WE WERE MUGGED AT NORTH GATE! We went to the old market street behind the North Gate. Our guide (a charming Chinese female) was trying to negotiate a discount with vendor when the vendor (a male) slugged her in the eye! A couple of us jumped in to break it up and then half a dozen other vendors jumped in and started hitting and beating all of us!!! Our guide and her husband had to go to the hospital - they were hurt pretty badly. We filed a Police Report with the neighborhood station right in the shops but it appeared the police had too cozy of a relationship with the shop-keepers and things went nowhere fast. After several hours of talking to the Chinese Police we gave up and left. STAY CLEAR OF THIS AREA AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

I was just at Xian City this week. I was fascinated by the history and the size of the wall. The Drum and Bell Towers are both worth seeing. It was lightly raining while I was there but did fine with umbrellas. You can rent bicycles or take a ride along the wall in a golf cart.