The Muslim Quarter

Our hostel was located right next to the Muslim Quarter so we explored this packed neighbourhood of trinket stands and butcher shops and crude little eateries. There was something interesting to eat at every turn, from every kind of dried fruit to these crunchy peanuty-seedy snacks to this gelatinous bread-crumb paste that Jen and I are about to eat (see above). Sorry for the ambiguity - I really don't know what any of this is called, but it all tasted wonderful. We also did a fair bit of bargaining here. I may have found a little red book or two to go with my jacket.













Right: Courtyard in the Muslim Quarter; Left: Making repairs










There are birds in cages outside all the shops here! The bird on the lefthand side kept doing flips in his cage, over and over and over again. Perhaps he was showing off for the tourists?
A typical cooking establishment in the Muslim Quarter. I loved the steam coming from the cooking pots - it made all the restaurants look that much more inviting in these brisk temperatures!










Left: Yang Rou Pao Mo - crumbled-up unleavened break soaked in a mutton stew (no pork eaten here!). The first restaurant we went to in Xi'an, we had no idea what to do with this loaf of unleavened bread. Who'd have thought soggy bread in stew would have been so delicious? This was my favourite dish of the trip.
Right: A woman cutting up our gelatinous snack at a stand in the Muslim Quarter. The people were pleasant and friendly, if a little gruff. I loved bargaining with them!

Thanks to Jen E for giving me some of her pictures!

Up next: The Bing Mai Yong (Terracotta Warriors)