Xian China

 

 

Xi’an is such a unique city in China, and I will start by saying that it is my favorite city in China. I arrived at the airport in the evening, expecting the usual mad rush with taxis, but found the police enforcing the laws and making sure everything was running smoothly. This was the first time I had seen this in China, and I loved it. All over the city, the police were there enforcing the law, and it made the city so much better and organized. Everything just worked. For a Chinese city, this is incredible.

 

 

The first place I visited in Xi’an was the Muslim Street. The street is close to the Bell Tower and is really famous for its food. I arrived at the street late that evening, and it was awesome. There were so many shops and restaurants, and it kind of gave me a Blade Runner vibe. I had a great time walking around the street, shooting some photos, visiting some restaurants with my friends, and just exploring. I strongly recommend that if you come to Xi’an, make sure you visit the Muslim Street.

 

 

 

 

All over Xian, you will find these giant telescopes that people can pay to use. This is the only city in China that I have seen this.

 

 

 

 

The traditional food in Xian is so good. I loved the food here.

 

 

The Xi’an Museum is similar to all museums in China—visiting is free, but it feels like déjà vu. There are some fun things to see; the Terracotta Warriors are the big draw. However, if you have seen the Terracotta Warriors at their original site, you might feel it is a waste of time going to the museum. Personally, I would skip the museum here in Xi’an and go to the museums in Shanghai or Beijing. They are much better.

 

 

The Xian city wall was awesome, I loved the city wall. Some ancient cities still have there city wall for you to explore but the Xian wall is huge and there is so much too see from here. You can walk around the city, or rent a bicycle and cycle around. I spent hours up there, just absorbing the city and having fun.

 

 

 

 

Every hour, the Xian city wall has a change of guard cosplay. Interesting to see.

 

 

 

The Big Goose Pagoda is in the center of the city, and each evening there is a musical fountain show that is very popular with tourists. The show is okay, but there are tons of people there. The Big Goose Pagoda was much more interesting to me. All around the pagoda, there are small shops and restaurants to explore.

 

 

Xi’an has rebuilt some of the old palaces in the city, and I went to visit one of them. I WILL WARN YOU NOW, don’t waste your time going to see one of them. They are basically giant plastic shells. There is nothing to see, just a giant plastic building and nothing else around. A complete waste of time and completely terrible.

 

 

 

 

This was one of the older Buddhist temples in Xi’an, and it was fun to explore. I really loved the God of Wealth altar, with so many people giving expensive offerings to gain good luck and become more wealthy. Temples in China are always peaceful and a great way to pass the time and explore.

 

 

On my final day in Xi’an, I went back to the Muslim Street to pick up some food for my friends back home. The street is so busy during the day, but it’s still a great place to explore. The best part of Xi’an for me is the Muslim Street, because there’s just so much to do around there.

 

 

I only had three days in Xi’an, but it was a great three days. I wish I had more time to explore the city, but it was still a great time for me. I really enjoyed the city, and it is my favorite city in all of China. It is an ancient city that has retained its old culture. Simply put, I think it is the best city to visit in China right now.

Shaun