Eastern Thrills: Xi'an

Our next stop was Xi'an to see the ancient terracotta warriors and get a taste of the people via street food. This we did, in excess. 

We were so jet lagged that we arose every morning around 6 AM. We would promptly hit the streets to find caffeine. If we were lucky we would run in to these early morning eats.

Fried everything.

My favorite meal: Mongolian Hot Pot. I guess ever culture has their version of fondu. 

Everybody needs an egg now and then.

Skewered octopus.

Barbecued street meat. 

Wonder what type of meat it was?

The highlight of Xi'an was  exploring the ancient archeological site of the Terracotta Warriors. These relics are said to be 'funerary art' which were buried with the first emporer of China in 210 BC. They were sculpted to be his army in the after life to protect him.

There are literally thousands of warriors with no two faces alike. 

Mind blowing.

Finally, the city of Xi'an is known for their markets, namely the Muslim Market, in the Muslim Quarter, which is the biggest Islamic community in China. Of course this was during the National Day holiday, so the streets were packed.

Stay tuned for the next stop: Shanghai.