Eating, sleeping and getting around in Xian

Xian was once the premier Chinese city, and today, it is one of very few that has impressive town fortifications. These city walls are impressive, although you can’t walk the whole perimeter, as the walls have collapsed in places. Even so, a partial walk is well worth the effort.

There is plenty to see in and around the town (see my separate journal on "Our Xian Excursions"), but most of all, take in the city’s culture. Although it’s a centre for tourism (everyone has heard of the Terracotta Warriors), Xian has somehow managed to retain its Chinese character. We saw very few signs that they’d chnaged to please the tourists (other than signs duplicated in English), and we just loved being able to mingle within the culture, soaking up their mores as we moved around the region.

The obvious high spot was our "eastern tour" (see separate journal on Terracotta Warriors), and although this was a really early start, the day just flew by. It was a great trip, and it was well worth doing on an organised tour.

Xian has some great markets, including the Muslim market, and whilst there, you should visit the Great Mosque. This 18th-century building (although it’s claimed there was an earlier mosque dating back several centuries) is one of the biggest in China. Dominating this walled temple is an attractive garden, and you must not be too disappointed that you can’t enter the prayer hall. Regular services are held here, and the hall is reserved for Muslim worshippers.

Beyond the south gate of the city wall, you can visit the two pagodas, Big Goose and Little Goose. Both were originally built in mid-600 A.D. but have been added to over the years. There are some great views of the city and the surrounding countryside from both, although Big Goose should be favoured. Little Goose was severely truncated and lost several tiers to a 16th-century earthquake. Admission to each pagoda is no more than 20 RMB, including rights to climb to the top.

Just inside the South Gate is the Forest of Steles Museum, housing the heaviest book collection in the world (I wondered who weighed them and could understand why they’d never been loaned by public libraries!). South Gate has some interesting buildings, and it was here that we started our walk around Xian’s wall.

Quick Tips:

When travelling from the airport to Xian, take the airport buses, because they run fairly frequently and will drop you off in the centre of Xian (at the Bell Tower). It a hassle-free half-hour journey that allows you to orientate yourself en route. At the bell tower, it’s fairly straightforward to catch a cab, although I would recommend that you carry the name and address of your hotel written in Chinese.

We found accessing an ATM quite difficult in Xian. There are plenty of them, but after the banks close, you need a separate access code to be able to open the door to reach the machine. The easy solution is to make sure you use them during bank hours!

I’d recommend that you make sure your hotel has a travel desk – it will make life much easier if you want to make use of an organised tour. The alternative would be to pop into the very helpful tourist information centre (near the train station).

To orientate yourself, ask your hotel for a map – it really makes life much easier, and even our hotel had a supply of local maps.

Best Way To Get Around:

Xian is easy to walk around, and this is probably the best way to ensure that you see the sights, but buses around town are relatively easy to catch. As the town focuses on the Bell Tower, the four main streets (North, South, East, and West Street) all converge on the centre. Buses seemed to run very frequently, and the tourist map shows all the routes. Alongside these are the more comfortable but still crowded mini-buses.

There are loads of taxis threading their way round town – make sure you always "travel on the meter," as they will offer you a general price, usually at a grossly inflated rate (we were offered 30 RMB to take us from the Bell Tower to the hotel, whereas the meter did not exceed the minimum charge of 6 RMB).

If you fancy cycling, we noticed that bike hire is possible at the Bell Tower Hotel for around 2 RMB an hour – the streets are packed with traffic, so you’d need to be on your toes.

Most of the major sites are accessible by public transport if you fancy being totally independent - catch them from the own centre.

Canaan was a good 20-minute walk from the town centre just off busy East Street. Access to the hotel is down a small street, and it’s only hoped that the buildings next to it are in the process of being upgraded. The whole area is a bit rundown, and it would not have been our first choice. Still, we only sleep here! Our first problem was encountered when we arrived, as none of the staff could speak more than a few words of English. They could ask us things, but didn’t understand our reply - we were a bit surprised, because Xian is a popular tourist stop. We got through check-in and managed to let them know that we wanted to arrange a trip to see the Terracotta Warriors – the hotel manager would contact us very shortly.

