of them like you name horses. We had some pretty funny ones.
Then everyone bets amount of their drink on a particular 'horse'winning. You have to drink the amount you bet, then if you win, you can deal out double the amount you bet to anyone you like. It was really like watching races, because you have no control over which horse is pulling forward and winning. It was pretty funny cheering along horses with names like 'Syphillis', 'Gonhorrea' etc.
We stopped in a youth hostel for a few drinks because our activity for the night was KTV - karaoke! We played table football, and the best drinking game we have ever come across. In this game, you have an ace from each suit, and you name each of them like you name horses. We had some pretty funny ones.Then everyone bets amount of their drink on a particular 'horse'winning. You have to drink the amount you bet, then if you win, you can deal out double the amount you bet to anyone you like. It was really like watching races, because you have no control over which horse is pulling forward and winning. It was pretty funny cheering along horses with names like 'Syphillis', 'Gonhorrea' etc.KTV Karaoke 
We finally headed off to KTV and chose a huge list of songs that we liked. Then everyone warmed up to the microphones pretty quickly, and soon we were dancing around and rocking the night away. Artur was pretty impressive, he was hesitant at first, but because he chose a lot of songs and the rule was you had to sing to the ones you chose, he had lots of opportunity to get used to it.
There was a huge buffet of food on offer to us while we were there, and we had tokens for the more specific and expensive items. It's crazy how classy the building was, it looked like a 5 star hotel, but it was a karaoke joint!
There was a huge buffet of food on offer to us while we were there, and we had tokens for the more specific and expensive items. It's crazy how classy the building was, it looked like a 5 star hotel, but it was a karaoke joint!
Xi'an Shredded Pancake
The next day we made a slow start, but finally dragged ourselves to another popular restaurant where they serve the famous shredded pancake soup. We struggled to order it at first, but we finally got across what we were trying to order. It turned out that the bread we'd had for breakfast the other day was actually called a pancake. We were given two each and an empty bowl, then we had to crumble the bread into tiny pieces. They then filled the bowl up with soup, meat and chopped spring onions. The pancake once soaked by the soup, tasted like the kind of bread dumplings that we make at home, or that Artur has in soup in Poland. It wasn't what we were expecting, but we really enjoyed it. We were going to try a local dessert, but the power in building cut out, and we had trouble conveying what we wanted. Everyone kept eating in the semi-dark, unphased by the blackout.
The next day we made a slow start, but finally dragged ourselves to another popular restaurant where they serve the famous shredded pancake soup. We struggled to order it at first, but we finally got across what we were trying to order. It turned out that the bread we'd had for breakfast the other day was actually called a pancake. We were given two each and an empty bowl, then we had to crumble the bread into tiny pieces. They then filled the bowl up with soup, meat and chopped spring onions. The pancake once soaked by the soup, tasted like the kind of bread dumplings that we make at home, or that Artur has in soup in Poland. It wasn't what we were expecting, but we really enjoyed it. We were going to try a local dessert, but the power in building cut out, and we had trouble conveying what we wanted. Everyone kept eating in the semi-dark, unphased by the blackout.
Big Goose Pagoda 
We decided to check out the Big Goose Pagoda and Xi'an Da Ci'en Temple. We climbed all the way to the top of the pagoda to see the view over Xi'an. There were also beautiful gardens around the pagoda, and a few little temples. We wandered into a gallery, and ended up buying a beautiful piece of art. It was by a local artist, and was of a spring scene on a river.
We looked at the displays of goods on the culture street, and then went back to the Muslim quarter. We wanted to buy a Mahjong set, and some chopsticks. We found a Mahjong set that wasn't too large, so it could fit in our bags, and a beautiful set of porcelain chopsticks with pandas on them. We also found a set of playing cards with Mau the famous Communist party leader in China. We thought they were pretty funny, so we bought them too.
We decided to check out the Big Goose Pagoda and Xi'an Da Ci'en Temple. We climbed all the way to the top of the pagoda to see the view over Xi'an. There were also beautiful gardens around the pagoda, and a few little temples. We wandered into a gallery, and ended up buying a beautiful piece of art. It was by a local artist, and was of a spring scene on a river.We looked at the displays of goods on the culture street, and then went back to the Muslim quarter. We wanted to buy a Mahjong set, and some chopsticks. We found a Mahjong set that wasn't too large, so it could fit in our bags, and a beautiful set of porcelain chopsticks with pandas on them. We also found a set of playing cards with Mau the famous Communist party leader in China. We thought they were pretty funny, so we bought them too.
1 comment:
Tandem Bicycles - Tandems (Tandeming) is great fun, cant wait to get out on mine again
Geoff
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