Dunhuang

After a long drive we arrived in the rather pleasant city of Dunhuang. With a population of only 200,000 it's virtually a village by Chinese standards. An oasis town set amidst the stark Gobi Desert, it once served as the last stop on the Silk Road before the leap into the unknown. After settling in to our hotel we headed out, relishing the rare opportunity for independent exploration.

We'd observed outdoor exercise parks elsewhere on our journey and Dunhuang was no exception. Indeed, it is very common to see adults and children alike exercising in these communal settings at any time of the day.

An impressive "river" runs through the city, offering mid-river picnic spots, a fantastic fountain display, dragon boating and more. We really liked this city!

Our destination was the White Horse Pagoda (or Baima Ta), set within a very modest Buddhist temple located in a rather down-trodden (but soon to be upgraded) part of town. The pagoda was built in memory of a horse belonging to a Buddhist monk who'd passed through the area. He clearly made an impact! His horse died at the temple in 384 AD.

After rejoining our fellow travellers we spent a pleasant few hours observing the locals, partaking of the local beverage and enjoying the stunning light show.Read more