Shaanxi Culture...with a rice curry to boot.

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Today my two friends and I are off to the Shaanxi Museum to cut loose with some artifacts. This is my first museum trip in China since I hated the one in Beijing when I went in 2004. Wow, what a difference. I leaned a lot, got aching feet but felt like I made a real effort to understand where all the local pride in their province comes from.

Shaanxi (and the city of Xi'an therein) are considered one of the cradles of Chinese civilization. Thirteen feudal dynasties established their capitals in this province during a span of more than 1,100 years, from the Zhou Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty. It is also the starting point of the Silk Road which leads to Europe, Arabia and Africa. You can see it in the material culture which has pottery with all types of international influence, arabic coins and face pots with Caucasians depicted on them. I never knew our noses were so long.

To finish off the day we of couse head to the Muslim quarter for dinner. On our way there, I noticed some very dark little shops with the doors open and a leg sticking out. I then see a gaudy dressed woman sitting on a stool talking on her cell phone. Inside are all sort of adult toys and costumes, neatly lined up like any store. Aha, instead of being on the street, the prostetutes here have their own shop windows. Radically different than even up in Harbin, the north end of China, where women of the evening were only seen in hotel lobbies and bath houses. I guess every city has their own way of dealing with vices.

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Photos

Muslim dumplings and Rice Congee
OMG, this was so good. After walking all day it was just what I needed.

Muslim Quarter Night Market
A great place to buy food and trinkets and see how the locals interact. What great and friendly people.

O Canada
At the hostel, they wanted people from away to paint their flags on the wall with a message. Mine was a bit bland but I mean it- O Canada-true north strong and free. Don't laugh at my maple leaf, it has the required 11 points.