China, Day 10: Bullet Train to Beijing & Best Meal of the Trip

Our stay in Xi'an was short, which is sad as it turned out being our favorite city. We headed back to Beijing on a bullet train (no more sleeper trains for us). 

Early arrival at the Xi'an train station on our way back to Beijing. Notice how little English there is. In this moment we are waiting for Jodi as she acts like her rockstar-self and is outside at the ticket window getting the train tickets we purchased through an app. 

We succumbed to a McDonalds breakfast it was in the train station... and safe. :) 



"For more delicious to share with you." Snack on the train. We loved reading the English translations throughout the country. 

Taxi line in Beijing. Yay. 

 There's Jodi in the taxi next to us. Finding a taxi to fit all 6 of us was a bit of joke so this is how we typically traveled w/in city limits. 

The best food we ate was in this mall (the restaurant behind the artistic shark in the above picture). We were so focused on the food that I forgot to pull out my camera. Their specialty is dumplings. They were amazing. The best type was a soup dumpling where the soup was actually inside of the dumpling. You dip it in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and fresh ginger before putting it on the spoon, poking a hole in it, and eating it. Amazing. 

There were art displays throughout the mall about things not taking things at face-value. The above sculpture was definitely Jacko's favorite. The girls'... not so much. 



The pink sculpture in the background is pink strings connected to the upper levels of the mall and a small Buddha sitting in a circle at its base. 

Tessa and her cupcake. A little dessert after our amazing meal. 

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