With no Starbucks in Xiamen, Deborah and I were ready to buy some real coffee to take back with us, so we stopped off at the place on the way -- it was a homey feeling, and unlike other western chain restaurants -- the menu was quite close to a Starbucks anywhere. With our caffeine needs met, we headed for the Muslim Quarter of Xi'an. 
This is one of the best places to eat in China! A lot of people may not know that a large ethnic minority group in China is Muslim --the Uighur nationality. Their food is closer to middle eastern than to typical Chinese food, and with all the wheat noodles, beef, lamb, pita-type breads, and cumin in the air, it was a great place for dinner and shopping in the market for nuts and peanut candy for the bus ride which would follow. We also went shopping for bargains.
Thomas found a set of terra cotta warriors, Helen a metal turtle, and I found a jade pendant, which was reasonably priced, after some bargaining. Yoni kept trying to get me to bargain harder but he speaks Chinese so he gets away with more! When the shop keeper didn't have the color I wanted she took me back into her workroom which was in the living quarters. I also looked for a jacket for Helen, but they didn't have her size. I was a little worried because the weather here is quite cool and fall -like and out trip to the mountains was the next day.
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