Xian, the Ancient Capital of the Middle Kingdom

Grand Mosque at the Muslim Quarters

I am motivated to write short articles about those cities and places we have visited so far during our PhotoSafari Trips. Since we started doing photo tours, we have organized 7 photosafaris and attended 2 Crossing Bridges outings over the past one and a half years. That is considered to be a lot of specialized photography trips we have made so far.

I am just putting my thoughts and impressions as a photographer on the places that I have visited. It is in no way a travel guide. However, you can use some of my experiences as a travelling photographer and you should be able to capture some of those moments that I have captured.

This is a wonderful journey that I would like to share with you and hope that you will like it.

1.

The residents are trying to cope with change

2.

Sweet Potato Seller at the corner of the street. Inspite of modernity, traditions continued

3.

A Pau Seller catering to the breakfast crowd

4.

The Muslim Street. This is tourist street after 11am till midnight

5.

A couple selling fried rice cakes at another corner of the street

6.

A man selling "eight treasure rice pudding"

7.

A resident of the Muslim Street

Xian, the Capital of Ancient China

I have first visited Xian in 1990 when China first opened its door to travelers. If my memory serves me well, it was a city waiting to expand. There were many places where you can still see the remnants of ancient China. Some of the streets were still populated by 16th to 18th century buildings.

Fast forward to present day Xian, it is a modernized city. High rise buildings sprout up everywhere. Each newer building wants to outdo the last. The residents were playing catch up with modernity. Some of the older folks were left behind. You can see signs of it everywhere.

The only place where the City Authority left untouched was the Muslim Quarters. It is here that you can still find the old houses and cobble streets. The Grand Mosque was still there and has turned into a Tourist destination.

Favourite tourist destinations like the Terracotta Soldiers, Emperor Chin’s tomb, Big Goose Pagoda, etc provided a healthy tourist industry to the local populace.

I had the opportunity to take in some morning scenes at the “Muslim Quarters”

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