Morning on the city wall means bicycle bells, wide sky and gray brick, with tiled roofs on one side and the moat on the other. After dark the Muslim Quarter turns loud and smoky, as cooks grill lamb skewers and pull noodles for a crowd that keeps squeezing in.
Beyond the old walls, the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda rises over a square of musical fountains, and on clear days the Qinling Mountains line the southern horizon. Summers are hot with sudden thunderstorms, winters are cold and dry, and spring and autumn are the easy seasons. A Local Friend knows which sights to reach before the tour buses and which night street deserves one more bowl.
