Todd's Travels in China: Day 4: Arriving in Xi'an

Day 4 - Wed. Jan. 1: Flew to Xi'an. Got to OJC Hotel. It was a very nice hotel (2 queen-sized beds in the room) conveniently located within the old city walls and walking distance to the Bell Tower, the Drum Tower, the Great Mosque, the Muslim Quarter, and the tourist center. We spent the afternoon exploring the Muslim Quarter and sampled lots of great traditional ethnic food there. Lots of fun!

Xi'an's Muslim Quarter

The enormous Bell Tower, built in 1384 by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, is the largest and best-preserved of its kind in China. It is situated at the geographical center of ancient Xi'an where the city’s four main streets converge. The Bell Tower is beautifully lit at night.

X'ian Bell Tower

The Drum Tower, built in 1380 during the reign of Emperor Hongwu, is situated a short distance to the west of the Bell Tower on the edge of the Muslim Quarter. For centuries, the Muslim Quarter has served the Muslim Hui, one of the 55 ethnic minority peoples of China. Xi'an’s current Hui population numbers approximately 30,000.

X'ian Drum Tower

We missed the Tang Dynasty Show but enjoyed the grounds of the park anyway. However, the night got very cold and I wasn’t properly dressed to be out walking for so long. I hadn’t brought my coat because I thought we would be inside watching a show. Note to self: Always bring coat – just in case.