Arrived in a huge dust storm which I later discovered had reached all the way to Urumqi and Turpan, overturning trucks and cars and closing roads for several hours. Took a share taxi from the train station the Maitian Hostel on Old Donghu Road http://www.yhaks.com/ and on the third attempt the driver found the place. I'd made the mistake of showing the driver a map with the location clearly marked which only served to confuse him. The hostel is located right next to the one and only lake in Kashgar both of which are clearly evident on the map but for some inexplicable reason he tried to deposit me about three kilometers away from either, then he had the temerity to offer me his name card for future bookings. The hostel is a pretty basic attempt but it serves the purpose and does have free internet and laundry, the managers are friendly enough but don't expect any English or any other language other than Chinese here.
Within Kashgar the main areas of interest are located in the rapidly disappearing Old Kashgar situated North of Renmim Road. It's an interesting quagmire of narrow alleys and streets with bazaars dotted throughout. If you want to see Old Kashgar you will need to visit sooner rather than later as the redevelopment is well under way and in a few years it will be indistinguishable from just about any other small Chinese city in architecture at least. For good information in English, French, Japanese and German you could do worse than to drop in at Jamaica Cafe in the Seman Hotel complex, E-mail attella20@yahoo.com and let Abdullah know when you intend to be in town, his good friend Adulrahman Abla has a small travel Service business and can tailor a package to suit your time and budget. http://www.karakoramtravel.com These are both genuine friendly guys trying to make a go of it in a political situation not geared to helping Uyghur in business, they are not rip off merchants.
This is the end of my China Silk Road journey, it's not complete by any stretch of the imagination and there is so much more to see and do, but I've achieved what I set out to achieve, for now.
Friday, 17 April 2009
Thursday, 16 April 2009
Turpan to Kashgar,
Took the bus from Turpan to Daheyan in order to catch the train to Kashgar, there's a lovely new tollway for most of the distance and that is what was used on my way into Turpan, on the return however the driver took an entirely different route through the back blocks on mostly dirt roads and the trip took at twice as much time. Just as I was beginning to think a monumental mistake had been made and that I was on the wrong bus, we returned to the sealed road and shortly after arrived in Daheyan.
Departing at 1501 precisely, the train has passed through several forms of desert landscape, surely making this one of the worlds more interesting train trips. I've seen black rolling hills with not even the most rudimentary sign of life, flat black sand that stretched to the horizons on both sides, soaring snow caped mountains and wide valleys dotted with sheep, cattle, horses and even a camel, ruins of villages of past generations, jagged rocky hills with raw seams of coal showing at one stage and the discolouring reds, browns and greens giving evidence to the mineral riches contained within them. Now a flat scrubby desert in the midst of a severe dust storm so intense that the train has slowed to a crawl on several occasions and along it all the occasional oasis of cultivated farmland.
My respect for the caravan traders of the past has appreciated significantly in the course of this journey and I've gained more of an appreciation of just how significant an event it was to be cast out through the various gates of the great wall into the unknown expanses of this unforgiving landscape.
To go from the second lowest depression on the planet and the lowest train station on earth up into and through permanently snow capped mountains in a matter of several hours is one of the more memorable travel experiences I've had, such a pity the grime on the windows made photography impossible. I really don't think the tourist authorities appreciate what a spectacle this is. It seems that unless they can charge an entry fee and set up souvenir stalls all selling the same junk that the Chinese have trouble recognising a real and natural tourist attraction , I enjoyed the view from the train ride more than all of the so called significant sites in and around Turpan.
Departing at 1501 precisely, the train has passed through several forms of desert landscape, surely making this one of the worlds more interesting train trips. I've seen black rolling hills with not even the most rudimentary sign of life, flat black sand that stretched to the horizons on both sides, soaring snow caped mountains and wide valleys dotted with sheep, cattle, horses and even a camel, ruins of villages of past generations, jagged rocky hills with raw seams of coal showing at one stage and the discolouring reds, browns and greens giving evidence to the mineral riches contained within them. Now a flat scrubby desert in the midst of a severe dust storm so intense that the train has slowed to a crawl on several occasions and along it all the occasional oasis of cultivated farmland.
My respect for the caravan traders of the past has appreciated significantly in the course of this journey and I've gained more of an appreciation of just how significant an event it was to be cast out through the various gates of the great wall into the unknown expanses of this unforgiving landscape.
To go from the second lowest depression on the planet and the lowest train station on earth up into and through permanently snow capped mountains in a matter of several hours is one of the more memorable travel experiences I've had, such a pity the grime on the windows made photography impossible. I really don't think the tourist authorities appreciate what a spectacle this is. It seems that unless they can charge an entry fee and set up souvenir stalls all selling the same junk that the Chinese have trouble recognising a real and natural tourist attraction , I enjoyed the view from the train ride more than all of the so called significant sites in and around Turpan.
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Dunhuang to Turpan (Tulufun)
The train to Turpan and/or Urumqi DOES NOT leave from Dunhuang but rather from Liu Yuan which is two hours bus ride away. Buses depart at 1230, 1400, 1600 and so on 20Yuan. Sorry but I don't know the schedule for those traveling west to east but from observation there were mini buses waiting for arriving trains presumably to get return fares. Where it not for Zhang I would have been completely unaware of this fact and would have made my way to the sparkling new train station on the outskirts of Dunhuang. Sitting in Charley Jong's cafe when another traveler dropped in and happened to mention he was catching the train to Urumqi the next day, he was also not aware that he had to go to Liu Yuan and was very grateful for the info, even if he did take a bit of convincing.
