Around Xi'an

I went to Xi'an for a few days over October Holiday. It's pronounced "shee-ahn," and it's the home of the Terra Cotta Warriors and other historical legacies which you can read about here if you so desire.

I arrived by plane from Chongqing in the afternoon, half a day before any of my other friends arrived. So this post is a photo chronicle of my solo wanderings in Xi'an.

First, I got to the city center by the airport shuttle, and there were people EVERYWHERE because it was the holiday. No words or photos can fully convey the crowds at a Chinese tourist destination during a major Chinese holiday. I hung around long enough to look at the beautiful bell tower and drum tower:

The Bell Tower

The Starbucks near the Drum Tower

I couldn't get a cab to my hostel, so I ended up paying a guy 10 times too much to take me on his motorcycle. After checking in, I walked to a park near my hostel. It was like every other Chinese park I've visited: Willow trees, pagodas, a pond with cheesy boats, old people, kids, and more. It was a beautiful day.

People gathered around a small Peking Opera performance at the park

Walkway to the pagoda where old guys were playing traditional instruments and a woman was singing traditional songs, pumped through the speakers at top volume

Drawing and playing

Lots of little girls were in these outfits, which were for sale throughout the park. Why not? It's a holiday!

I left the park and found some rice noodles at a little hole in the wall on my hostel's street.

Veggies & noodles

Styrofoam on the move

At last, it was time to wander back to the bell tower neighborhood to meet my friend Sara.

As far as I could tell, this kid was raising money for a children's acrobatics troupe.

Flag and tourists

Bell Tower by dusk

Hooray! Sara arrived.