Xi’an is indeed an amazing city where you can find a unique place: the muslim quarter. I consider the muslim quarter of Xi’an, or hui min jie (Muslim street) a must-do activity as it is one of the most interesting areas in town. And what makes it so exceptional? The food! And since I love trying different foods where I travel, the Muslim quarter of Xi’an was indeed a must go place in town. Xi’an large muslim community serves up street food in a labyrinth of narrow interconnected streets that develop away from the main road. I went on a Saturday early afternoon and it was acceptably crowded. As I entered the food area, I notices straight away its authenticity: lots of signs, amazing colours, strong smells, unique people, the Muslim quarter of Xi’an definitely has it all, and has probably not changed much since its inception over 1000 years ago, when Xi’an was the starting point of the ancient Silk Road. In those times, a number of merchants and overseas students from Persia and other Arabic countries, called Hui by the local population, traveled to Xi’an for business and stud, settling down on present Muslim street. I did my walk going with the flow, getting lost in the maze of small, smelly streets bustling with lots of hungry locals doing their normal shopping, and no tourists at all, since winter is the low tourist season in Xi’an. The Muslim quarter of Xi’an is a postcard every turn of your head, so I took lots of pictures while I tasted lots of delicious traditional food, snacking, juggling food and the camera with both hands, and walking my way from stall to stall. The chaotic ambiance was made even worse by the constant stream of bikes, scooters and carts trying to force their way through the crowd along block after block of some of the greatest street food. A massive cauldron of deliciousness, a whirlwind of cooking, baking, sizzling, where most of the cooking is done on small coal-fired stoves or griddles. The list of dishes available is endless. I started in an area where stalls and shops offered dumpling soups with beef, bowls of noodles with meaty broth poured over, different types of breads, filled pancakes, spicy chilli peanuts, chickens roasting on rapidly turning spits. There was a guy pulling noodles, and ladies with tiny carts with a griddle on top making a tofu dish with chilli and scallion. I then stumbled upon the meat area, where locals women haggled with butchers for discounts. There were stalls offering meat-stuffed flat biscuits, cumin lamb skewers, lamb pastrami and more. Next I found a street where dried fruits, candies, spices, homemade yogurt, date cakes and honey were sold. Lots of shops offered crispy Uyghur flatbread cooked on the inside of smoking cylindrical ovens. A real mix of Chinese and Arabic cuisine! The streets are many and tend to repeat themselves after a while, but there are locals playing cards or traditional Mahjong game, and shops selling local crafts to distract you from all that food, as well as some ancient architectural buildings to put your eyes on. A visit of 3 hours will do, though you can surely spend much more time there. I left at 5pm, but I am told that after 6pm the market really gets crowded, getting crazier as the night wears on. The Muslim quarter of Xi’an is an amazing place and a wonderful way to experience a culture within a culture. Not to be missed! For more choice of tours in Xi’an, consult http://asianitinerary.com/lily-xian-private-tours/   

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Room 1606, Building 9B, Chang Feng Yuan Resident Community, YanTa District, Xi’an 710061, China http://www.lilyxianprivatetours.com lilychinatours@hotmail.com  office: +86 29 85428005 (09:00-18:00) mobile: +86-18629295068 (24 hours) WHO THEY ARE Lily Xi’an Private Tours operates a variety of China tours for different needs. Each itinerary they offer can be tailor-made, you can send us inquiries about one or some of them first, and our travel consultant will customize them based on your specific interests and needs. Director Lily Sun graduated from Xian International Studies University and has been a trustworthy English tour guide for almost 10 years. Lily is also a travel enthusiast who has been to several places in the world, thus she knows exactly how tourists make plans and what they want and need in their trip. Lily is considered by her guests to be well-educated, knowledgeable, kind and easy-going. Lily guides visitors in a journey of discovery, where you will learn about the profound Chinese history and culture, making you fall in love with the places you will visit. Follow Lily and her team for an exceptional experience of Xi’an and China. Lily Xi’an Private Tours will endeavour to tailor a special tour to suit your personal requirements, whether you are a lover of history or nature, a traveler with time or budget constraints, or a family with kids or seniors. Their working principle is “You Require, We Satisfy”. WHAT THEY DO So why chose Lily Xi’an Private Tours? Well, for a start, unlike many other travel agencies, they are Xi’an local tour experts and they specialize in organizing private tours in the region, so you will get the facts about your chosen destinations from real local people who know best the places where they are living. Savvy travellers know quality tours do not have to be expensive, and Lily Xi’an Private Tours offer professional support and service at for reasonable prices. Services they provide include: Transfer: enjoy private transfer throughout your trip, all vans arranged by Lily Xi’an Private Tours and are expected to be clean, safe and air-conditioned. They arrange domestic China flights as well as international flights upon request. Tour Guide & Driver: well dressed and non-smoking, tour guides will receive you at airports, train stations, piers or hotels holding a greeting board with your name on it. All the guides are promised to have excellent language and communication skills. Drivers are prohibited from chatting, smoking or phoning when driving. Land Tours: your private tour will depart on any date at your convenience. It is exclusively for you and no strangers are allowed to join. There’s no limit on the number of people in your group, though the tours will be more expensive if taken alone. Your tour will follow your heart, you are free to travel at your own pace and flexible to choose any additional stops. Your tour guide will double check the itinerary with you, so if there is any difference they can make a quick adjustment. Hotels: they make arrangement with a wide selection of hotels, from budget to luxurious, boutique to chain brands, to meet every client’s needs. All hotels are promised to be clean, secure and comfortable. Meals: lunch during tours is a la carte at local restaurants whenever possible, usually local Chinese food is served with sanitation guaranteed. Please note in some remote countryside regions it’s simply hard to arrange a decent a la carte meal, so lunch may be at a local family or tourist restaurant as you decide. Your tour guide will help you make the order as waiters’ English at local restaurants do varies. Shopping: they usually provide “no shopping” tours. If you do have interest in some local products, please tell your guide, who may suggest some local stores with best quality at reasonable prices. Follow Lily Xi’an Private Tours for your customized and personalized tour through the treasures of the vast and magical land of China.

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