Arriving in Turpan (Tulufun) is little better with the train station while being marked on the schedules and your ticket as Tulufun it's actually at Daheyan 55km from Turpan. My train arrives at 0530 and the first shuttle bus into Turpan is at 0900. Plenty of taxis service the route into Turpan for 20Y per person but they will always try to get four passengers and you may be waiting around for the next train to arrive if the quota isn't reached. I got lucky and was offered a lift by a well healed American tourist called Ray who had a private car with driver and guide waiting for him.
Stayed in the Turpan Guesthouse which despite it's name is a 3 star hotel. Singles start at 180Y but ask for a travelers bed and it's only 50Y per bed in a three bed dorm with ensuite, being the off season I have the room to myself.
Decided to hire a guide and driver for the day to take me to all of the main attractions around Turpan, Bezeklik Caves, Tuyoq Valley (Turpan Grand Canyon) Tuyoq Village, past flaming mountain, the Karez irrigation system, the ruins of Yarkhota and lastly the Emin Mosque and Minaret. Unless you are on an organised group tour, a taxi or private car and guide is the only way to get around the sites. Cost of car and driver was 280Y with the attractions costing from 21 to 38Y. To be honest it is all a bit disappointing with the only site of any real interest to me being the ruins of Yarkhota. The caves have been so plundered by archeologists or damaged by Muslims that there is little of interest to see other than the spectacular setting they are in.
The city itself holds little attraction so only staying here one night and then off to Kashgar (Kashi) by overnight train.
Arriving in Turpan (Tulufun) is little better with the train station while being marked on the schedules and your ticket as Tulufun it's actually at Daheyan 55km from Turpan. My train arrives at 0530 and the first shuttle bus into Turpan is at 0900. Plenty of taxis service the route into Turpan for 20Y per person but they will always try to get four passengers and you may be waiting around for the next train to arrive if the quota isn't reached. I got lucky and was offered a lift by a well healed American tourist called Ray who had a private car with driver and guide waiting for him.
Stayed in the Turpan Guesthouse which despite it's name is a 3 star hotel. Singles start at 180Y but ask for a travelers bed and it's only 50Y per bed in a three bed dorm with ensuite, being the off season I have the room to myself.
Decided to hire a guide and driver for the day to take me to all of the main attractions around Turpan, Bezeklik Caves, Tuyoq Valley (Turpan Grand Canyon) Tuyoq Village, past flaming mountain, the Karez irrigation system, the ruins of Yarkhota and lastly the Emin Mosque and Minaret. Unless you are on an organised group tour, a taxi or private car and guide is the only way to get around the sites. Cost of car and driver was 280Y with the attractions costing from 21 to 38Y. To be honest it is all a bit disappointing with the only site of any real interest to me being the ruins of Yarkhota. The caves have been so plundered by archeologists or damaged by Muslims that there is little of interest to see other than the spectacular setting they are in.
The city itself holds little attraction so only staying here one night and then off to Kashgar (Kashi) by overnight train.
Sunday, 12 April 2009
Mogao Caves and Dunhuang
Hooked up with Toru and Atsushi to share a mini bus to the grotto, not bad value at 20Y for the return trip. There is a shuttle bus that goes from the city to the train station and then to Mogao, I'm not sure of the cost but expect it to be in the order of 5Y each way. Stops for the bus are clearly displayed in Chinese and English around the city.
The caves are an incredible attraction and have been preserved pretty well with some restoration and reinforcement along the face of the cliff that in no way detracts from the interiors. It's 80Y for Chinese tourists and 100Y for foreigners, the extra being to pay for the guides in English or Japanese. Zhang just told the ticket seller that we all spoke Chinese so we all got in for 80Y and listened to the guide in Chinese. Those are OFF SEASON prices, high season prices are DOUBLE. Cameras are forbidden and are supposed to be handed in at a holding station along with large bags, however once inside the enclosure I spotted several domestic tourists openly brandishing cameras and one with his phone taking pics inside the caves.
I'll refrain from going into detail about the history of the caves but will just leave it with the statement that the fact they escaped the attentions of the Red Guard in the Cultural Revolution is something to be thankful for. The mini bus makes a stop at a “Minerals Exhibition” on the way back to town where you'll be pressed into buying highly over priced trinkets with the promise of a discount, just for you.
Dunhuang is a really nice, sleepy little city of about 100,000, with wide sidewalks in good condition, good roads without excessive traffic and it's quiet. The night market in the off season is not much but still offers a good selection fresh and dried fruits, small restaurants as well as the usual tourist souvenirs that you simply can't go home without.
In the same street as the long distance bus station, Mingshan Road, are a collection of internet cafe's with English menus and reasonably priced Chinese and Western food and drink. Hotels along this stretch range in the 60 to 200 Yuan price range, the more you pay the cleaner the room. Charley Jong's Cafe also offers a “Backpacker Lodge” a bit out of town near the Mingsha Sand dunes, they are also the place to go if you want to go on a camel trek into the dunes, 300Yuan per person per day.
Ph:13893763029 http://blog.sina.com.cn/juckljpyqsz E-mail:dhzhzh@163.com
The caves are an incredible attraction and have been preserved pretty well with some restoration and reinforcement along the face of the cliff that in no way detracts from the interiors. It's 80Y for Chinese tourists and 100Y for foreigners, the extra being to pay for the guides in English or Japanese. Zhang just told the ticket seller that we all spoke Chinese so we all got in for 80Y and listened to the guide in Chinese. Those are OFF SEASON prices, high season prices are DOUBLE. Cameras are forbidden and are supposed to be handed in at a holding station along with large bags, however once inside the enclosure I spotted several domestic tourists openly brandishing cameras and one with his phone taking pics inside the caves.
