Xi'an Part II

Saturday and Sunday (8/11 and 8/12. Yes, I realize all my entries are about two weeks behind and lack the flavor of the moment. Many apologies), I went out exploring with my new friends. Narration in picture captions.

First stop of Saturday: Dayanta, or Big Goose Pagoda. I don't really like the translation, for it makes the structure sound big and awkward like a goose. I think yan should actually be "swallow", a much more elegant bird.

A tree with its parasitic twin on the grounds of the pagoda. It reminds me of some artistic renditions of the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

In the afternoon, we went to the Great Mosque. On the way there, we passed by this display in a shop. Note the hairdo of the mannequin.

A Buddhist temple? Nope. This is the Great Mosque- the largest mosque in China.

There were a lot of tourists there, mostly foreigners with fancy cameras rabidly taking pictures of the interesting melange of traditional Chinese and Islamic cultures. I tried not to take with them too prominent.

At night, the city walls are illuminated rather beautifully.

My Oxford friends left Saturday night right after I met another boy from Paris. On Sunday, I went exploring with the three French boys. In the morning, we went to the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. Observer the picture closely and take a wild guess which one this is.

There were a bunch of drums on display all around the drum dower with names of what appeared to be seasons inscribed on them. There was also a large drum that you can pay 30 yuan to hit.

The plaza in the center of the city had a bunch guys selling kites and loads of beggar children (not shown). Overall, it was an appealing sight.

In the afternoon, we went biking on the city walls. The ground is much, much bumpier than it looks.

fin.