Xi'an Photos

XI'AN: Bell Tower Hotel entrance is decorated with the replica of a Terra Cotta Warrior.

XI'AN: Entrance to the Bell Tower Hotel from the underpass exit.

XI'AN: Modern art hanging in dining room of the Bell Tower Hotel.

XI'AN: Bell Tower bell is a popular place to take pictures.

XI'AN: Bell Tower bell. For a buck and a half visitors can ring it; many do.

XI'AN: What's that foreigner doing with that little black gadget? Oh. It is a camera. Got 'cha!

XI'AN: Bell Tower is a popular place to take pictures, including an opportunity to dress in the Emperor's robes like this guy.

XI'AN: Looking down West Street from the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: Looking down South Street from the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: This shopping center sits on the SW corner facing the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: In front of the hotel with the Bell Tower in the background, police set up a traffic check. They seemed only to be interested in black sedans.

XI'AN: Looking down East Street from the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: Looking up North Street from the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: This guy studies a photograph he has just taken of me on the walkway around the second story of the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: Looking down South Street from the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: WongBa I used that is near the Bell Tower Hotel. Most of these Internet Cafes are located on upper floors of seedy buildings also housing dance clubs or dating services. Most men in the WongBas are either playing games or searching galleries of girls. The few women seem to be mostly "chatting" or looking at collections of available men!

XI'AN: Sidewalk fruit sellers work the space in front of the Bell Tower Hotel.

XI'AN: This city maintenance worker is busy scraping flyers off city property. While I watched, he yelled at a woman who had just tossed a candy wrapper on the sidewalk. The woman laughed at him, but did pick up the wrapper and give it to the street maintenance guy.

XI'AN: Near the underpass entrance next to the Bell Tower Hotel a guy was demonstrating a plastic cling toy that "climbed" down the glass window. I snapped this picture of some country folk clearly fascinated by the display.

XI'AN: People waiting for trains linger in the shade. As there are air conditioned waiting rooms inside, I am not sure why they are stuck out here in the heat, but there are thousands waiting.

XI'AN: Home made street sweeping broom.

XI'AN: During my last China trip in 2004 I took a lot of photos of the lion sculptures placed on either side of important buildings. They are still here and this is one good example.

XI'AN: A portion of an extraordinary sculpture I found along one of the nearby malls.

XI'AN: Weekend games on the sidewalks around the corner from the Bell Tower Hotel.

XI'AN: Weekend commercial activity along the sidewalks around the corner from the Bell Tower Hotel.

XI'AN: Cargo transporters wait along the sidewalks around the corner from the Bell Tower Hotel.

XI'AN: Face of this mannequin look familiar? It should; it is a copy of one of the famous Terracotta Warriors.

XI'AN: Weekend commercial activity along the sidewalks around the corner from the Bell Tower Hotel.

Xi'an: Large poster of the newly wedded couple erected in front of the Bell Tower Hotel to celebrate their wedding; I wondered if they might be popular performers.

Xi'an: Massive firecracker bundle, one of two set off in front of the Bell Tower Hotel to celebrate a wedding. Maintenance guy cleans up the aftermath.

XI'AN: Weekend commercial activity along the sidewalks around the corner from the Bell Tower Hotel.

XI'AN: Capitalism is alive in China as indicated by the commercial activity along the sidewalks around the corner from the Bell Tower Hotel.

XI'AN: Inside the better of two WongBa's I used. Notice that everyone is playing games.

Xi'an: Employees burning fake money for good luck at the opening of a store.

Xi'an: Art in the lobby in the Bell Tower Hotel.

Xi'an: Art on the wall of the lobby in the Bell Tower Hotel.

Xi'an: Portion of the underpass connecting all four corners of the intersections around the Bell Tower structure directly above.

Xi'an: Sign with a D substituted for O. I guess they ran out of the O's and figured few local people would notice the difference.

Xi'an: One of the ten entrances to the underpass connecting all four corners of the intersections around the Bell Tower seen in the background.

XIAN: Part of the sculpture garden representing the Shanglinyuan national numismatic foundry site established in 113BC by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. The sculpture garden is in the entrance area of a now closed super market.

XIAN July 2008 July 27, 2008 - 135 photos
Photos taken during my initial stay in Xian before heading off to climb Mount Huashan to the northeast.

XI'AN: Entrance to the Bell Tower Hotel from the underpass exit.

XI'AN: Bell Tower is the iconic symbol for the city of Xian. So photogenic I took many pictures of it from every angle. There is a pedestrian subway surrounding the entire structure and providing safe connection for all four street intersections.

XI'AN: First sight upon climbing the stairs up the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: Bell Tower Hotel across the street from the actual Bell Tower.

XI'AN: Bell Tower illuminated at night.

XI'AN: Entry stairs up to the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: Looking down on the roof features of the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: One of the carved bas relief sculptures around the second story of the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: Shopping Center across the street from the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: I cannot walk anywhere without being approached by someone wanting to practice their English. This little girl reluctantly complies with her mother's urging to show the foreigner how well she speaks English; she didn't.

