I woke up early today at around 5 am because we had an early start to catch our train to Xi’an. I was a little sad to say goodbye to Beijing, but I was way more excited about seeing another part of China. I was also really excited to ride the great bullet train that travels at 300 km/h. When we got to the station, I was shocked to see that it looked just like an airport. It looked nothing like waiting at an Amtrak station. The bullet train is a marvel for transportation, but yet it didn’t seem that fast because the ride was six hours long. When we got on the train I had to take in the interior design and I really appreciated it. The way the train was designed made me feel so comfortable and relaxed.

When we arrived at the Grand Dynasty Culture Hotel I was impressed again at its architecture and its decorations with historical and cultural paintings and statues. Everything was picture worthy, but I was so tired I didn’t have the strength to stop and take them. After we got a chance to settle in the hotel we headed to the first thing on our agenda in Xi’an. We turned the corner of our hotel and walked down to the Muslim quarter and met the community of Chinese Muslims in Xi’an. There were lots of markets on the side of the street. It was like a boardwalk but with no beach. There were people selling meats and toys and bread and anything you can think of. I think this was the most amount of meat cooked or raw that I have seen in one place. As we walked, there were so many different sights and smells. They also had a lot of souvenirs being sold in little shops, like fans, chopsticks, and fidget spinners. So many fidget spinners! I almost felt tempted to buy one.

We continued along the market street until we reached the end and in front of us was the Xi’an drum tower. While there, our tour guide taught us about how the drum tower was used a s a way to inform everyone of the time. The architecture of the structure was beautiful. When we got up to the top floor, there was a beautiful view where you could look over part of the city. It felt to nice to be up there and feel that nice breeze. Before the drum tower visit though, we went to a restaurant very close by where we tried 13 different types of dumplings. That was the biggest highlight cuisine wise so far on this trip.

After dinner and the drum tower visit we made our way back down the Muslim market street, but this time it was way different. When it got dark out, the lights turned on and gave the atmosphere a whole new feeling.  Even though it was so crowded everywhere, it was just so colorful and bright that I didn’t really mind it that much. It was just bustling with life and excitement. The night seemed to bring their culture to life. Although my feet were tired from what seemed like endless walking, the lights kept me entertained until I was able to fall on my bed.