We were escorted to our room, and as we walked the corridor, it became evident that the hotel was a little on the shabby side and in need of some TLC, and indeed, a major re-fit. The lifts were painfully slow and really were inadequate for the size of hotel.

However, our bedroom was fine. There was a small balcony just big enough for two to stand on and take in the less-than-inspiring view. There was a firm bed (just what we like), a TV (no English channels), two upholstered chairs, drink-making facilities, an unreliable alarm clock, and stylish wooden flooring. Complimentary slippers were provided, along with shoeshine mitts, combs, toothbrush, shower gel, and a strange selection of non-complimentary goods (including male underwear!). The bathroom did look excessively tired, and occasionally there were some strange smells emanating from that room (nothing to do with us!!). There wasn’t a bath – somewhat disappointing, as a good soak is often required after a long day of sightseeing – and the towels, although clean, were lacking in "pile" and somewhat grey. Having said all that, the room was generally comfortable, and having rung room service for extra pillows (they responded within minutes of my phone call), we slept like logs.

Breakfast, not included in our deal, was a sorry affair. We only ate in the barn-like, sparsely decorated, poorly furnished restaurant once. Ordering an English breakfast was not a problem, but there was a 20-minute wait and the end result was a major disappointment – one egg, two wizened sausages, and a bit of overcooked bacon. The toast had hardly seen the grill and they had no fruit juice, but the coffee (only one cup) was fine. We ate out on other days!

The staff really tried to be of assistance and was friendly, always giving a welcoming smile as we entered the large foyer, and there was a very competent travel desk where we arranged our trip to see the Terracotta Warriors. They were not yet geared up for international visitors, but the manager assured us that they were working on that!

I hate to own up to this, but we were quite peckish one afternoon and in need of a sit-down meal. Many of the eateries in Xian were remarkably unattractive, and having seen meat on sale in the town (see separate journal on "Xian - a tour round the town"), we wanted safe food. McDonald’s presented itself as a sign of consistent quality (you’ll all have your views on that), and we decided to give it a whirl.

I can’t remember the last time we went into such an establishment, but it is remarkably similar to all others in the chain. We ordered food and drinks at the counter, and like in the UK, the order was punched into the till; sent to the kitchen (in full view to the diners); and by the time the bill was presented to me, the food was on its way. Drinks served, cheeseburger and French fries bagged all on a tray, and I’m off to find my wife who has already settled at the table resting her weary bones.

Despite my reservations, I did thoroughly enjoy our snack and was appreciative of a meal that tasted as it should and was totally inoffensive to the palate. The staff did not hover at the table or watch surreptitiously as we munched on each mouthful – they knew if we wanted more food we’d make our way to the front desk.

But despite the similarities to the UK McDonald’s, there were some real significant differences. First, the staff took responsibility for the shop frontage, and whilst we were there, they were making sure it was clean and litter free. The staff clearly understood the expectations of their fastidious manager and was constantly tidying the restaurant and the surrounding area. Tables were cleaned as soon as they were vacated, and any spillages were soon wiped away. This place was a pleasure to eat, a credit to every single staff member.

Second, we saw how attentive the staff could be if it was necessary. A family group with a preschool child was attempting to eat their meals as well as supervise their son, who was determined to spend time in the small "soft" play area. A member of staff approached the parents, and the next thing we saw was that she’d taken off her shoes and was actively supervising the child on the parent’s behalf. Both child and staff member had "a whale of a time," and it was great to see. It was over and beyond the call of duty, and I guess they may have been insurance issues if anything had gone wrong, but what a sympathetic response from the waitress, enabling hassled parents to have a few quiet moments enjoying their meal.

This was a peaceful and spotless fast-food experience, and if you eat this kind of food, you will surely enjoy McDonald’s in Xian.

RBT on East Street is perhaps one of the strangest restaurants I’ve ever eaten in. I will contradict myself slightly in this journal entry, as I hardly ate anything in this green restaurant. I’ll avoid suggesting that the food was really bad and hint to you that it was not to my palate (a euphemism at best!).

The restaurant looked attractive, had numerous diners at the tables, and was only a stone’s throw from the hotel – all points in its favour. The menu was in English and the food looked attractive, both on the menu and the plates. We entered with high expectations. In the window, chairs were hanging from the ceiling and diners dangled precariously as they tried to maneuver their food and retain their balance. We opted for the more stable chairs, but even these were uncomfortable and had an infant-like appearance to them.