XI'AN: Every city has exercise equipment in a park like this one. Children and adults alike make use of the playgrounds.

XI'AN: This is one of the rare engine powered cargo tricycles. So quiet are the motors I thought they were electrically powered like most of the bicycles and tricycles. Xian has obviously made noise pollution a top priority. Nothing that moves makes any more noise than a room air conditioner! Excited people in groups are another matter. Some of the folks must have been raised in the country where communication regularly required shouting! There are a lot of uncultured people here, even in the upscale hotels.

XI'AN: Examples of the ubiquitous electric "bicycles." Both of these have had their pedals removed, but one sees many people pumping the pedals part time.

XI'AN: There are a lot of bicycles in this city. Here is a large bike parking lot.

XI'AN: Decorations on the face of the city's concert hall.

XI'AN: Faces of these mannequins look familiar? They should being modeled after the famous Terracotta Warriors.

XI'AN: Capitalism is alive in China as indicated by Western franchises. This is only one of many Starbucks around the city center.

XI'AN: Lonely monk sits quietly on the steps of the hotel.

Xi'an: Massive firecracker bundle, one of two set off in front of the Bell Tower Hotel to celebrate a wedding. It sounded like a building collapsing!

Xi'an: Aftermath of a massive firecracker bundle, one of two set off in front of the Bell Tower Hotel to celebrate a wedding. They make a LOT of noise!

Xi'an: Sculptures near the West Gate of the walled city.

Xi'an: Shouting match as a car just misses the tricycle of a junk collector.

Xi'an: Art on the wall of the lobby in the Bell Tower Hotel.

XIAN: Part of the sculpture garden in the entrance area of a closed super market.

XIAN: Plaque explaining the sculpture garden representing the Shanglinyuan national numismatic foundry site established in 113BC by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. The sculpture garden is in the entrance area of a now closed super market.

XIAN: Plaque explaining the sculpture garden representing the Shanglinyuan national numismatic foundry site established in 113BC by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.

Return to the main Xi'an postcard page.

XI'AN: Entrance to the Bell Tower Hotel from the underpass exit.

XI'AN: Modern art hanging in dining room of the Bell Tower Hotel.

XI'AN: No one pays any attention to painted crosswalks! I'm not sure why they even went to the trouble to paint them. To cross, pedestrians must time their hazardous walk to avoid speeding vehicles that seemingly pay no attention to people... including traffic cops who make lackadaisical gestures meant to provide some control. They are totally ignored by everyone, as these photos show.

XI'AN: Bell Tower bell. For a buck and a half visitors can ring it; many do.

XI'AN: Sign discussing Bell Tower history.

XI'AN: Looking down East Street from the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: Looking up North Street from the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: Looking down West Street from the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: Walkway around the second story of the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: Looking down South Street from the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: Walkway around the second story of the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: While leaning over the railing of the walkway around the second story of the Bell Tower, some jerk jabbed me on the shoulder asking if he could take my picture; I nearly lost my balance and let him know how inappropriate the timing was.

XI'AN: One of the old lamps hanging inside of the second story room of the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: This is the most popular spot for family photos at the Bell Tower.

XI'AN: People waiting for trains linger in the shade. As there are air conditioned waiting rooms inside, I am not sure why they are stuck out here in the heat, but there are thousands waiting.

XI'AN: This is one of the cleanest cities/countries I've visited. A large army of street sweepers like this one take their time making the sidewalks litter free.

XI'AN: Interesting sculpture in the mini-park next to one of the major hotels just outside the city walls.

XI'AN: Interesting sculpture in the mini-park next to one of the major hotels just outside the city walls.

XI'AN: During my last China trip in 2004 I took a lot of photos of the lion sculptures placed on either side of important buildings. Look at the size of this one.

XI'AN: Weekend games on the sidewalks around the corner from the Bell Tower Hotel.

XI'AN: Faces of these mannequins look familiar? They should being modeled after the famous Terracotta Warriors that made Xi'an well know the world over.

XI'AN: Lonely monk sits quietly on the steps of the hotel. When I returned from my hour long walk he still sat there.

XI'AN: Planning for the worst. These two policemen practice getting into their protective gear, fitting gas masks snugly and quickly.

XI'AN: Inside the better of two WongBa's I used. Notice that everyone is playing games.

Xi'an: Interesting rumpled gold colored cloth is used as a surface treatment on many buildings. It doesn't look terribly durable.

Xi'an: Entrance monument to one of the major shopping malls.

Xi'an: Street musicians: one blind, one lame.

Xi'an: Entrance to the $51 three star Qinda Hotel where I got a room with an Internet connected computer.

Xi'an: Decorations in front of the entrance to the $51 three star Qinda Hotel where I got a room with an Internet connected computer.

Xi'an: Warning sign in the bathroom at the $51 three star Qinda Hotel. Not sure how to comply.