Ibn Battuta — "The women of this city are very beautiful, but they are not modest."

"I saw in this city many things that are contrary to our religion."

"The inhabitants of this country are all polytheists, and they worship idols. They have a temple where they perform their rites."

"The Chinese use paper money, which is the strangest thing I have ever seen. A man can carry around his entire wealth in his sleeve!"

"The dogs in this land are very fierce. They bark at strangers and try to bite them. I had to carry a stick to fend them off."

"I was greatly astonished at these people, and their women, who do not observe any modesty towards men."