You are looking at the HTML representation of the XML format.
HTML is good for debugging, but is unsuitable for application use.
Specify the format parameter to change the output format.
To see the non HTML representation of the XML format, set format=xml.
See the complete documentation, or API help for more information. 
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<api>
  <query-continue>
    <protectedtitles ptstart="2009-02-09T03:31:18Z" />
  </query-continue>
  <query>
    <protectedtitles>
      <pt ns="6" title="File:Dasani-banks-6.jpg" timestamp="2011-07-07T02:35:13Z" level="sysop" />
      <pt ns="6" title="File:219537 220453084647655 100000488963697 899226 5725617 o.jpg" timestamp="2011-06-21T01:56:52Z" level="sysop" />
      <pt ns="2" title="User:BestSoft206135" timestamp="2011-05-26T03:23:01Z" level="sysop" />
      <pt ns="3" title="User talk:BuyViagra" timestamp="2011-03-31T02:30:05Z" level="sysop" />
      <pt ns="6" title="File:Baba.jpg" timestamp="2011-03-09T03:15:21Z" level="sysop" />
      <pt ns="6" title="File:DSC00509.JPG" timestamp="2010-11-16T15:11:16Z" level="sysop" />
      <pt ns="6" title="File:Picture0182.jpg" timestamp="2010-10-31T08:25:15Z" level="sysop" />
      <pt ns="6" title="File:Acer-Aspire.jpg" timestamp="2010-10-28T01:17:49Z" level="sysop" />
      <pt ns="6" title="File:Image036.gif" timestamp="2009-12-21T18:08:58Z" level="sysop" />
      <pt ns="6" title="File:Untitled - 5.png" timestamp="2009-12-21T18:08:41Z" level="sysop" />
    </protectedtitles>
  </query>
</api>