I'll refrain from going into detail about the history of the caves but will just leave it with the statement that the fact they escaped the attentions of the Red Guard in the Cultural Revolution is something to be thankful for. The mini bus makes a stop at a “Minerals Exhibition” on the way back to town where you'll be pressed into buying highly over priced trinkets with the promise of a discount, just for you.
Dunhuang is a really nice, sleepy little city of about 100,000, with wide sidewalks in good condition, good roads without excessive traffic and it's quiet. The night market in the off season is not much but still offers a good selection fresh and dried fruits, small restaurants as well as the usual tourist souvenirs that you simply can't go home without.
In the same street as the long distance bus station, Mingshan Road, are a collection of internet cafe's with English menus and reasonably priced Chinese and Western food and drink. Hotels along this stretch range in the 60 to 200 Yuan price range, the more you pay the cleaner the room. Charley Jong's Cafe also offers a “Backpacker Lodge” a bit out of town near the Mingsha Sand dunes, they are also the place to go if you want to go on a camel trek into the dunes, 300Yuan per person per day.
Ph:13893763029 http://blog.sina.com.cn/juckljpyqsz E-mail:dhzhzh@163.com
To Dunhuang and Mingsha Mountain
I had a front row seat right behind the safest bus driver I've yet experienced in China. The bus was a medium sized long distance number with reasonably comfortable seats and it seems a no smoking policy.
Sitting next to me is a Chinese bloke taking a couple of days off to see the sights in Dunhuang before he goes to Guazhou for work. On the map Guazhou is marked as Anxi (Placid West) but along with Hami not so far away it is a major melon producing center and so has been renamed from what I thought was a rather delightful name to Melon City. The guy sitting next to me is Zhang Yun Feng, his English is patchy but miles ahead on my Chinese so we've had some interesting if somewhat tiring conversation along the way. The scenery, to me at least, is just fantastic, the left side window displays a very rugged range of low lying hills close by that present the illusion of a huge mountain range in the far off distance. Contrasting this out of the right side windows is a flat as a billiard table to the horizon, without a tree to be seen in either direction. The infrastructure in this country never ceases to amaze me, we traveled on a duel tollway almost the entire distance with another free single lane sealed road running alongside. Keep in mind that this area is relatively sparsely populated and is also serviced by rail. The trip took about five hours with two stops; one in Melon City, along the way.
Managed to get some pics of crumbling ancient signaling towers along the way and would have loved to stop for closer examination but no chance of that. The only blemish on an otherwise perfect trip was the two old farts behind me competing for the national championship on noisy eating of boiled eggs.
Have decided to split the cost of a hotel room with Zhang in this so far delightful little city in a no star place on the main road and close to the city center. There are plenty of cheap hotels here in the main street and close to the bus station. By the way, the train station is a long way out of town.
We took the No.3 bus 1Y to Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake. This is one of the major draw cards for the city and just 10 minutes bus ride. Foreigners will be hounded by taxi drivers as soon as they appear on the street but it's a waste of money when the bus is so frequent. Be warned though that not all fare collectors on the buses are honest, the one on the bus to the attraction wanted to charge me 5Yuan until Zhang set him straight. No problem on the return bus. Ticket cost for Mingsha Mountain is 60 Yuan and in my opinion it's worth it. Sure you can see the dunes without going through the gate but you can't see Crescent Lake. A bit on that subject; it's absolutely beautiful and must have been a real sight in it's original incarnation, the lake forms a perfect crescent in a valley between towering sand dunes and has a delightful looking pagoda and temple structure on it's shores. The lake and buildings we see today have been there since about 1986. It seems the lake dried out and the original buildings fell down many years previous so the government to their credit had the whole lot reconstructed. See some of the pics in the slideshow to see the restoration work. Incredibly, I ran into two Japanese guys; Atsushi and Toru, at Mingsha who I'd spent some time with in Xian, the last I'd heard they were on their way to Lhasa.
I've had a great day climbing sand dunes and taking lots of pics and then a very nice feed in a nearby restaurant; it's so handy having a native to do the ordering.
Sitting next to me is a Chinese bloke taking a couple of days off to see the sights in Dunhuang before he goes to Guazhou for work. On the map Guazhou is marked as Anxi (Placid West) but along with Hami not so far away it is a major melon producing center and so has been renamed from what I thought was a rather delightful name to Melon City. The guy sitting next to me is Zhang Yun Feng, his English is patchy but miles ahead on my Chinese so we've had some interesting if somewhat tiring conversation along the way. The scenery, to me at least, is just fantastic, the left side window displays a very rugged range of low lying hills close by that present the illusion of a huge mountain range in the far off distance. Contrasting this out of the right side windows is a flat as a billiard table to the horizon, without a tree to be seen in either direction. The infrastructure in this country never ceases to amaze me, we traveled on a duel tollway almost the entire distance with another free single lane sealed road running alongside. Keep in mind that this area is relatively sparsely populated and is also serviced by rail. The trip took about five hours with two stops; one in Melon City, along the way.
Managed to get some pics of crumbling ancient signaling towers along the way and would have loved to stop for closer examination but no chance of that. The only blemish on an otherwise perfect trip was the two old farts behind me competing for the national championship on noisy eating of boiled eggs.
Have decided to split the cost of a hotel room with Zhang in this so far delightful little city in a no star place on the main road and close to the city center. There are plenty of cheap hotels here in the main street and close to the bus station. By the way, the train station is a long way out of town.
