CITY LIVING
TRAVEL TALK
e Th ff O n g a ’ n i i t X t n I Ge k c a r T n e t a e B
Nyima
Pratten
Xi'an City Walls
Xi’an is one of the oldest cities in China with a history of over 3000 years. It is one of the four Ancient Great Capitals of China, housing some of the most important dynasties in Chinese history. The city was also the starting point of the Silk Road and more recently, discovered to be the home of the Terracotta Warriors. There are undoubtedly a lot of traditional sights and tours for visitors to get to grips with upon visiting the capital, however, the surrounding area also has a lot of other charming characteristics, which we were eager to discover.
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i’an is a city steeped in ancient history and populated by fiercely loyal and proud inhabitants. You cannot enter a taxi without the driver asking for your nationality and being educated about the wealth of history their hometown has to offer compared to yours. And it is true. The city has been able to preserve their local heritage, and the area boasts sights such as the famous Terracotta Warriors, Hua Qing Hot Spring, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, City Walls and Muslim Street. Start at the City Walls to get to grips with the ancient capital. It is possible to rent a bike and cycle the entire length of the walls, circling the old city as you do so. The walls are also a stone's throw
Xi’an Insiders
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xperience a unique side of Xi’an that tourists rarely see by taking a tour with Xi’an Insiders. The experienced and energetic guides, or "Insiders" if you will, are all young expats who have been living in China for three years who can speak Mandarin, and therefore can effectively communicate with local people. Because the Insiders are permanently based in Xi’an, they have all the local hook-ups and knowledge, keeping their finger firmly on the pulse of the city and surrounding area. These passionate Insiders are always on the look out for the next fantastic and authentic experience to show to their guests in order to make Xi'an as interesting and intoxicating to
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September14
Ancient cave dwelling
away from the Bell and Drum Towers and the Muslim Street. Xi’an has a big Muslim community, thanks in part due to the ancient Silk Road and the path it took through neighbouring Muslim countries. Go for dinner on the street, but be prepared for an assault on all of your senses. The street is lit up with neon lights during the evening and jam-packed with locals and tourists alike. There is a steady flow of people walking down the street and picking up traditional snacks from food venders with treats including Muslim bread, fresh yogurt, nuts and sweets. Stop at one of the many restaurants for biang biang mian. These noodles originated in Shaanxi and are onomatopoeic in their naming as, when the noodles are being pulled,
they are slammed down on the work surface making a loud banging noise and attracting custom. The noodles are thick, filling and often come in a spicy sauce. The locals are so proud of their invention that they even gave the noodles a special character made up from 58 strokes! Of course, no trip to Xian is complete without making a pilgrimage to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses. The statues are magnificent and were first discovered in 1974 by a local, now famous, farmer. Each sculpture is so intricately designed that they have completely different features. The army was created to protect the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. There are three pits with warriors, however, not all of the warriors have been uncovered in order
to save them for when we have the technology to adequately preserve the colour of the warriors in the open atmosphere. It is well worth paying for an English-speaking guide to take you around the large site in order to learn more about the history behind the warriors. It is also possible to visit Hua Qing Hot Springs when on a day trip to see the Terracotta Warriors. The geothermal hot springs are located at the foot of Mount Li and offer stunning scenery. The springs were first build in 723 by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty and are famous for the love affair he had with his consort. The springs also benefit from Communist Tourism, as they were the scene of the Xi’an Incident, when Chiang Kai-shek was kidnapped.
outsiders as it is to them. Adventure tours range from half-day jaunts to two-day explorations for groups of one to four people in a four-by-four vintage army jeep or, for single travellers, in the brand’s traditional sidecar. Prices start from RMB 860 per person for half a day in a jeep. There are also luxurious extras available for the flashpackers amongst us, such as a bottle of Taittinger Champagne in a cave dwelling or GoPro video footage of your trip. There are many different trips available, covering a vast area. Naturally, there is the option to visit the most famous tourist destinations. You are also able to contact the team and cherry pick the activities you would like to include on your tour. We went on a Plateau Ride. It was fantastic to get out of the city and see the sights of Loess Plateau. This dusty
burnt orange plateau stretches out for as far as the eye can see and is sparsely populated. It gives you an idea of the vista experienced by traders on the Silk Road thousands of years ago. We visited a local family, who still live in a cave dwelling, dug out from a seven-meter cliff face. The same family has lived in the dwelling for 300 years, although now they do have electricity and other luxurious home comforts. You are also able to book a night’s accommodation in this cave on www.airbnb.com. Thanks to the knowledge of our Insider, we were also taken to the farmhouse of a sword-smith. We watched how he makes his ancient Chinese weapons from scratch at his in-home blacksmith and met his family. We also ate the most delicious countryside Chinese meal we have ever tasted; a selection of different stir fried fresh vegetables, picked straight from the
ground, before being rolled in a jianbing (a savoury Chinese pancake). We had such a great sense of freedom when out on the open road experiencing everyday countryside life; we were confronted with new sights and experiences around every bend and truly enjoyed our voyage into the unknown. It is sad to say, but like many other Chinese cities, Xi'an has grand plans for its vast land. We stumbled across an enormous, tarmacked motorway, about half an hour outside the main city, which currently leads to nowhere, and that was being traversed by a lonely moped. Unfortunately, this road may soon be stretching out towards a group of ancient cave dwellings, so be sure to go and visit them before they disappear. Web: www.xianinsiders.com