For the second time, I arrive in Xian on the Z19 train. This time in the reverse directions. With all the speed up plans for the rail system, the journey is about half the time. I remember it taking 25 hours the time before. Now it is overnight. We arriving in the morning light.
We do an early check into the hotel and then it is a quick orientation of the city. When I stayed here in 1999, I stayed outside the city wall on the north side. This time we stayed inside the wall near the south gate. It was the most chinese style hotel. I loved it, the others hated it.We had yummy pork dumplings for brunch. Unfortunately, I managed to dribble pig fat all over my camera. While standing in line at the dumpling shop, I was a bit tardy in deciding what to have. Some chinese girls got in the line in front of me. They got three dumplings for ¥1. We only got one. So I saw that there was still a dual price structure. But the locals were more discrete here in Xian. They did not know I knew enough Chinese to see what was going on.
We now headed off into the Muslim Quarter. I was quite keen to see how it had changed. I had some good meals there last time. think that there is more variety now. What had changed was that there was more activity. When I was there before, it was quiet. The streets mostly empty. Now it was bustling with commercial activity all the time. Brian and I had a traditional muslim meal with the large round piece of bread and a bowl of food. I preferred the one I had in 1999.
In the afternoon we headed out to see the Terracotta Warriors. The whole place has been redeveloped and I was a bit saddened. But it is much nicer. The authorities were trying to stamp out the hawkers from inside the museum area, but with only limited success.
In the evening, we went back to the Muslim Quarter, for a steam boat. I have to say I was not so impressed with this type of Steam Boat.
After that we wandered back to our hotel.
We do an early check into the hotel and then it is a quick orientation of the city. When I stayed here in 1999, I stayed outside the city wall on the north side. This time we stayed inside the wall near the south gate. It was the most chinese style hotel. I loved it, the others hated it.We had yummy pork dumplings for brunch. Unfortunately, I managed to dribble pig fat all over my camera. While standing in line at the dumpling shop, I was a bit tardy in deciding what to have. Some chinese girls got in the line in front of me. They got three dumplings for ¥1. We only got one. So I saw that there was still a dual price structure. But the locals were more discrete here in Xian. They did not know I knew enough Chinese to see what was going on.
We now headed off into the Muslim Quarter. I was quite keen to see how it had changed. I had some good meals there last time. think that there is more variety now. What had changed was that there was more activity. When I was there before, it was quiet. The streets mostly empty. Now it was bustling with commercial activity all the time. Brian and I had a traditional muslim meal with the large round piece of bread and a bowl of food. I preferred the one I had in 1999.
In the afternoon we headed out to see the Terracotta Warriors. The whole place has been redeveloped and I was a bit saddened. But it is much nicer. The authorities were trying to stamp out the hawkers from inside the museum area, but with only limited success.
In the evening, we went back to the Muslim Quarter, for a steam boat. I have to say I was not so impressed with this type of Steam Boat.
After that we wandered back to our hotel.