We took the No.3 bus 1Y to Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake. This is one of the major draw cards for the city and just 10 minutes bus ride. Foreigners will be hounded by taxi drivers as soon as they appear on the street but it's a waste of money when the bus is so frequent. Be warned though that not all fare collectors on the buses are honest, the one on the bus to the attraction wanted to charge me 5Yuan until Zhang set him straight. No problem on the return bus. Ticket cost for Mingsha Mountain is 60 Yuan and in my opinion it's worth it. Sure you can see the dunes without going through the gate but you can't see Crescent Lake. A bit on that subject; it's absolutely beautiful and must have been a real sight in it's original incarnation, the lake forms a perfect crescent in a valley between towering sand dunes and has a delightful looking pagoda and temple structure on it's shores. The lake and buildings we see today have been there since about 1986. It seems the lake dried out and the original buildings fell down many years previous so the government to their credit had the whole lot reconstructed. See some of the pics in the slideshow to see the restoration work. Incredibly, I ran into two Japanese guys; Atsushi and Toru, at Mingsha who I'd spent some time with in Xian, the last I'd heard they were on their way to Lhasa.
I've had a great day climbing sand dunes and taking lots of pics and then a very nice feed in a nearby restaurant; it's so handy having a native to do the ordering.
Friday, 10 April 2009
Jiayuguan, “The less said, the better”
This is first and foremost an industrial city with VERY little to offer the traveler. It is a major steel producing city with a foundry employing over 50,000 workers. The industrial pollution mixes very nicely with the dust from the surrounding desert to create a constant haze. It's only April and already the heat is starting to make itself felt by the middle of the day. While Summer is suggested as being the best time to visit for beautiful scenery, I think the heat would be hard to take then.
The main areas of historical significance have been turned into “theme park “ attractions and at best are poor imitations of the real thing. The Jiayuguan Chenglou “ (JiayuguanFort) is better than the reconstructed “Great Wall”, not that they should be patting themselves on the back over that but it hardly warrants the expense of stopping here to see it. I can see how this would fit into an organised tour of the Silk Road as it could be completed with a single night stop. My searches for blogs or any other travel experiences for here all indicated that the writers were indeed on guided package tours.
The best advice I have for any solo travelers contemplating a brief stopover in Jiayugoan is DON'T BOTHER.
I have a bus ticket 70 Yuan to Dunhuang for 0900 tomorrow, site of the Mogao Caves in the Mingsha Hills. That will be my last stop in Gansu and puts me closer to the mighty Taklamakan.
The main areas of historical significance have been turned into “theme park “ attractions and at best are poor imitations of the real thing. The Jiayuguan Chenglou “ (JiayuguanFort) is better than the reconstructed “Great Wall”, not that they should be patting themselves on the back over that but it hardly warrants the expense of stopping here to see it. I can see how this would fit into an organised tour of the Silk Road as it could be completed with a single night stop. My searches for blogs or any other travel experiences for here all indicated that the writers were indeed on guided package tours.
The best advice I have for any solo travelers contemplating a brief stopover in Jiayugoan is DON'T BOTHER.
I have a bus ticket 70 Yuan to Dunhuang for 0900 tomorrow, site of the Mogao Caves in the Mingsha Hills. That will be my last stop in Gansu and puts me closer to the mighty Taklamakan.
Thursday, 9 April 2009
On to Jiayuguan, “First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven”
Depending on your geographical perspective, Xi'an is the start or end of the “Silk Road” proper and even today it has the feel of a major medieval trading center. The streets of the Muslim Quarter are packed with stall holders selling everything from preserved fruits to life like miniature insects meticulously hand crafted from wire and paper and selling at ridiculously low prices. The ever visible city wall with it's watch towers, the drum and bell towers and the fabulous Great Mosque all add to the charm of this fine if somewhat polluted city. The food stalls reflect the variety of ethnic groups represented, it's great food, filling the air with fabulous aromas and CHEAP. It's entirely possible to have three good meals a day on as little as 15 to 20 Yuan. Breakfast of Nan Bread 1Y two boiled tea eggs 1.5Y tea, made yourself with free boiled water from the hostel. Lunch Two flat bread rolls filled with steaming mutton 5Y bottle of juice 3Y Dinner 6Y for mini smorgasbord at countless restaurants, bottle of fruit beer 3Y. I have done it for less by just having fruit and water for lunch but this gives an idea of how cheaply the traveler can live by staying clear of fancy restaurants, KFC, Starbucks and Hamburger joints.
Now on the train to Jiayuguan, boarded at 2215 and got away pretty well on time at 2250. I've been lucky again to score a bed at the end of the compartment right at the back of the train. This is a good spot because it means very few people noisily making their way past all day and night. My fellow travelers in this compartment are a sleepy lot with one bloke still snoring loudly as I write this at 0900.
The day looks typical China so far with a heavy haze blanketing the land destroying what should be great views of the passing fields with their backdrop of mountains. It's like the old time shower scenes in movies, a view of the beautiful leading lady through a frosted glass shower screen, you know it's all there but you just can't appreciate it. Fingers crossed for clearer skies out west, but as it's April and the season for dust storms, that might be wishful thinking.
Now three hours West of Lanzhou and the land is dotted with farming villages consisting of compounds and grain storage structures. The farms seem to predominately rice producing with the fields configured into a crosspatch of low earthen walls to aid in flood irrigation. For the first time in China I've seen several flocks of sheep being tended by shepherds on the dry rolling hills running off into the still hazy horizon.
Around mid-day and farming land which gave way at first to rocky desert plains and hills is now very reminiscent of outback Australia's dry scrubby flat ground with low lying rounded hills leading into jagged red peaks further in the distance. The only signs of human life being endless lines of telegraph poles, and power lines running adjacent to the railway for kilometers before detouring off across the desert. Animal sightings have so far been restricted to donkeys, sheep and double humped camels. The haze persists still, no doubt supported by the familiar looking swirling dust devils. It seems to be clearing for awhile and then grows thicker as the train progresses.
