So what have we learnt so far?
We are steadily improving with chop sticks. Gradually getting more confident.
We’ll never get used to the constant noise. Vendors trying to out do each other with megaphones, tills, shouting out each purchase.
The truck is a huge source of excitement. Everywhere it has admirers and we frequently have people wanting to look inside.
The investment in infrastructure, certainly in the west as we drove through, we were on new roads there was more roads being built and massive investment in renewable energy. Put together with the investment in the Stans it seems China is now doing what Russia was doing 150 years ago and pushing into Central Asia.
Food ideas are very different here. Shopping in service stations on the move we see a whole variety of strange packets with unfamiliar food. A couple of people tried chicken feet (sold in plastic packets hanging up along with other snacks) they didn’t recommend them.
We have little plastic packs of Yak meat, Avocado ice-cream, sweetcorn ice-cream, lime flavour crisps, cucumber flavour crisps, vinegar flavour coke.
We next went to Jiayoguan a ancient great fort “the first and greatest pass under heaven” was built in the Ming dynasty as part of the great wall built across this Gobi desert pass to protect the noth west China. The wall here was started in 1372 and the building carried on for 150 years.
This had been a key defensive point since 200 BC in the Han dynasty and was also a key point on the silk road.
Inside there were murals depicting important historical events and a reconstruction of a scene of the day.
We also started getting other glimpses of the wall. The purpose behind the design is different depending on the time and the place. Much of it here was originally about 2m high designed to stop horses the primary means of transport for invaders.
We were privileged to spend two nights camping by different parts of the wall in isolated locations. These were lovely warm evenings and mornings and a couple of our best camping nights.
The second night we had to do quite a bit of driving down dirt track it was here we suddenly got a puncture and had to stop at a convenient point for a wheel change. By this point we had a car following us. Before long a local went off saying he would get tyres amazingly he was back by the time the change was complete. Unfortunately he only had front tyres and we needed a back tyre.
The car followed us all the way our camping place and a bit later a police car showed up. Our guide didn’t seem alarmed and showed her paperwork then explained that like a hotel check we needed to present ourselves with passports. During this another car arrived so there were three cars altogether. I suspect that the overkill was due to the excitement, and many of the photos were probably on personal phones.
We discovered at this point there were two “walls”. There was a 2,300 year old ditch,probably a boundary marker and the wall.
After this we went to the Rainbow Mountain. More shuttle buses and we went around to 4 bases to view the Mountains. They are incredibly beautiful and all around you. So many colours and patterns.
The only real way to capture it was a 360 degree video, however I can’t load that on here, so you’ll have to make do with the photos.
On again to Xining and on the way the Taer monastery. A whole town has built up around this. The shuttle has to travel across town from the car park competing with the other traffic.
A temple was built by the mother of Tsongkhapa the founder of a Tibetan school of Buddhism in the 1360s. Legend says that a sandalwood tree grew where drops of blood fell from his umbilical cord.
The monastery was then built in 1560 and added to by the 3rd Dalì Lhama. More temples have gradually been added.
The surrounding town has related museums etc. So pilgrims can make a whole trip out of their journey.
There are a mixture of pilgrims and tourists in the visitors.
The last picture is from the butter sculpture temple. The sculptures are kept behind glass and temperature controlled to preserve them.
We have had a variety of scenery along the way. At this point on the Tibetan plateau we were finally leaving the desert and beginning to see green fields. Towns seemed to have clusters of identical high rise buildings, containing quite a number of different styles.
On to the Bingling grotto a series of caves made into individual temples. This were worked on for over 1,000 years from around 420, some by individuals some by families.
Buddha, his attendants and various gods were depicted.
Getting to the grotto is by way of steep steps hanging off the cliff. It all looked very difficult and hard work. However, with stops at each level to see the grotto it wasn’t too bad. It was very high though and not for anyone with a fear of hights. Needless to say Ashley stayed on the ground.
We had now reached the end of the desert and were about to enter the green regions of China
