February 19-24, 2019
Wednesday, February 20
My hotel, The Grand Noble Xi’an, is really great and I had such a marvelous night of sleep my first night alone in 35 nights. My room is pitch black, quiet, big pillows….what more can you ask for?
I slept in and decided I’d hit the pavement today and do the sights that were the most immediately walkable from my hotel.
Only about a 5 minute walk down the street are two of the city’s most famous attractions the Bell Tower and Drum Tower. These magnificant structures are from the Ming Dynasty and are over 600 years old. The detailing inside, especially on the exposed structure of the ceilings. They are constantly and miticulously working on restoring and preserving these structures and it shows.
(pay no attention to the man with the machine gun in the tank casually sitting out front)
I then stumbled on one of the greatest street food markets I have been to, Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter. It was so increadible I could barely contain myself. I walked up and down, watching where had the longest lines and what the locals seemed to be eating. After a lap, I picked my top choices and then just started to buy. It was so much fun and I feel like people were very receptive to me not knowing what I was doing. It required some sign language and me just giving them larger bills that I knew things cost, but no problem. I had some vendors volunteer to let me try things and I had such a great overall experience. I can’t wait to go back, especially at night as I’ve read that’s when it’s even more magical.
My highlights were grilled squid #1- best street food I’ve ever had I think. #2 these twisty, crunchy things that I have no idea what they are (the men selling them let me taste every flavor for free and I bought a bag of my favorite) #3 “The Classic Meat Burger” which is by far the most popular thing with the locals. Every stand that was selling these had a line of at least 20 people and it was slow moving. The bread it was on is also hugely popular as people were carrying around bags with many of these buns to take home. It was so interesting to see what others were eating and make note of what I want to try next time!
After I ate my body weight in street eats, I just decided to walk around for a bit and get a feel for the city. I made a loop from my hotel to the towers to the Muslim Quarter so it worked out great for me to just keep walking in the general direction of my hotel and meander as I liked.
Afer about 3.5 hours of walking around I found my way back to do some backed up financial homework, write some emails, and just relax.
I had dinner at my hotel which was a buffet, that acutally had some amazing fried rice and different noodle options but was overall a little weird just because of how abandoned the whole place is. That said, I love my room and the location so I’d definitely recommend this place.
Thursday, February 21
Today is my day to venture from the city and travel a little more than an hour NE of Xi’an to the tomb of China’s first emperor, Emperor Qin. It was a fun excursion for me and involved lots of walking, which I always love. I walked from my hotel North about 25 minutes to the Xi’an Railway Station where I jumped on the local 5(306) bus and pay only 7 Yuan, or about $1. It was about 70 minutes to get there, making some stops in towns along the way, but overall a pleasant and easy trip.
There are three main buildings of the archaelogical site and you can browse around in whatever order and whatever pace you like. It was an extreme exercise in patience as the large groups being lead by guides were aggressive and a force to be reckoned with. Luckily I had all the time in the world and could read the information (about 75% had English as well as Chinese text) so it was a great experience once I figured out how to deal with the crowds.
Pit 1 is the most impressive as it’s the most excavated and it’s a truly breathtaking sight. The intricate detail on each warrior, horse, cart, umbrella, and even rein is unbelievable, especially when you think that this was done some 2000 years ago.
An unexpected delight was on the walk out on the way back to the bus area, there was stall after stall of delicious street food eats. I decided on a noodle bowl that was a fantastic choice. No idea what it was exactly, but it seemed to be egg noodles, spice, peanut sauce, a dash of this and that and some pickled chopped veggies (?) perhaps. Whatever it was, I loved it and my lips were tingling for a few minutes after I was done, signaling just the right amount of spice!
The commute home was a bit slower as schools were getting out, traffic was a bit busier, and the bus was absolutely packed. Once back in Xi’an it was drizzling and the temperature had dropped down to 38 degrees. I picked up some fresh fruit on my walk home and then just settled in for the night.
One thing I noticed today, is that I really enjoyed the adventure of getting to Lintong, almost more than I liked seeing the Warriors. For me, when there is a lot of hype about seeing some National Historic Treasure, it doesn’t always seem quite as cool in the moment. Especially when it’s over-developed, full of tour groups, and not an “authentic experience.” I find so many places are like that these days. I truly loved my day of walking through the streets of Xi’an to the train station, figuring out where the right bus was, how to pay, and then riding a local bus 70 minutes out of the city to get to the attraction. The language barrier, foreign currancy, and bit of uncertainty is really some of the best parts of going places for me. I’m learning that it really is getting there that is (more than) half the fun! (airline travel excluded, except if you’re traveling business or first class)
Friday, February 22
Another day of adventure today, but not quite as much as yesterday. I’m addicted to the Muslim Quarter street market so I walked over there for some lunch bites before I started my touring. I just let myself wander and went down completely different alleys and streets than I did on Wednesday. I found my breakfast/lunch in some spicy, cold noodles. They were a bit tougher than other noodles I’ve had, but I think they were made of a different type of flour (see their dark color). This was a Muslim-run stand so it might have something to do with halal restrictions? Whatever the case, they were so good. Simply made, with only some thinly sliced cucumber and a spicy broth lightly put on top. I ate them down in record time and left with tingly lips from all the spice!
Next I bought a mixed box of various lightly-sweet treats from another Muslim vendor. They are made of a mix of nuts, seasame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and a whole bunch of unidentified stuff. They are cut into small pieces which make them great for little bite snacks that I’ll carry around for the next couple of days (as long as they’ll last).
