Night Time in Xi'an

The historic buildings of Xi'an are illuminated at night. A number of merchants were selling long strings of kites. These make a spectacular sight at night.

Butcher Shops

The butcher shops in The Muslim Quarter look a little different from the ones we are used to back in Canada.

"liangpi" and "roujiamo"

We had the opportunity to sample several of the local favourites. We tried "liangpi" (cold noodles in sesame sauce) and "roujiamo" fried beef in pita bread. Our favourite by far was "shibing" (dried persimmons). All of these treats were delicious.

The Muslim Quarter

Just beside of the Drum Tower is the Muslim Quarter. This is the home of the Hui People (Chinese Muslims). Evidently Muslims have resided in China since the 7th Century. Here, Joanne and I found the most amazing markets we have ever seen in our lives - amazing!!

The Drum Tower

Just a short walk from the Bell Tower, is the Drum Tower. The Bell in the Bell Tower was rung at dawn. The Drum in the Drum Tower marked nightfall.

Modern Building

Here is a photo of one of the modern buildings in Xi'an. This photo was taken from the Bell Tower.

Traditional Music

Inside the Bell Tower, we were treated to some traditional music and dance.

Xi'an

On February 3rd, Joanne and I flew to Xi'an. Xi'an is a walled city and is a beautiful place! It has a lot of history! It also has wonderful architecture! A winter fog made visibility poor at times. Here are some photos of the Bell Tower which is one of Xi'an's famous landmarks.

Cixi's Marble Boat

Cixi became the Dowager Empress during the late Qing Dynasty (1835-1908). Her son, Tongzhi, became Emperor when he was only five year's old. Cixi was apparently more interested in looking after herself than her Empire. One of the items left behind from her days in power is this Marble Boat.

Kunming Lake

Here are a couple of photos of people enjoying themselves on a frozen over Kunming Lake. I am not sure where this gentleman found whatever it is he is riding around on?

The Summer Palace

Next, we visited The Summer Palace. The Summer Palace was evidently where Royalty would head during the summer to escape the intense heat of The Forbidden City. This is an absolutely gorgeous place - even in winter! It is located on Kunming Lake which happened to be frozen at the time of our visit.

The Village

On February 2nd, we started our day with a shopping trip to a new Mall not far from our hotel. The complex is called The Village. It is a very modern shopping centre. There is a Starbucks in The Village. It also houses high-end Nike, Adidas, Puma, etc. Outlets. Here are a few photos taken at The Village.