Two of my fellow travelers; a middle aged married couple have just provided a stunning demonstration of how much noise it's possible to make in the act of eating a small cucumber each. Thankfully the performance seems to have drained them both of energy as they have retired back to their respective bunks once more At this stage the compartment has taken on a somewhat musty odor, not dissimilar to stale socks. One of the downsides to being located at the end of the carriage is that it it's close to the toilet and washbasin so I get to hear the loud hoicks followed by the spit into the basin or the bin all day. Oh well only another four hours to go.
1600, farmland had been re-established over the desert which after some distance once again dominated for kilometer after kilometer only to be once more overhauled by the labours of the farmers. What I previously thought was rice paddy is actually vegetable and corn field. Farming is a much more labour intensive operation in this part of the country than in the east where machinery dominates. Dwellings are like those seen in history books of medieval eastern Europe. Were it not for the sightings of vehicles and satellite dishes on mud walled and roofed houses I might be convinced that the train was some sort of huge time machine transporting me back to the time of the ruling Khans.
Now on the train to Jiayuguan, boarded at 2215 and got away pretty well on time at 2250. I've been lucky again to score a bed at the end of the compartment right at the back of the train. This is a good spot because it means very few people noisily making their way past all day and night. My fellow travelers in this compartment are a sleepy lot with one bloke still snoring loudly as I write this at 0900.
The day looks typical China so far with a heavy haze blanketing the land destroying what should be great views of the passing fields with their backdrop of mountains. It's like the old time shower scenes in movies, a view of the beautiful leading lady through a frosted glass shower screen, you know it's all there but you just can't appreciate it. Fingers crossed for clearer skies out west, but as it's April and the season for dust storms, that might be wishful thinking.
Now three hours West of Lanzhou and the land is dotted with farming villages consisting of compounds and grain storage structures. The farms seem to predominately rice producing with the fields configured into a crosspatch of low earthen walls to aid in flood irrigation. For the first time in China I've seen several flocks of sheep being tended by shepherds on the dry rolling hills running off into the still hazy horizon.
Around mid-day and farming land which gave way at first to rocky desert plains and hills is now very reminiscent of outback Australia's dry scrubby flat ground with low lying rounded hills leading into jagged red peaks further in the distance. The only signs of human life being endless lines of telegraph poles, and power lines running adjacent to the railway for kilometers before detouring off across the desert. Animal sightings have so far been restricted to donkeys, sheep and double humped camels. The haze persists still, no doubt supported by the familiar looking swirling dust devils. It seems to be clearing for awhile and then grows thicker as the train progresses.
Two of my fellow travelers; a middle aged married couple have just provided a stunning demonstration of how much noise it's possible to make in the act of eating a small cucumber each. Thankfully the performance seems to have drained them both of energy as they have retired back to their respective bunks once more At this stage the compartment has taken on a somewhat musty odor, not dissimilar to stale socks. One of the downsides to being located at the end of the carriage is that it it's close to the toilet and washbasin so I get to hear the loud hoicks followed by the spit into the basin or the bin all day. Oh well only another four hours to go.
1600, farmland had been re-established over the desert which after some distance once again dominated for kilometer after kilometer only to be once more overhauled by the labours of the farmers. What I previously thought was rice paddy is actually vegetable and corn field. Farming is a much more labour intensive operation in this part of the country than in the east where machinery dominates. Dwellings are like those seen in history books of medieval eastern Europe. Were it not for the sightings of vehicles and satellite dishes on mud walled and roofed houses I might be convinced that the train was some sort of huge time machine transporting me back to the time of the ruling Khans.
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Shaanxi History Museum
Ticket for the train to Jiayuguan, the city at the extreme western end of the great wall has been purchased, unfortunately I couldn't get one for today so have extended my Xian stay for another night.
Went to Shaanxi History Museum, it's about five minutes walk from Big Goose Pagoda and it's FREE.
Photo I.D. Is required to get a ticket so remember to take your passport with you. It is a great museum, well laid out, modern and due to ticket numbers being limited to 4000 daily it's relatively quiet. They have a fantastic display of artifacts dating back several thousand years with both Chinese and English written descriptions for everything. Though it's not so well publicised as the big ticket attractions in Xian, I think it's an attraction that should be close to the top of any visitors list of things to see or do. Allow at least 2 hours for the museum, if you get a good early start you will still have plenty of time to visit the Pagoda nearby. NOTE: Opening times are Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Monday except for National Public Holidays. Winter 0900 to 1730 - Summer 0830 to 1800
Went to Shaanxi History Museum, it's about five minutes walk from Big Goose Pagoda and it's FREE.
Photo I.D. Is required to get a ticket so remember to take your passport with you. It is a great museum, well laid out, modern and due to ticket numbers being limited to 4000 daily it's relatively quiet. They have a fantastic display of artifacts dating back several thousand years with both Chinese and English written descriptions for everything. Though it's not so well publicised as the big ticket attractions in Xian, I think it's an attraction that should be close to the top of any visitors list of things to see or do. Allow at least 2 hours for the museum, if you get a good early start you will still have plenty of time to visit the Pagoda nearby. NOTE: Opening times are Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Monday except for National Public Holidays. Winter 0900 to 1730 - Summer 0830 to 1800
Monday, 6 April 2009
No Foreigners allowed into Labrang April 6 2009
Another day in Xian wandering the streets and discovering some things not on the tourist maps. To my surprise I stumbled on a Catholic Church just a few streets from the Muslim Quarter, it's a nice looking building on a very bare block of land surrounded by a fence of about 2.5 metres with a solid looking steel gate. Inside is nicely painted in pastel colours with the usual paintings of fair skinned Christ, Mary and various other identities of the Christian faith. A small group singers were in there with a guitar player to accompany them.
