Xian 1: The City (Shaanxi, PRC, 西安陕西中国)

Xian is truly a historical city, counting about 3000 years of existence, as it was the capital for several dynasties of rulers. It was also the starting point tothe Silk Road. However, today the city is a big lump of buildings, smog, traffic and people, with some spots worth visiting and an impressive city wall. .

Some artwork from a tao temple, and the drum tower, sitting in the center of a busy roundabout..

The Great Mosque, sitting within beautiful grounds, is ancient too (about 1300yrs old) and looks just like a plain chinese temple from the outside. A newer one, squeezed between buildings, resembles better the typical mosque type.

Street scenes from the muslim quarter, here the (city?) police confiscates a bike-cart from a woman, apparently she did not have a licence to sell on the street. On the right, a shop selling fashionable muslim-arabic goods.

And finally the Small Goose pagoda, from where you can see the city - doesn't look like an old city at all! More like an urban jungle...