Xi'an - Terracotta Warriors, Ancient City Walls...and Delicious Food!

Xi'an was China's first capital city and they've managed to preserve a lot of the old architecture.

This is also the place where the Terracotta Warriors were first discovered by a farmer. It has since become one of China's largest ongoing archaeological expeditions. THIS is the China I came to see!

Lifelike Creations and Crowded Spaces

The first time I saw the terracotta warriors was during Spring Festival or Chinese New Years. This is a national holiday where nearly the whole country gets a full week off work. Traveling during this time is straight up insanity.

I remember going into the building to see the warriors and all around me was a mass of people shoulder to shoulder. I felt like I was in an ocean fighting the current as I drifted away from my friends because of the pull of the crowd.

My second trip to Xi'an. This is the main dig site and the largest out of the three. As you can see on the walking platforms on the sides, it's not nearly as busy.

Some of them are still in great condition and were pulled from the pit to be put on display

Look at the detail!

Roman and Greek sculptors were far from this level of skill during the same time era. In fact, they had a separate exhibit so we could directly compare.

One thing you may not know is that each warrior has a different facial expression and structure. You can almost see the differences in their personalities. If you compare this one with the one above, you can see the differences. In my opinion, the one above appears proud and he seems like a man where laughing comes easy. The one to the left appears serious but caring, maybe an officer to the army.

I had known of the Terracotta Warriors before I came to China. I didn't know much but I thought they were like typical statues. Another thing I was ignorant of was the fact that they were all original painted with vivid color. With time, the paints broke down but using techniques they discovered the pigments used. To the right is a warrior that has been repainted to how it looked originally over 2000 years ago.

To The Wall!!

Another thing that makes Xi'an special is the fact that it still retains the original city walls. Ringing around the central part of the city and made of stone, they are still intact and very much in use. They even have four gates that people drive through regularly. These walls are older than the Great Wall of China and you can rent a bike and bike along them. A round trip takes about an hour.

I'm awed that they managed to create such a massive and solid construct so long ago. Though I shouldn't be surprised given the skill of their sculptors.

You could fit three or four cars side by side. It's amazing how wide it is.

Biking the wall with my girlfriend.

The Night Market and Muslim Quarter

The final thing that makes Xi'an unique is the Muslim Quarter. Here you'll find some of the best food and drink in the city including:

1. shao kao 烧烤 - The barbecue of China. Essentially these are shish-kebabs of varying meats, vegetables and seafood. The lamb is the go to here.

2. yangrou paomo 羊肉泡馍 - Lamb soup served with really hard bread. You are meant to break the bread into small pieces and throw it in the soup so it softens.

3. shiliu zhi 石榴汁 - Fresh squeezed pomegranate juice!

4. biangbiangmian (Not sure how to input this character) - These are really long, thick, and flat noodles most famous because the character is the most difficult to write out of the whole Chinese "alphabet".

5. roujiamo 肉夹馍 - This is like the burger of China, except it's usually made with pork. They stew the pork all day with up to 20 spices so it's tender and savory. The meat is then chopped up with green peppers (if you like a little spice) and put into some flatbread to enjoy.

6. baozi 包子- Small, stuffed steamed buns. I found they were much smaller in Xi'an than what I was used to. Made for a perfect snacking experience.

Lamb soup! A little salty but delicious. Must be enjoyed with a cold beer.

Fresh squeezed pomegranate juice. These people were really friendly and willing to put up with my bartering. Highly recommend the juice!!

Shao Kao! The lamb is the most popular, usually served with a shit-ton of cumin. Not too sure how "foodsafe" that is but hey when in Rome!

The Muslim quarter during the day. A playground for the senses.

I have more photos but I'll stop there. If you do go to Xi'an, another place to check out is "Huashan Mountain". My friend said it was one of his most thrilling experiences in China. You need to carefully straddle the mountain while walking on narrow wooden platforms to get up in some sections. At the top there is a Buddhist temple. I still haven't made it there so maybe I'll return to Xi'an for round three! Thanks for reading.

OR just hit me up with a comment or upvote. That's cool too :D.