China's Silk Road

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.