Along the Silk Road

May - June 2019
A 42-day adventure by Ngaire
  • 33footprints
  • 4countries
  • 42days
  • 302photos
  • 9videos
  • 8.8kkilometers
  • 4.1kkilometers
  • Day 13

    Mogao Caves and the Gobi Desert

    May 28, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    The main purpose of our visit to Dunhuang was to view the rather impressive Mogao caves. Dug into cliffs that rise out of the otherwise flat and featureless desert landscape, the caves reveal Buddhist paintings dating as far back as the 4th century. For more than 700 years Buddhist monks from far and wide excavated the hard rock and painted exquisite testaments to their faith. More than 2000 painted stucco figures and around 45,000 square meters of murals remain.

    We were unable to photograph any of the interiors but a few external images also remained. Of more than 600 caves that survive, about 20 are open to the public. Of the 8 we were shown, what struck us most was how vivid the colours remained after such a long time. They were truly beautiful. There were apparently also 1000s of manuscripts but many of these were taken by 19th/20th century explorers and reside in foreign museums.

    In addition to the cave paintings there are also two more humungous Buddha, one reclining and the other sitting. The external structure to the cave entrance gives an idea of the size of the sitting Buddha (around 35m).

    Of course no visit to the desert is complete without a camel ride! Only a short distance from town the sand mountain Mingsha Shan rises impressively. Camel riding in orange sand boots is a must, as is viewing the spectacular Crescent Moon Lake.

    We happened upon a fabulous theatrical production set in an equally impressive underground theatre. Entirely in Chinese, our guide thought we were a bit crazy, but it proved to be one of the highlights of our trip. Loosely based on the story of the loss of the Buddhist manuscripts from the Mogao Caves, the sounds, sights and sheer creativity of this production blew us away.
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  • Day 14

    Turpan

    May 29, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    The oasis city of Turpan is located in the region of Xinjiang. Sharing borders with 8 countries, the region is primarily desert and grassland, fringed by some of the largest mountains in the world. Oasis towns are scattered along the Silk Road that skirts the northern and southern edges of the Taklamakan Desert.

    The predominance of "minority" ethnic groups (and especially the Uighur people) resulted, in 1955, in the declaration of the region as the Uigher Autonomous Region. The 15 police stations we observed on the 30 minute journey from the train station to our hotel reminded us, however, that we were still very much in China. Indeed it was rather disturbing to see police walking around the streets in full riot gear, as if this was a normal part of life.

    Turpan itself lies in the Turpan depression - one of the lowest points on earth. This was really the first place where we'd seen the influence of the Silk Road on ethnic diversity, with street and shop signs written in both Chinese and Arabic. The local people, their faces, their food, the architecture - all reflected the long history of the Uighur in this region. And of course there was plenty of lamb (and no pork)!

    The Jiaohe city ruins lie a short distance from the city centre. Founded as an administrative centre and garrison town by the Chinese in the 2nd century BC, it came under the influence of the Uighur people in the 6th century. While mostly comprised of ruins, it is still possible to appreciate the complexity and especially the building methods used to create this impressive place. Located on a steep plateau, many of the structures were created by digging down into the rock (rather than building on top) - a mammoth task! At its peak it supported about 700 households, mainly Buddhist Uighurs.

    Turpan is famous for its grape growing. Grape vines are everywhere, as is a great variety of fruit and vegetables. Grapes are dried in specially designed rooms, often located above houses. The area is truly an oasis and a complex aqueduct and irrigation system (known as a karez) supplies much-needed water to support the extensive agriculture we observed. There was some debate about the origin of the system, and perhaps this is a good example of the success of the Silk Road.

    The influence of the Turkic culture was also evident at our lunch at a local winery, where we were entertained with dancers in fabulous costumes. How they managed these energetic activities in 30+ degrees escaped us! Luckily there was plenty of local beer for us to quench our thirst.
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  • Day 15

    Flamin' heck!

    May 30, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    With temperatures in the mid-30s it seemed crazy to be heading to the rather ominous-sounding Flaming Mountains, also home to the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha caves - another Buddhist monastery carved into the mountainside.

    Famous as a place where eggs can be baked in the sand, the Flaming Mountains proved to be spectacular but more for their size than their colour (or perhaps we'd been spoilt by the Rainbow Mountains?). An impossibly steep pathway reached to the mountain top, while the way down appeared to be facilitated by way of a slide - clever thinking!

    The Bezelklik caves, once decorated lavishly in much the same way as the more extensive Mogao Caves, had suffered at the hands of European and Japanese explorers, with statues and entire frescoes having been removed to far-away museums. As with all of the Buddhist monasteries we'd visited, it proved to be a place of tranquility and contemplation, even with a horde of Chinese tourists waving flags and sporting matching white outfits with orange caps!

    A 20 minute walk to visit Imin Ta turned into an hour-long slog in the uncomfortable heat. But it did give us a bit more of a look at the Muslim section of town. Constructed in 1778, the beautifully decorated minaret rises like a chimney beside the mosque. Clever brickwork creates a complex pattern that contrasts with the plainer mosque. Solemn cradle-like unmarked tombs formed rows in an adjacent cemetery.

