西安4

Today - Total steps 22970 (16km)

The sun does shine today. Shine it does; and H O T!!!
We are taking in the sights and sounds around the Beiyuan Men area. We want to pay a visit to an extraordinary house in this great city.

Raymond has a sense of Aussie humor

And I happily join in the fun and be an idiot at this square where we have so many of these hilarious characters ....

SM is so happy (almost ecstatic) to see these 糕点

We chanced upon this nice little boutique 客栈 - not really a hotel nor a motel. The rooms are huge and are fitted with 2 QBs. There is hot water, air conditioning and a nice shower. All for 188元. Good deal.
西安鼓楼回坊小吃街市政府对面，电话 029 87213677，二楼安静，楼下有庭院似四合院。

Central courtyard of the boutique 客栈

By now a familiar sight - roll call before the start of the business

That early in the morning the traders are just beginning to trade and the tourists sparse

The highlight of the day is to visit this extraordinary house - The ancient styled folk house @ 144 Bei Yuan Men 北院门 144号高家大院。This is a highly recommended sight in Xi'an.

One for the memory .....

明末主人高岳崧京试即被欽点”榜眼“，受赐豪华宅第。

狀元是弟一名

榜元是第二名

房间87间，现对外开放57间。古民居现为古城一个景点

迎紫 - what a beautiful name！

 Beautiful entrance - I am very taken in by the designs

 Fantastic architectural design. One roof is higher than the other so rain would not splash onto each roof from one another.

 天井 - drinking well underneath the original stone cover

 赐福

 Beautiful view of the rear garden down the lane way

 、It is so peaceful here, and it's shady in the rear garden

 Lovely old wall and the climbers are a fitting accompaniment to the wall and the stairs

Lovely roof design。 The old bricks are so nice and so seasoned looking。

 These walls are large， tall，and expansive。It is airy and shady inside this exceptional building. SM is the choreographer.

SM finds a right spot to take this photo.

These 2 beautiful girls are having a rest on the stone stools

 

 Back on to the street front and observing the sellers and buyers - more things to discover

 This is how 花生糖 is made - knocked and patted then cut into strips

 I can recognize cherries and blueberries being sold here.

 This is a nice and easy eating bread/biscuit. 脆脆的。

  好像 bake naan 一样？？

Time for lunch makan and some beer

 The 酒鬼 is at it again filling her glass and she might be mistaken to be a bit funny

Our lunch is at a Hong Kong 茶餐厅 so we can avoid having to eat beef/lamb/spicy foods... smart.

But the food is ordinary. At least we have something to eat?

  

But SM is still hungry and so we sneak out after we have gone back to DaysInn for rest, to have a bowl of Korean noodle （泡菜乌冬面）

  Hello? Let's go for dinner.

福记一厨 Dinner is simple  - at least SM can eat tofu and vegetable. But I think R & XZ are not used to the food.I feel sorry for them.

Both of them are carnivorous and seldom eat greens...... R and XZ please alter your diet. Greens are good for you! Ha ha.

To cap off the night we make it a point to go take some photos of the 鼓楼 at night before calling it a night.

Tomorrow is our last day in Xi'an .... Whilst I am enjoying this great city and thanking God I have the time to experience new things with SM and good friends. I am reminded of the following things which are very difficult things to achieve ..... Good night 西安!

Work like you don't need the money

Love like nobody has ever hurt you

Dance like nobody is watching

Sing like nobody is listening

Live as if this was paradise on Earth