Three Days in Xi'an: How I Almost Got Lost in the Grand Tang Mall!

Staying near the Drum Tower was really convenient. I could see the night view of the Bell and Drum Towers from my room. The room was clean and had towels and other amenities. It was simple but sufficient. The hotel was also close to the subway station, so it was easy to get around. The nearby snack street and specialty supermarket were also interesting. Day 1: Shaanxi Archaeological Museum - Stone Stove Hot Pot - Grand Tang Mall On the first day, I went to the Shaanxi Archaeological Museum, which had many precious artifacts, especially from the Qin and Tang dynasties. It was quite impressive. After the visit, I was hungry, so a friend recommended Stone Stove Hot Pot. The hot pot was cooked in a stone stove, which was quite unique, but the taste was average. The museum was a bit far from the hot pot restaurant, so I had to walk a long way, which was a bit inconvenient. In the evening, I went to the Grand Tang Mall, which was very crowded. According to the guide, I started watching the performance from the musical fountain in the North Square of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and then watched the "unfallable" show. However, I got completely lost and couldn't find the next performance venue. I ended up going to the South Square, where there were more performances and it was less troublesome. I could just stand and watch. The observation deck on the fourth floor of Joy City was also nice, offering a panoramic view of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which was great for taking photos. Day 2: Hukou Waterfall on the Shaanxi Side On the second day, I went to Hukou Waterfall. Although people said the Shanxi side was more spectacular, I chose the Shaanxi side. Since it was far from Xi'an, I joined a one-day tour, which took about 8 hours by car. The journey was really long and tiring. When I arrived at the waterfall, the misty scene was quite impressive. If you visit on a sunny day, you can see a rainbow, which is very dreamy. The tour guide also took us to see cave dwellings, which, although a bit rushed, gave us a sense of history. Day 3: Terracotta Warriors Finally, I visited the Terracotta Warriors. After reading some guides, I decided to visit Lishan Garden first. There was a CCTV documentary called "National Memory" about the history of the Terracotta Warriors, which was quite interesting. After watching it, I had a better understanding of the culture of the Terracotta Warriors. There were so many tourists at the Terracotta Warriors site that it felt like a big gathering, but seeing so many Terracotta Warriors was still quite impressive. Overall, it was worth visiting, as it was a place with a strong sense of history, and seeing it in person was quite special. Overall, the trip was a bit tiring, especially the long car rides, but each attraction was quite interesting. Next time, I might choose a more relaxed itinerary with less hassle.