    A quick trip to the impressive museum, complete with a rather gruesome but nonetheless fascinating collection of mummies excavated during highway construction, then it was back to the station for our final overnight train to Kashgar.
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  • Day 17

    Kashgar markets

    June 1, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    As the meeting point of the northern and southern Silk Roads and the gateway to the west, Kashgar was once a place of great significance. Established as a Chinese garrison in AD 78, the city didn't become part of the Chinese empire until the 18th century. Entering this city felt very much like entering a new country and our poor Chinese group leader William struggled at times to communicate with the locals!

    Our prime reason for visiting Kashgar was to visit the bazaar and the now separately located livestock market.

    Packed with Uighur men (and the occasional woman), the livestock market buzzes with the sounds of humans and animals alike. Fat-tailed sheep, super cute goats, donkeys, horses and cattle compete for the attention of would-be buyers. You didn't need to understand the language to see when the relative merits of an animal (or herd) were being discussed or when deals were being made. A handshake, a quick smile - all done! Animals are transported on anything from serious cattle trucks to motor scooters and even the odd donkey cart. And of course as largely a food animal market, there are plenty of opportunities to sample the potential goods!

    In contrast, the bazaar is the place to buy just about anything else. From stockings to large pots to medicinal herbs to brocade curtains, this is where the locals shop. Mind you, other than watermelon to quench our thirst in the sweltering heat, we resisted the temptation to add to our souvenir collection, preferring instead to pace our purchasing across the 3 additional countries on our schedule.
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  • Day 17

    Islamic influences

    June 1, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    A large statue of Chairman Mao dominates Kashgar's physical city centre. However, it would seem that the Ida Kah Mosque provides it's spiritual centre. One of the largest mosques in China, it was probably built in 1738 but apparently stands on the site of a smaller, 15th century mosque. With a definite Central Asian, rather than Chinese, architectural style, the mosque was badly damaged during the Cultural Revolution. Our visit was a reminder to me of the tragedy in Christchurch. The denigration of such a tranquil and contemplative place belies belief.

    According to our guide book, Islam arrived in China around the 9th century, about 200 years after Arab sailors landed in southern China. There are now more than 13 million Muslims in China, concentrated in the Xinjiang province in north western China (including Uighur, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Tatars and Uzbeks), as well as Chinese speaking Hui, who are scattered around the country. Islam became dominant in the Xinjiang region by the 15th century and Kashgar became an important Islamic centre.

    It was here that we also learnt from our guide that the entrance price for tourist attractions in China generally reflects the age of said attraction (price increases with age)!

    The Aba Khoja Mausoleum is another must-see on the Kashgar tourist trail. Considered one of the best examples of Islamic architecture in China, the mausoleum is the burial place of the family of Aba Khoja, a celebrated Islamic missionary. Built in the 17th century it retains much of its original tiling. Exquisite colours - blue, green, orange - adorn the exterior. Inside, blue-glazed tiles decorate the cradle-shaped tombs of family members. Tiny tombs tell sad stories of young ones lost.

    The mausoleum is also known as Xiangfei's Tomb. Xiangfei (or Ikparhan as she was known) was a descendant of Aba Khoja and had been forced to become the concubine of the Chinese Emperor. Depending on which story you believe, she refused to submit to the dastardly fellow and was either murdered or committed suicide. Or she may have lived to old age. Regardless, the story goes that after she died she continued to smell as sweetly fragrant as she did when alive, and so became known as the Fragrant Concubine. Two coffins were used to transport her from Bejing to her home in Kashgar, with one being constantly filled with fresh roses to maintain her perfumed state. Apparently it took 3 years for the journey. I feel sorry for the poor fellows charged with refreshing the roses around her rotting body!

    A nearby Friday (or Juma) mosque offered more insight into the Muslim world. Individually carved pillars detailed beautiful floral emblems and are considered amongst the finest examples of Uighur wood culture.

    Kashgar is a city of old and new and we spent time exploring the older parts of town that had undergone restoration to enhance their old world charm. A short distance from the main street and you entered a world of children playing in shared courtyards, old men and women sharing stories perched on tiny chairs, colorful doorways and ornate detailing. A wonderful contrast to the constant noise, the dusty air and the human shuffle.
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  • Day 19

    Farewell my Concubine

    June 3, 2019 in China ⋅ ☁️ 3 °C

    As we left China behind us we made a list of the things that we thought had flavoured our experience of China, grouped into the serious stuff and the not-so-serious stuff. Overall, an amazing place on so many levels.

    The serious stuff
    1. It's a big country with big plans to accommodate its burgeoning population. We saw numerous large scale roading and infrastructure developments everywhere (and anywhere). Watch out America!
    2. Well managed tourist attractions, although perhaps a bit too managed!
    3. Constant noise - even in the middle of nowhere.
    4. Friendly and obliging people (for the most part).
    5. Police in riot gear and metal detectors in shops as a normal part of life (at least in the west).
    6. "Food is heaven" and the "starvation mentality"(eat as much as you can, while you can).
    7. Well-used public exercise facilities and a yet a constant stream of cigarette smoke as you wander down the street.
    8. Beautiful and well-thought out parks and gardens.
    9. Plastic - it's everywhere and there is certainly no obvious interest in reducing it.
    10. Poor planning and the encroachment of urban areas on farm land (displacement of people).

