Xi'an: Muslim Quarter & Sha'anxi History Museum
The train ride to Xi'an was awfully noisy and smoky. I didn't sleep much, and what sleep I managed was interruped by loud train horns and abrupt stops. But, the train got me to Xi'an, and to my surprise, the cabs start at only 6 kuai and my hostel is 40 kuai cheaper per night than I booked it for. The staff here is friendly and informative enough.
PIC: Prayer Hall, Great Mosque, Xi'an
Right away, I showered and cleaned up, oriented myself with the guidebooks before going to China Post to FINALLY send home the tea I bought in Beijing. Post-post office, I grabbed some lamb and 3-flavor soup bao at a Muslim restaurant in the Islamic quarter that surrounds the Great Mosque just north of my Hotel, which is also by the Drum and Bell towers (great location!). I explored the quarter a bit before going to the Great Mosque itself. The mosque is the largest mosque in China, and is surrounded by a lush Chinese garden. The mesh between the Islamic and traditional Chinese elements blends without seams, probably because it leans heavily toward Chinese style: the minarets are interpreted as pagodas, and the steles and arches are all here but feature nature themes and Arabic and Farsi script. I walked down an "Antique Street" that could have been any street back in Pingyao for all the usual junk they sell.
PIC (above): Arabic Calligraphy on Chinese archway, Great Mosque, Xi'an
PICS (below): Minaret of Great Mosque is a pagoda, Arabic calligraphy, archway, side hall, rockery garden, another side hall.
I had walked by some tea stores by the restaurant, so I went back to them. At the first, I had a terrible experience. I looked at some new raw pu'er that was mostly crap, and when I saw a Banzhang mountain cake worth trying, the girl refused to let me taste it. She tried to explain that my tasting it would mean breaking the cake (DUH...that's why these tea stores have taster cakes), but I interrupted making it clear I'd buy no tea without tasting it first. She actually said to me "whatever, whatever" to me as she rewrapped the Banzhang cake, and I smiled at her and told her to ditch the attitude, as I was no fool, and would spend my cash elsewhere. I couldn't believe it! What a cunt!
I went to another tea store and found a good buy, some believably aged zhongcha tea supposedly from 1997, which tastes like a smoother version of the 2002 Mengku Rongshi cake I bought with Marshaln. A hard bargain at 270 kuai; I paid too much, but it was a tasty and unexpected find here, and probably the best thing in all the tea shops I've been to in Xi'an today.
PIC: Big pottery lion at Shaanxi History Museum
I grabbed a quick lunch at KFC (omg they have something with salsa...I miss enchiladas so bad!) and took a cab to the Sha'anxi Local History Museum, which has artifacts from nearly every dynasty and before, some dating as far back as the neolithic era some 5000-7000 years ago. I relished the opportunity to see the evolution of Chinese art and culture over the course of 8000 years. I almost bought a replica teapot, but the price made me gasp, and the bargaining made me angry. Even at a museum they wanted to bargain! I thought at least at a nice museum prices would be fixed, and the difference between my expectations and reality put me ill at ease. Still, I left impressed and happy with the experience of the museum.
PIC (above): Burial Figure, Shaanxi History Museum
PICS (below): Statue of a woman (Zhou?), closeup of a burial figure, another burial figure, glazed horse, unicorn, closeup of Zhou dynasty script on a chime bell, zhou dynasty bronze wine vessel.
Walking back some 3km to the hotel, no less than three men in suits asked me where I was going. I knew something was up, some sort of scam. With the men in suits were two other people, and the last group followed me for a km up Chang'an Lu, two of them giving me some poorly rehearsed lines about their hometown while the third person seemingly lagged far behind, I think trying to rob my backpack or back pockets. But my backpack contained nothing of value to steal, and my wallet and passport were in my front pocket, so I couldn't figure what they wanted after it was clear they'd get nothing. I asked them what they were selling, and they said they had "no aim" (how do they know this word unless someone said it to them in anger?) but to "practice English" which I didn't believe, either. Eventually they left. When I spoke to the reception and other travelers at my hotel, this same situation had not happened to any of them, so I was more confused. No one seemed to know what these guys were up to. . .nothing of mine was stolen, but tomorrow I will be more careful.
