Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province in China, is a city rich in history and culture. Known as one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, Xi'an has been the capital for several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including the Western Zhou, Western Han, Sui, Northern Zhou, and Tang.
After breakfast today, our coach transferred us to the airport for our flight to Xi'an. I was surprised to discover that although the plane we were flying on internally was smaller than the plane we flew to China, it had more legroom.
The flight was uneventful, and we were met by a new local guide when we arrived in Xi´an. We had a large lunch with many different dishes served on a Lazy Susan at the airport before getting on a coach that transferred us from the airport to the City of Xi´an.
Xi'an City Walls.
When we arrived in Xi'an, we were met at the walls of the city by a welcoming party. A closed gate and soldiers barred our way until we were invited in and were welcomed by the emperor, the empress, dancers and an acrobat. The show was terrific, especially the girl who did acrobatics. It was amazing how she could throw herself over whilst spinning a hat on her feet. We were then given the freedom of the city and presented with a gold key symbolising the freedom of the city we were granted.
Xian Welcome Ceremony Photos.
These photos were all taken when I went to a Welcome Ceremony at the Gates of Xian. Click on any image to see a larger version with a description.
After we watched the show, we had our photo taken with the characters in the show, and we were then invited to climb the tower and view the city from the top. It was pretty strange to see the old part of the city and the new tower blocks built on the other side, towering over the wall.
In the evening, we went to see a show at one of the Xi´an shopping centres. The show displayed different moving videos on the ceiling of the centre. From there, we were taken to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and watched a colourful musical fountain display.
Xian Photos.
These photos were all taken as I looked around Xian. Click on any image to see a larger version with a description.