I ventured outside of the gate on the Western side of the main South gate to walk through the parkland between moat and wall, again it was being well used by families flying kites and having picnic lunches as well as young lovers finding quiet corners to kiss and cuddle.
Heading back into the protection of the city wall through the South gate I ventured into the Antique and Art market. It's so nice to be able to take my time looking at the various wares on display without being constantly harangued to buy something, the shop keepers were pretty layed back about it all.
I'm trying to arrange travel via Lanzhou to Labrang but there is a serious flaw in my plans and that is that all foreigners may have been banned from the area for the time being. I'm making further investigations before buying the train ticket to Lanzhou. My fears have been confirmed late in the afternoon that foreigners are banned from Labrang until further notice, try again after April 15 2009. Extended my Xian stay and will study my Silk Road guide to decide alternatives and with luck will have time to try again on the return journey. Went to the Muslim quarter with a couple of friends for hotpot dinner, walking back past the drum tower we were amazed to see two motorized trikes with enormous telescopes setting up. They looked amazing and were offering views of Saturn and the moon for 10 Yuan. Just as we were about to leave another two turned up and this time one of them was a home made effort and the biggest of the lot. I've tried to capture it on camera but don't think the pics will do justice to the scene. The area around the drum tower was very lively tonight with several strings of miniture kites disappearing into the night sky.
I ventured outside of the gate on the Western side of the main South gate to walk through the parkland between moat and wall, again it was being well used by families flying kites and having picnic lunches as well as young lovers finding quiet corners to kiss and cuddle.
Heading back into the protection of the city wall through the South gate I ventured into the Antique and Art market. It's so nice to be able to take my time looking at the various wares on display without being constantly harangued to buy something, the shop keepers were pretty layed back about it all.
I'm trying to arrange travel via Lanzhou to Labrang but there is a serious flaw in my plans and that is that all foreigners may have been banned from the area for the time being. I'm making further investigations before buying the train ticket to Lanzhou. My fears have been confirmed late in the afternoon that foreigners are banned from Labrang until further notice, try again after April 15 2009. Extended my Xian stay and will study my Silk Road guide to decide alternatives and with luck will have time to try again on the return journey. Went to the Muslim quarter with a couple of friends for hotpot dinner, walking back past the drum tower we were amazed to see two motorized trikes with enormous telescopes setting up. They looked amazing and were offering views of Saturn and the moon for 10 Yuan. Just as we were about to leave another two turned up and this time one of them was a home made effort and the biggest of the lot. I've tried to capture it on camera but don't think the pics will do justice to the scene. The area around the drum tower was very lively tonight with several strings of miniture kites disappearing into the night sky.
Saturday, 4 April 2009
A couple of days in Xian
Have spent the last couple of days just wandering around inside the city walls but mostly concentrating on the Muslim quarter, Drum Tower, Bell Tower, Great Mosque and of course the wall itself. The city inside the walls is pretty relaxed by China standards, with wide footpaths and roads and everything within comfortable walking distance. It's the sort of place that you could easily race around and see most of the major ticket item sights in a two day package if time was limited but I find much more enjoyment just having the time to sit and observe the people as thjey go about their daily lives. I went up onto the city walls, entry 40 Yuan and rented a bike 20 Yuan for 100 minutes with a 200 Yuan deposit. Having the bike lets you explore more of the towers along the wall but 100 minutes gave me just enough time to do about half of the wall. It's not just the wall, it's all of the activities going on between the wall and the moat, table tennis tables in the hundreds, kite flying, musical renditions, taichi, dancing, badminton, and exercise stations. This weekend is a holiday long weekend so the city is full to bursting with university students and other visitors, everyone is in great spirits with easy laughter and smiling faces everwhere. I stayed on the wall for about five hours, I wanted to be there for dusk and to see the lights come on along the the wall and on the guard towers and it was well worth it, as the afternoon wore on the crowds thinned considerably with the departure of the tour buses.
Came back to the hostel at 2030 to find it also full of university students, some the worse for wear having celebrated with Beijiu (Chinese rice spirits) a little too much. Morning revealed not all of it had managed to stay down with soiled bed linen and mattress outside airing.
The Great Mosque for some reason escaped the ravages of the cultural revolution and is a true treasure of Chinese antiquity. This is a MUST SEE when you visit Xian, it's very peaceful withing the mosque grounds and a very easy place to spend and hour or two.
Came back to the hostel at 2030 to find it also full of university students, some the worse for wear having celebrated with Beijiu (Chinese rice spirits) a little too much. Morning revealed not all of it had managed to stay down with soiled bed linen and mattress outside airing.
The Great Mosque for some reason escaped the ravages of the cultural revolution and is a true treasure of Chinese antiquity. This is a MUST SEE when you visit Xian, it's very peaceful withing the mosque grounds and a very easy place to spend and hour or two.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Nan Jing South Capital to Xi-An West Peace
Arriving at Nanjing Railway Station, passengers from all platforms are channeled into a central tunnel to the exit area, it's a nightmare when two or more trains arrive around the same time. Leaving is a much better experience, to begin with, the departure area of the station is modern, well lit and roomy with three levels of waiting lounges. Unfortunately it all falls apart when it comes time to board as once again passengers for more than one train are herded together either up or down stairs into a central corridor to fight their way to their respective platforms.
I'm traveling hard sleeper for the 15 hour journey and have a bottom bunk. There are two tiers of three bunks in each compartment and I am sharing with two married couples as well as a very interesting bloke named Mosajan Mahsut. Mosajan has very good English skills and is from Kurla, a city on the central path of the silk route. He told me he's an engineer with a Hydro Electric company and is on his way home for his two months holiday. I mentioned to Mosajan that two months holiday was pretty generous but had to take that back when he told me that he works seven days a week for ten months straight and then has two months off.
