How can you top seeing an entire army of clay soldiers ?

Tough task, but Xi’an itself has quite a bit to offer.

Over the course of two days we managed to take in quite a bit at a comfortable pace. What makes Xi’an unique, aside from the warriors is that the entire city center is surrounded by a 40 foot high wall dating back several hundred years. (Then again what doesn’t date back several hundred years in China?) One can walk all of the way around said wall but if you are a touch more adventurous you can pay $2 USD and rent a bike and ride all of the way around.

But before climbing up, we decided to check out some sites within walls, like the Drum and Bell towers at the center of the city and while there managed to bump into our fellow bunkmate from the train.

Meanwhile just a few minutes walk from the towers we found the Great Mosque. Having been fortunate enough to travel throughout Asia it takes a bit to impress M and I these days, but what we came across was a wonderful mix of the Far and Middle East.

Finally on our last day we decided to check out the wall and soon after climbing up decided to rent bikes. 8 miles and an hour or so later we finished our journey having managed to get a great workout while taking in the city from an incredible vantage point.

Though it does get a bit bumpy at times, the ride does give you the chance to see Xi’an from a different angle.