November 18, 2024

On a rainy morning, we set out to check off a must-do item on our list: biking on Xi’an’s ancient city wall. However, with the drizzling weather and a bike rental policy prohibiting riders over 65, we thought about a backup plan—walking the wall instead. Before heading up, we first wandered around the area near the South Gate, taking in the historic atmosphere before paying the entrance fee to access the wall.

Xi’an’s ancient city wall is one of the most well-preserved historic fortifications in the world. Dating back over 650 years, the current structure largely reflects Ming-era engineering and centuries of restoration efforts. After a short walk along the wall, we reached a bike rental station just as the rain stopped. To our surprise, they didn’t check for age restrictions, allowing us to rent a tandem bike. Pedaling along the centuries-old wall was both exhilarating and surreal. The experience of cycling on a structure built over 600 years ago was unlike any other. We paused occasionally to take short videos, capturing this unique moment.

After completing our ride, we made our way toward the bustling Muslim Quarter (回民街, Huimin Jie), a historic district renowned for its vibrant street food scene. Near the market stands the Drum Tower, one of Xi’an’s most iconic landmarks, historically used to signal the end of the day. While we didn’t go up the tower, we spent considerable time exploring the lively food streets, sampling a variety of local delicacies.

For dinner, we opted for a food court inside a shopping mall before retiring to our room, concluding another fulfilling day in Xi’an.

细雨绵绵的清晨，我们今天准备去骑行西安古城墙。然而，由于地面湿滑，加上租赁规定不允许65岁以上的人骑行，我们准备了备选方案——步行游览城墙。出发前，我们先在南门附近漫步，感受古城的历史韵味，街道两旁古色古香的建筑与远处的钟楼遥相呼应，仿佛诉说着千年的故事。

购票登上城墙后，眼前的视野豁然开朗。西安古城墙是世界上保存最完整的古代城墙之一，已有650多年的历史，如今所见的城墙主要得益于明代的精妙工程和后续的修缮。城墙之上，青砖铺就的道路在细雨滋润下泛着微微的光泽，脚下的砖缝中透露出历史的痕迹。

我们沿着城墙步行了一小段后，抵达了一处自行车租赁点，此时雨已经停了。让我们惊喜的是，租车处并没有核查年龄限制，我们顺利租到了一辆双人自行车。骑行在这座六百多年历史的城墙上，既兴奋又梦幻，仿佛穿越了时空。一路上，我们时不时停下来，用短视频记录下这一独特的体验。

结束骑行后，我们前往热闹非凡的回民街，这里是西安最具特色的美食街区，以丰富的小吃和浓厚的市井气息而闻名。毗邻回民街的鼓楼是西安的标志性建筑之一，古时用来敲鼓报时，宣告一天的结束。我们没有登上鼓楼，而是沉浸在街巷之中，试图品尝各式各样的地道小吃，感受西安独特的烟火气。来西安后，尝试了几次肉夹馍，每次都是外皮酥脆，里层的肉馅鲜嫩多汁，令人一口接一口，十分满足。有一家网红肉夹馍店吸引了我们的注意。排队人不算太多，忍不住停下来排队试一试。等了半个多小时，终于吃到了那一份期待已久的肉夹馍，然而味道却出乎意料地一般，肉馅的调味似乎缺少了些许独特的风味。心中略有遗憾，但也算是又一次体验了地道的西安美食。

夜幕降临，我们选择在商场里的美食广场简单用餐，虽不如回民街热闹，却也别有一番温馨。带着满足的味蕾体验和充实的行程回到酒店，我们结束了这一天难忘的西安古城之旅。