Seeing the ancient Terracotta Warriors

We took an over-night sleeper train to Xian, sharing a carriage with a guy who snored like a bear all bloody night. Strolled around Xian when we arrived which is nice but a bit smoggy, checked out the drum and bell towers then went to the Muslim quarter where there's a big market with people cooking at street stalls and tons of food and clothes shops. Then we took a rickshaw (praying for our lives the whole time coz he drove like a madman dodging people, animals and traffic even if it was only at 10 miles an hour!) to the Great Mosque, a huge ancient courtyard and Temple in the middle of the Muslim Quarter. Grabbed a dodgy kebab and a few beers and hoped it would stay down. I swear (hope) it was chicken.......

Huaqing pools near Xian

The next day we went to the Terracotta warriors. Apparently they were constructed for a Chinese Emporer to guide and protect him to the other side. They were in pretty good condition for being a few thousand years old. Some were missing heads and limbs but most were intact. On the way back to Xian we went to the Huaqing Hot pools which were beautiful. The city wall surrounding the old quarter is pretty impressive and you can actually walk along it and get great views of the city.

Huaqing garden

Hmmm a lot of late night "hairdressers" near our hotel who are very skilled at cutting hair under extremely dim red lights for only five dorra!! We had a kettle in our hotel room and got so excited at the prospect of having a decent cup of tea (we brought some Barry's from home, sad I know) that Steve went back out to the corner shop to grab some milk while I jumped in the shower to wash off the smog! He came back a few minutes later with a carton of something with a cow on it, turned out to be sour yoghurt, ick. He was adamant he wasn't going out there again after being nearly mauled to death by the 'hairdressers' looking to give him a "nice massage"!!! The couple we met in Chengdu, Mark and Jenny, told us that they witnessed the "salons" all being raided by the cops when they walking by one night, very entertaining apparently! We reckon now the locals all have long hair due to closure of said salons.......

bridge over Huaqing Pools

palace at Huaqing

Xian city wall

terracotta warriors and horses

terracotta warriors near Xian

Bell Tower

bell tower in Xian centre

Drum Tower

Huaquing pools, Xian

open opera

Teracotta Warriors

terracotta warriors museum

The Great Mosque

The Great Mosque grounds

traditional chinese open air opera

xian city