Other various beautiful things spotted at the Muslim Quarter food market….
I realized that I had been walking in the very wrong direction of where I wanted to go. Initially, I thought I’d walk all the way to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda but I’m really glad I didn’t. It said about 70 minutes when I mapped it out but I think it would have been a tough walk. Since I had gone the wrong way, I decided to try the Xi’an subway since it would drop me right at the Pagoda. It’s the deal for only about $0.30/ride but it’s really packed. Another very China experience where you just force yourself into the smoosh. I had to transfer lines and it was a crazy, chaotic sea of people pouring off the train and squeezing on an escalator to change lines. It’s all part of the experience and I’m glad I did it but in the moment it was a bit intimidating. The good thing is, there is no such thing as courtesy here so you just go for it and push and shove your way to get the job done. Being pushy is something I don’t have issues with and almost enjoy, so it’s kind of fun to just not give a shit.
Finally I emerge at the Wild Goose Pagoda and there is a beautiful musical water fountain show going on. It was really something to watch, but not so good for photographing. I walked all around the large complex and found the ticket counter on the complete opposite side from the subway. Inside the walled compound it was really a beautiful layout. The Pagoda itself is simple but considering it was built in 645, some 1400 years ago, its size is very impressive. I love that on the corners of every story there are wind chimes that were gently singing in the breeze. It created a very calm moment. I bought the extra ticket to go inside and walk up the 7 or 8 flights to the very top for the views over the area. It’s been hazy the whole time I’ve been in Xi’an, so it wasn’t the clearest view, but it was still nice for me to see the sheer size of a “not so big city” in China.
I was going to hit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda on my way back into the walled city, but I decided to skip it. My threashold for tolerating people was already starting to reach it’s brink, so I just hopped the subway back up to the stop right outside the South gate of the walled city.
The most amazing part of Xi’an is the fortress structure that surrounds the old city. When I arrived on Tuesday night, it was a spectacle all lit up but I couldn’t quite grasp the size of it in the dark. It really is unbelievable when you see it in the day and realized how gigantic it is, along with the complex structure of the gates. This city was built as a fortress to protect itself from invasion, with guard towers spaced every couple hundred feet and a complex 4-part entry at the gate. I’m going to spend more time there tomorrow, but I just wanted to walk up this way back to my hotel and enjoy walking the city a bit more to end my afternoon. I did a lot of meandering today and I was really beat after about 4 hours of being constantly on my feet. Time for a face mask, a little wine, and some beef noodle soup!
Saturday, February 23
My last full day in Xi’an and I’m taking it slow. I’ve seen all the major sites and done a ton of city wandering so I just decided to go to Starbucks to catch up on my journaling, balance the books and do my Excel spreadsheet entries, have some tea and read my book a bit.
I also started my morning with some meditation, stretching and a bit of yoga. I feel so out of shape and with the yoga retreat only 9 days away, I need to limber up and get my body ready for a change of pace.
After a leisurely start at Starbucks, I went back to prep for packing my bag as much as possible. I’m ditching more and more stuff but somehow my bag still seems to be heavy and full always. Beijing looks to be warmer than expected so I’m going to bid adieu to my old ski jacket and lighten my load a bit. My down coat smooshes down much smaller and is still warm so getting rid of one bulky item I’ve been carrying around since December 18th. (although it was VERY needed in Seattle!)
Late afternoon I walked down to the South gate and bought a ticket to tour the top of the wall. It is crazy decorated for the Lantern Festival right now and I feel like I timed it right, by chance, to see this gorgeous display.
However, that also means more people and children so after an hour or two I had my fill, right at dark was setting in so the timing was perfect for some beautiful pictures as I departed. I walked back up the main road to the Bell and Drum Towers to get shots of them at night too. I’m so glad I did as they turned out spectacular!
Then one more trip to the Muslim Quarter for another bowl of noodles before heading back around 8pm. It was a chaotic night on the streets as people really get out a Saturday night. The walk back to my hotel was crazy! Stalls and plazas that had been moderately busy the past week were all bustling with street food vendors and tons and tons of people. That’s something I’ve learned you can always expect in China, is dense crowds of people.
Tame night of packing, reading and getting ready to check out in the morning!
Sunday, February 24
I’m so glad I had my train tickets pre-purchased online and delivered to my hotel. I didn’t know there were 2 train stations in Xi’an, and luckily the concierge asked my to clarify so when I showed them my ticket they told me I was headed to the station about 35 mintues North of town. I thought I was going about 10 minutes to the place I caught the bus on Thursday, so I was really glad that I was ready early and was able to get the cab even earlier than I expected. That could have gone very wrong!
It was easy though. My cab got me to the station with at least an hour to spare and I found my way through the confusing security/ticket check (only confusing because I don’t have a Chinese citizen ID card and it’s all automated). I easily found the ticket area and waited to board. Per the usual, mass chaos awaits for boarding. People love to queue in gigantic lines but it’s all for show. Once the floodgates are open it’s all elbows, pushing, and every man for himself.
The train is nice and I’m so glad I went First Class. These are nice, big seats and it’s relatively quiet. The other seats are three across like on an airplane and these are only two across. Plenty of bag storage, bathroom is close, free water and box of strange snacks. It’s interesting to see the countryside too. Unfortunately this time of year it’s really smoggy and hazy so some of the views are not much.
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