Xian by night

Xian is a city that has featured largely in my imagination for many years. It is cradle of Chinese civilisation, has served as capital to the great Qin, Han and Tang dynasties and was the eastern terminus for the caravans of the Silk Road. Romantic, exotic and colourful are words that immediately spring to my mind.

So when I finally arrived yesterday with my parents, I couldn't wait to explore the city. Thankfully, our hotel is just across the road from the heart of Xian so after settling dinner & bedtime for the folks, I hit the markets in the Muslim quarter.

What a glorious sight it was - there were trinkets and street food galore! Thanks to the Arabic influence from its Silk Road days, there are over 60,000 Muslims living in Xian and they provide a refreshing touch of colour and culture. It's so delightful to have "makciks in tudungs" (aunties in headscarves) offering their wares to you in Mandarin!

And the street food is simply superb. From shao ping (pancakes) to kebabs to rou jia mo (Chinese burgers), everything is just so flavourful, cheap and halal. While I usually steer clear of street food in China, all the food here is freshly prepared from vendors that have a supply of running water. Plus there was no way I can resist the mouth-watering aromas and sights in that night market. So far, so good.

Street vendors preparing their delicious pancakes and kebabs

And if food just isn't your main focus (why..oh why?), there are plenty of sights that light up Xian's night sky. Just look up and be greeted by the ancient beauties known as the Bell and Drum Towers. These are Ming Dynasty architecture erected in the 14th century to help Xian city dwellers mark time. The bells greet the morning, while the drums signal night time.

The Bell and Drum Tower - masterpieces from the Ming Dynasty