No alcohol is served in this fast-food green restaurant, but there was a superb selection of drinks (smoothies, iced fruits, teas, coffees, and the normal "fizzies" out of a can). Picking the drink was difficult, and I finally opted for a pearl tea with cream. This was an interesting drink - served in a long glass and sucked through a straw. There were numerous chocolate-looking beans, but they turned out to be globules of jelly. They were hard to avoid but fairly innocuous, and I’m not sure how much they contributed to this tasty drink. My wife predictably went for a rich chocolate drink from the menu’s "healthy" section. Boy, was it chocolaty!

For food, we opted for chicken with peanut rice and chicken with mushrooms – safe options that looked great in the pictures. After a fairly short wait, they were brought to the table. Each dish was served on a tray and served alongside a clear broth and a cold, spiced red cabbage. They looked superb, and we started with great enthusiasm. But the broth was heavily laced with fresh coriander (my wife’s most hated herb), and although I could avoid the leaves, my wife could not avoid the strong taste. It was a shame, because this was going to be the best part of the meal!

The dreaded coriander had also infiltrated the cabbage, and I found the dish overpowering and unpleasant. Neither of us managed more than a mouthful! Then we turned our attention to the main course. Chunks of chopped bone (possibly chicken leg, but I’m not convinced) constituted the meat, and the taste was distinct and unpleasant. Not to my taste and inedible. We ate the rice (a reasonable portion and not contaminated by the taste of the meat), paid the bill, and left.

This was by far the worst meal we’d endured in China. Perhaps it was us, because other diners seemed to be enjoying the food in this bright, clean, and trendy restaurant. I would not recommend the food, but their drinks were highly commendable.

We now fancied a change from rice and some of the indescribable meat that had graced our plates and were only too happy to stagger into this Westernised eatery aptly named Pizza Bar. It was a bright, cheery establishment with willing and happy staff waiting to serve us. They were smartly dressed in informal black-and-white-checked shirts and red headware (baseball caps for the guys and scarves for the women). A fresh salad bar graced the centre of the restaurant (15 RMB for a single portion of savoury or fruit salad), and it all looked very fresh.

We were led to a table with plush faux leather chairs under bright orange and green tiffany lights. Crisp green tablecloths draped the plain single-plinth table, and we settled down to consider the menu choices. The waitress hovered, as they do in China, and I managed to explain that we wanted our drinks first and a little more time to choose our food. The beer must have been almost a litre and had a fragrant aftertaste - an interesting beer – but we were now ready to order. We ordered a single pizza and were well chuffed with the end product. A crisp, thick, but extremely light dough was crammed with cheeses, egg, mushrooms, ham, tomatoes, onions, and peppers. It was very tasty.

Once we’d devoured the pizza, we still had a "small hole to fill," and so we set about getting the menu back. This is never an easy task, but we finally succeeded and plumped for Italian chicken rice. It is a good choice, as a substantial amount of freshly cooked food arrived on a very hot cast-iron skillet. Mixed in the rice was an ample serving of chicken with peppers, ham, onion, and a vibrantly green broccoli, all blended together with a rich, creamy sauce. The flavours were well integrated into the dish, which was well worth trying.

The internal decor of this restaurant provided plenty of interest, whilst outside we overlooked the tranquil courtyard of a neighbouring hotel, with its large statues, water fountains, and intense green lighting. Momentarily, we forgot that to the front of the eatery was the busy East Street.

We sat on a raised dais of laminated flooring (most of the restaurant was tiled in an alternating, large black-and-white design) and under an open trellised dropped ceiling with hanging fans and simple spots. Around the wall was miniature framed sporting equipment (golf, fishing, tennis, and sailing) and around the side, a host of interesting "trinkets," including bright, modern pottery figurines; artificial fruit; and a range of bottled pastas. A large plaque of a grinning chef indicated the route to the kitchen

This restaurant was heavily influenced by Western design, but the food had an Eastern taste to it. We were pleased to have entered Pizza Bar. The staff was efficient, friendly, and as helpful as the language barrier would allow. We would recommend you try it.