Last week we enjoyed a wonderful tour of the old
Silk Road. We flew to Urumqi to view
ancient ruins – cities along that critical economic corridor.
Rick was fascinated with the
underwater wells and irrigation systems.
That natural resource is vital to every culture in every century of
time.
We visited the Gobi Desert - miles of
dry, colorless dirt. The camel ride was
a delightful adventure. Every rider was
bouncing over the sand. I can’t imagine
traveling on one for miles or days.
There is a strong Muslim influence
there with several mosques in the city.
We ate naan bread and found nuts and dried raisins in every market. This region is famous for grape vineyards. The golden raisins are especially delicious.
The night open market was a lively
event with people everywhere. The sticks
wrapped with meat and cooked over grills are especially popular. (We never really know what type of meat it
is)
The taffy pull was a favorite attraction.
The food was fabulous and included a wide
variety of vegetables.
Our journey took us to the sand dunes
of Dunguang where we viewed Buddha mountain caves. (We couldn’t take pictures inside) Buddha Mountain in Jinan is still our favorite.
The final days were spent in
Xi’an. The terra cotta warriors were
truly one of the world’s great wonders.
We needed Thomas there to share his knowledge of Ancient soldiers.
The old city wall, built in 900+ AD, was the
perfect location for a morning bike ride.
It was nine bumpy miles around the top of the wall and the scenery was
splendid. What a view! Inside the wall provides a step back in time
while the rest of the city is filled with tall, modern buildings.