I have my copy of the Insight Guides “Silk Route” with me and have loaned it to Mosajan for the duration of my trip and he has been completely engrossed in it ever since, he has extracted a promise from me to call him if I get as far as Kurla.
The two married couples are very nice as well and we have managed to pass the time with Mosajan acting as translator whren needed. Further along in the carriage is a wild looking woman in the age of 30 to 40 who keeps coming past and stopping to chat, she has some English skill and keeps repeating the same sentences over and over. The two ladfies in my compartment have decided that she's crazy and has her eye on Mosajan, they were afraid she was going to sit down with us so they spread their belongings over all the spare sitting room and turned their backs on her.
The scenery this morning is typical central China, loess plains that have been worked over the centuries into terraces for farming and villages of either mud or brick houses . There was a heavy fog earlier but it seems to be lifting as the sun spreads some warmth over the plains. Also dotting the fields and hill sides are tombstones and a seemingly endless number of man made caves.
Just prior to arriving in Xian the crazy woman made more frequent visits to our area of the carriage and was acting ever more strangely. It seems she was being escorted by three police officers to Urumqi and was definitely the talk of the carriage.
I've booked into “Qixian or Seven Sages” hostel; www.7sages.com.cn and it's great so far. It's a bit out of the centre of the city but still within the city walls, access is down a wide pedestrian alley away from traffic so noise is no problem. Rather than me trying to explain the layout, just click on the link for a 3D tour of the Hostel.
I'm traveling hard sleeper for the 15 hour journey and have a bottom bunk. There are two tiers of three bunks in each compartment and I am sharing with two married couples as well as a very interesting bloke named Mosajan Mahsut. Mosajan has very good English skills and is from Kurla, a city on the central path of the silk route. He told me he's an engineer with a Hydro Electric company and is on his way home for his two months holiday. I mentioned to Mosajan that two months holiday was pretty generous but had to take that back when he told me that he works seven days a week for ten months straight and then has two months off.
I have my copy of the Insight Guides “Silk Route” with me and have loaned it to Mosajan for the duration of my trip and he has been completely engrossed in it ever since, he has extracted a promise from me to call him if I get as far as Kurla.
The two married couples are very nice as well and we have managed to pass the time with Mosajan acting as translator whren needed. Further along in the carriage is a wild looking woman in the age of 30 to 40 who keeps coming past and stopping to chat, she has some English skill and keeps repeating the same sentences over and over. The two ladfies in my compartment have decided that she's crazy and has her eye on Mosajan, they were afraid she was going to sit down with us so they spread their belongings over all the spare sitting room and turned their backs on her.
The scenery this morning is typical central China, loess plains that have been worked over the centuries into terraces for farming and villages of either mud or brick houses . There was a heavy fog earlier but it seems to be lifting as the sun spreads some warmth over the plains. Also dotting the fields and hill sides are tombstones and a seemingly endless number of man made caves.
Just prior to arriving in Xian the crazy woman made more frequent visits to our area of the carriage and was acting ever more strangely. It seems she was being escorted by three police officers to Urumqi and was definitely the talk of the carriage.
I've booked into “Qixian or Seven Sages” hostel; www.7sages.com.cn and it's great so far. It's a bit out of the centre of the city but still within the city walls, access is down a wide pedestrian alley away from traffic so noise is no problem. Rather than me trying to explain the layout, just click on the link for a 3D tour of the Hostel.
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Nanjing
Tried to see some of the sights here today but the fog/smog cover was so thick it just wasn't worth it. As well as that it is all reconstructed stuff, what the Japanese didn't destroy they did a pretty good job of themselves in civil conflicts and the cultural cleansing program of bygone years.
Took an invigorating walk up to the observatory on "Purple Mountain" not for the view obviously as fog looks much the same everywhere. Climbing the mountain seems to be a popular thing to do for the locals, the road was full of people, didn't see any other foreigners for the entire time so I proved to be a bit of a novelty. Lots of calling out "hello" followed by giggling when I responded in kind.
The park around the mountain is heavily vegetated and I even saw several birds in the trees and flying around. While this might not seem all that exceptional to readers who have not visited China let me inform you that sightings of birds or any other wildlife is unfortunately all too rare. Not too many people were using the very well constructed boardwalk past the turn off to the observatory so I was able to enjoy the park in peace.
Went to the Massacre Memorial Museum today, it's exceptionally well done and very tasteful. I take my hat off to the designers, builders and curators.
Must have walked at least 30km today so treated myself to a foot massage tonight, 48RMB and not too bad, but not great.
Off to Xian tomorrow night on the sleeper train, have purchased a ticket for hard sleeper, bottom bunk, 280Yuan.
In Nanjing I stayed at Sunflower Hostel. Good friendly hostel with average facilities. Great staff is what makes this place work, all have good English skills and are happy to help you.
Ph: 025-52266858 E-mail: scscscsc2001@hotmail.com Web: xxx.nanjingyha.com
Facebook: nanjing sunflower hostel
Took an invigorating walk up to the observatory on "Purple Mountain" not for the view obviously as fog looks much the same everywhere. Climbing the mountain seems to be a popular thing to do for the locals, the road was full of people, didn't see any other foreigners for the entire time so I proved to be a bit of a novelty. Lots of calling out "hello" followed by giggling when I responded in kind.
The park around the mountain is heavily vegetated and I even saw several birds in the trees and flying around. While this might not seem all that exceptional to readers who have not visited China let me inform you that sightings of birds or any other wildlife is unfortunately all too rare. Not too many people were using the very well constructed boardwalk past the turn off to the observatory so I was able to enjoy the park in peace.
Went to the Massacre Memorial Museum today, it's exceptionally well done and very tasteful. I take my hat off to the designers, builders and curators.
