Expo, Walking atop Walls and Dumplings

In the morning, a bit bleary-eyed but ready to explore, we head to the Xi'an Silk Road International Tourism Expo. Along the way we pass another group meeting, the World Toilet Work Conference. We'd like to have stopped in and mentioned our request for more Western style toilets, but that's a story for another day.

Arriving at the Expo Hall

Like a repeat of yesterday's extravaganza, we are welcomed  with preferential seating and the press. The opening ceremony was a combination of short remarks, dance, drums and dance. The expo itself is a riot of color and world destinations, all vying for the attention of visitors.

Xi'an Silk Road International Expo

Naturally, the Good Girls had a little fun and joined the Red Army!

After a brief walk-through, we switch gears for a walk on the city's wall. Xi'an was the capitol of China, home of the first emperor and all who followed him for more than 1,400 years.

The ancient wall on a smoggy day.

The wall was built of adobe during the Tang Dynasty (618-906) and rebuilt of brick in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Now it stands an imposing 40 feet high, 40-46 feet wide at the top, 50 to 60 feet at the bottom and stretches for 8.5 miles surrounded by a moat and park.

A lovely park on the exterior of the wall and the modern city behind. 

Intricate wooden architecture with beautiful painted details on a temple.

The wall is long and appears to go on forever. 

To residents these walls are a park unto themselves.

Brides and grooms accompanied by an entourage of photographers, hair and makeup stylists, set up photo shoots there.

 

Families rent bikes and ride around the top.

Couples amble around and groups like ours explore its ancient rooms and contemporary vistas.









Debi headed for the top tower; I wandered below and was soon intrigued by an odd statue.

The Pi Xin.

The beast, I learned, is a Pi Xin, an imaginary creature beloved by merchants because he takes food - i.e. money - in, but never excretes, or as our guide put it, "all in, no out."

Along the ramparts, illustrations with informative text in Chinese and English explain life within, from armaments and their use to uniforms and strategies.

Which way? 

Lunch also was filled with discoveries. We were taken to Defachang, known as the No. 1 dumpling banquet house since 1939.  Photos of the famous, Anna Chenault to the Clintons, who have dined in one of the upstairs private banquet rooms line the halls.

We were led to ours and settled in to what was to become a marathon demonstration of the versatility of Chinese dumplings. Cooking method? Steamed, baked, boiled, fried, sauteed. Shapes ranged from stegosaurus backs or swans to cylinders or tiny stuffed drawstring purses. Colors? Creamy, yellow, orange, browns, blacks and most shades in between. Fillings? You name it, savory, sweet, spicy, mild. We lost track, but each was delicious.

A tasty Duck Dumpling!

In all, more than 200 different varieties can be prepared by the folders, fillers and chefs at Defachang. We blimped out at perhaps 19 or 20. In retrospect, the mind boggles.

Little did we know our day had barely begun.