XiAn the Walls and the Halls

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November 30th 2008

Published: December 1st 2008

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Travelwash

Mr Rice cake

How could you refuse??

XIiAn for the most part is enclosed within massive defensive walls stretching continually around the city for over 10 miles. Their condition makes it even harder to imagine they are over 1000 years old. The walls are 30 feet high and probably 30 feet thick at the base and taper to the top where there is a wide walkway. You can walk or hire a bike; there are even little electric buses but we rented a tandem and it still took us over 1½ hours to complete the circuit.
Their are 4 main gates one at each compass point with towering gatehouses and two huge buildings; the Bell tower and the Drum tower near the centre. These buildings display classic Chinese architecture; bold and colourful with giant trees used as beams painted in bright colours to support their structure; topped with multiple gracefully curving green and red tiled roofs and each perched on massive brick pediments.
There are lots of things to see in the town including the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and water show; an original 400 year old estate Gu Fo House and a beautiful and atmospheric Mosque dating from the 8th century which; with its gardens, ornate stone

Southgate

Guards in traditional dress

reliefs, reception rooms, archways and ancient out buildings provides an island of calm in the midst of the frenetic Muslim quarter.
This area is teeming with stalls and bazaar like alleyways selling ornaments and souvenirs, roadside stalls selling 2' long skewers of bbq lamb, sweet steamed rice cakes, hot plum juice flavoured with spices, pancakes filled with vegetables or meat and steamed breads filled with minced lamb or chicken.
The Muslim traders in their distinctive white hats also populate the restaurants that specialise in lamb and mutton dishes either roasted in salt pepper and cumin seeds or in an aromatic spicy sauce served at the table in a bubbling hot pot.
For just 15rmb (about£1.50) you can get a big bowl of mutton stew containing small pieces of pitta type bread (that turn into tiny dumplings) with chillie, coriander and pickled garlic that is so filling it is impossible to finish.

Keep it simple that's my tip when you ask for your clothes to be washed at the laundry.
Under no circumstances put all your white washing in that handy terracotta coloured bag you bought for about 5p in Bangkok and expect the instruction “just wash the clothes

Southgate

Bicycle rickshaw display team

not the bag” to be followed.
This season Sue and I are mostly wearing...peach!
We were told it is just as cold in Szechuan so went our on Thursday morning to buy 2 North Face jackets they must be genuine they cost us £25 the pair!! Thursday night we climbed aboard the night train to Chengdu...more about that later.

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