PIC: Xi'an South Gate
PIC: Prayer Hall, Great Mosque, Xi'an
Right away, I showered and cleaned up, oriented myself with the guidebooks before going to China Post to FINALLY send home the tea I bought in Beijing. Post-post office, I grabbed some lamb and 3-flavor soup bao at a Muslim restaurant in the Islamic quarter that surrounds the Great Mosque just north of my Hotel, which is also by the Drum and Bell towers (great location!). I explored the quarter a bit before going to the Great Mosque itself. The mosque is the largest mosque in China, and is surrounded by a lush Chinese garden. The mesh between the Islamic and traditional Chinese elements blends without seams, probably because it leans heavily toward Chinese style: the minarets are interpreted as pagodas, and the steles and arches are all here but feature nature themes and Arabic and Farsi script. I walked down an "Antique Street" that could have been any street back in Pingyao for all the usual junk they sell.
PIC (above): Arabic Calligraphy on Chinese archway, Great Mosque, Xi'an
PICS (below): Minaret of Great Mosque is a pagoda, Arabic calligraphy, archway, side hall, rockery garden, another side hall.
I had walked by some tea stores by the restaurant, so I went back to them. At the first, I had a terrible experience. I looked at some new raw pu'er that was mostly crap, and when I saw a Banzhang mountain cake worth trying, the girl refused to let me taste it. She tried to explain that my tasting it would mean breaking the cake (DUH...that's why these tea stores have taster cakes), but I interrupted making it clear I'd buy no tea without tasting it first. She actually said to me "whatever, whatever" to me as she rewrapped the Banzhang cake, and I smiled at her and told her to ditch the attitude, as I was no fool, and would spend my cash elsewhere. I couldn't believe it! What a cunt!
I went to another tea store and found a good buy, some believably aged zhongcha tea supposedly from 1997, which tastes like a smoother version of the 2002 Mengku Rongshi cake I bought with Marshaln. A hard bargain at 270 kuai; I paid too much, but it was a tasty and unexpected find here, and probably the best thing in all the tea shops I've been to in Xi'an today.
PIC: Big pottery lion at Shaanxi History Museum
I grabbed a quick lunch at KFC (omg they have something with salsa...I miss enchiladas so bad!) and took a cab to the Sha'anxi Local History Museum, which has artifacts from nearly every dynasty and before, some dating as far back as the neolithic era some 5000-7000 years ago. I relished the opportunity to see the evolution of Chinese art and culture over the course of 8000 years. I almost bought a replica teapot, but the price made me gasp, and the bargaining made me angry. Even at a museum they wanted to bargain! I thought at least at a nice museum prices would be fixed, and the difference between my expectations and reality put me ill at ease. Still, I left impressed and happy with the experience of the museum.
PIC (above): Burial Figure, Shaanxi History Museum
PICS (below): Statue of a woman (Zhou?), closeup of a burial figure, another burial figure, glazed horse, unicorn, closeup of Zhou dynasty script on a chime bell, zhou dynasty bronze wine vessel.
Walking back some 3km to the hotel, no less than three men in suits asked me where I was going. I knew something was up, some sort of scam. With the men in suits were two other people, and the last group followed me for a km up Chang'an Lu, two of them giving me some poorly rehearsed lines about their hometown while the third person seemingly lagged far behind, I think trying to rob my backpack or back pockets. But my backpack contained nothing of value to steal, and my wallet and passport were in my front pocket, so I couldn't figure what they wanted after it was clear they'd get nothing. I asked them what they were selling, and they said they had "no aim" (how do they know this word unless someone said it to them in anger?) but to "practice English" which I didn't believe, either. Eventually they left. When I spoke to the reception and other travelers at my hotel, this same situation had not happened to any of them, so I was more confused. No one seemed to know what these guys were up to. . .nothing of mine was stolen, but tomorrow I will be more careful.
PIC: Xi'an South Gate