China: Xi'an

I landed in Xi'an on [Lunar] New Year's Eve. People everywhere were burning fires for their ancestors inside of chalk circles that were drawn on the streets and sidewalks. Also, fireworks were going off left and right, and it wasn't even dark yet!

I should have budgeted my time better. I checked into my hostel after a long day of traveling and then went exploring right away, because I had only 24 hours before my flight to Shanghai. The result was that by 11pm I was completely finished and fell asleep before the midnight festivities. Supposedly the fireworks were deafening, but I slept right through them.

For lack of a better explanation, everything about China felt so Chinese. Sometimes when I'm in Korea I feel like I could be anywhere, but China felt exactly like China ought to feel.

Bell Tower

South Gate (Xi'an is a walled city)

 Hotel

  Colonnade leading to the Bell Tower

Bell Tower

  City decorated with red lanterns for the Chinese New Year

Residential Xi'an