Must have walked at least 30km today so treated myself to a foot massage tonight, 48RMB and not too bad, but not great.
Off to Xian tomorrow night on the sleeper train, have purchased a ticket for hard sleeper, bottom bunk, 280Yuan.
In Nanjing I stayed at Sunflower Hostel. Good friendly hostel with average facilities. Great staff is what makes this place work, all have good English skills and are happy to help you.
Ph: 025-52266858 E-mail: scscscsc2001@hotmail.com Web: xxx.nanjingyha.com
Facebook: nanjing sunflower hostel
Monday, 30 March 2009
Old Shanghai
A week in Shanghai as tour guide for my wife for a week was a great way to reacquaint myself with Shanghai, visiting familiar places and discovering new to me corners of the city. Having someone you care a lot for to share it all with just enhances the experience.
Joy managed to find everything she came for and a few other items she hadn't though about until she saw them.
We stayed at Etour Youth Hostel Mingtown, right beside Peoples Park. You can use the Marriott Hotel as a landmark to help you relocate it. I've used this hostel several times before and it's great value for traveling couples as the double rooms with share bathroom facilities are spacious enough with air conditioning and heating as well as a writing desk, TV and electric kettle for boiling water. We were in room 102 which is on the ground floor and shares the bathroom with just one other room. Although patchy at times we could also connect to the WiFi in the room. The staff at Mingtown all speak pretty good English and on the whole are a friendly and cheerful bunch. Ph. 021-63277766
E-mail mingtown@foxmail.com
Shanghai is undergoing rapid redevelopment around the inner city with huge chunks of the old city falling victim to the wreckers machines. It amused me to find one original part of old Shanghai right next to an area that has been redeveloped to represent old Shanghai; the original is much more interesting with far more people in the streets and alley ways.
Shanghai is a city best explored on foot, arm yourself with a decent street map so that you can find your way home but try to just follow your ears and nose rather than sticking to a planned itinerary.
I've left Shanghai now, took the wonderfully modern fast train to Nanjing. Apart from the scenery slipping past my window at 160 KPH + and the loud phone conversations going on around me I could easily have believed I was back in Japan on the Shinkansen.
Joy managed to find everything she came for and a few other items she hadn't though about until she saw them.
We stayed at Etour Youth Hostel Mingtown, right beside Peoples Park. You can use the Marriott Hotel as a landmark to help you relocate it. I've used this hostel several times before and it's great value for traveling couples as the double rooms with share bathroom facilities are spacious enough with air conditioning and heating as well as a writing desk, TV and electric kettle for boiling water. We were in room 102 which is on the ground floor and shares the bathroom with just one other room. Although patchy at times we could also connect to the WiFi in the room. The staff at Mingtown all speak pretty good English and on the whole are a friendly and cheerful bunch. Ph. 021-63277766
E-mail mingtown@foxmail.com
Shanghai is undergoing rapid redevelopment around the inner city with huge chunks of the old city falling victim to the wreckers machines. It amused me to find one original part of old Shanghai right next to an area that has been redeveloped to represent old Shanghai; the original is much more interesting with far more people in the streets and alley ways.
Shanghai is a city best explored on foot, arm yourself with a decent street map so that you can find your way home but try to just follow your ears and nose rather than sticking to a planned itinerary.
I've left Shanghai now, took the wonderfully modern fast train to Nanjing. Apart from the scenery slipping past my window at 160 KPH + and the loud phone conversations going on around me I could easily have believed I was back in Japan on the Shinkansen.
Friday, 20 March 2009
Shanghai Pudong Airport
When you're booking your flight to and from Shanghai, you should pay attention to the arrival and departure times so that you can decide how to travel between the airport and the city. It's no good saving money by taking the red eye special only to lose all of the saving on an expensive taxi ride to your hotel or hostel.
The cheapest way into the city is to take one of the many airport shuttle buses, a ticket can be had for about 18 Yuan, however the bus takes a good hour and a half to complete the journey.
Check schedules here:
http://www.chinaairlinetravel.com/airport-guide/shanghai-airport/pudong-airport-bus.htm
The next cheapest, and my favourite way is on the MAGLEV train to Longyang subway station and then by subway to the most convenient station to your hostel / hotel. You will get a discount on presenting your flight boarding pass so don't throw it away beforehand. Going to the airport from Long Yang you need to show your flight ticket to qualify for the discount. Standard ticket one way is 50 Yuan, Discounted ticket one way is 40 Yuan.
On arrival at Longyang just head down the escalator to the subway station. You can buy a train ticket from one of the machines or from the ticket office, the most it should cost is four Yuan. All stations are announced in both Chinese and English prior to arrival. I've put some pics of screen shots from the ticket machine at the subway stations, these too are in both Chinese and English.
The cheapest way into the city is to take one of the many airport shuttle buses, a ticket can be had for about 18 Yuan, however the bus takes a good hour and a half to complete the journey.
Check schedules here:
http://www.chinaairlinetravel.com/airport-guide/shanghai-airport/pudong-airport-bus.htm
The next cheapest, and my favourite way is on the MAGLEV train to Longyang subway station and then by subway to the most convenient station to your hostel / hotel. You will get a discount on presenting your flight boarding pass so don't throw it away beforehand. Going to the airport from Long Yang you need to show your flight ticket to qualify for the discount. Standard ticket one way is 50 Yuan, Discounted ticket one way is 40 Yuan.
On arrival at Longyang just head down the escalator to the subway station. You can buy a train ticket from one of the machines or from the ticket office, the most it should cost is four Yuan. All stations are announced in both Chinese and English prior to arrival. I've put some pics of screen shots from the ticket machine at the subway stations, these too are in both Chinese and English.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