    The fun stuff
    1. Instant toileting solutions for babies and toddlers- pants slit front and back (saves on nappies)
    2. Bring on the bling. They don't do things by halves.
    3. Dodgy plumbing, hard beds.
    4. Humungous floral artworks.
    5. Crocheted, woven and lacy motorbike covers.
    6. Face mask labels.
    7. Piled high auto-rickshaws.

    And the consistently funniest....Eglish translations of Chinese instructions.
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  • Day 19

    Escape to Kyrgyzstan

    June 3, 2019 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ 🌫 3 °C

    After saying our goodbyes, Richard and I, and Wendy and Les from Perth, boarded our oversized bus for the long trip across the border, accompanied by our escort Kazim. Kashgar soon disappeared and before long we'd arrived at the first of 6 (yes 6!) security checks we'd need to negotiate before the border. Generally these were straightforward, although invariably there was some waiting until whichever officials decided to open the door/gate and/or issue appropriate paperwork and/or check our passports/scan our bags. It was most definitely a lesson in patience.

    Immigration proved most interesting. There were no other "customers " when we arrived but progress was slow as it seemed like they'd just opened. In addition to bags being scanned, our phones, cameras and iPads were scrutinized for dodgy photos, our guide books were skimmed and Richard's phone activity was accessed via an app they downloaded. We'd heard stories from other tourists of books being confiscated because they didn't show Taiwan as being part of China, so we were sort of prepared, but it was still a relief to finally reach passport control.

    Finally getting our passports stamped and stepping into "no man's land", we were subsequently ordered back to immigration about 30 minutes later, as one of our passports hadn't scanned properly. So much for fancy technology !

    Other than acting as delivery bus for a load of goods (and a border guard) bound for a security checkpoint, it was smooth sailing to the border gate. Travelling through the stunning Torugart Pass to reach our exit point, the winter woolies we'd packed once again proved their worth. Unfortunately our delayed arrived meant the guard that had the key to the gate was on lunch!

    It was oddly liberating to finally walk through the gate and meet our guide Nastacia and driver Vitali. A couple more security checks with some very friendly Russian-speaking guards and we were on our way (after another recall for more paperwork).

    The scenery was stunning - towering snow-capped mountains, bubbling streams and even a herd of yaks. It was breathtaking and reminded us of our own beautiful country (except for the yaks of course). First stop was Tash Rabat, a 15th century stone caravanserai hidden in a side valley off the main road at an elevation of 3200m. Restored in the 1980s, the stone interior includes a mix of larger rooms and numerous smaller rooms. which presumably served as accommodation. Apparently there is still some debate about what the function of Tash Rabat.

    Athough we'd had lunch on the bus trip, we welcomed a second late lunch in a nearby yurt (out of the cold). It was a delight to have a sandwich after weeks of noodles, rice and chilli! And not a plastic bag in sight, with lunchboxes proving just as effective. Before long we were back on the road, heading towards Naryn, our destination for the night. The sunshine and rain played with colours and shapes, providing us with a spectacular introduction to this beautiful country.

    Naryn proved to be a delightful town of friendly locals set amongst majestic mountains, with a mighty river running though it and a statue of a deer standing guard. It was a relief to be away from the constant noise, as well as the dust and the smells of the big city.
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  • Day 20

    On the road to Bishkek

    June 4, 2019 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ 🌫 15 °C

    Waking up to a cool morning, with the birds chirping and the river roaring, was pure bliss. After a tasty breakfast (and rather unusual music) we began the second day of travel that would lead us to Bishkek and the start of the Kyrgyzstan leg of our Silk Road trip.

    As we descended from the mountains, the valleys widened and the grasslands gradually replaced the steeper terrain, though the mountains continued their watch from afar. Yurts, caravans and food stalls dotted the landscape. Priority was clearly with horsemen and their stock, slowing passage and entertaining wide-eyed tourists. Tiny colourful mosques heralded the presence of a village or at least a gathering of sufficient numbers to justify the cost. Highly decorated Muslim cemeteries contrasted with the stark unnamed tombs we'd seen in Kashgar.

    "Would you like to stop for coffee?" Nastacia asked, much to our delight. A nearby petrol station offered half decent coffee and a shelf of vodka (if we were so inclined).

    Lunch was an interesting affair. We'd stopped at a hotel/restaurant/theme park, complete with a lake, old cars, sculptures made from car parts and tyres and sneaky white swans. The menu included horse meat, usually a speciality dish but clearly this place was targeted at the tourists.

    Finally arriving in Bishkek around 5 we were pleased to escape the confines of the bus. Meeting our group of 12 an hour later, the difference with our China tour group was evident, though not clearly definable. We were excited to take our next steps along the Silk Road.
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  • Day 21

    Bishkek

    June 5, 2019 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ 🌫 23 °C

    Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan. With a population of more than 1 million, it felt much smaller. This may have been due to our visit coinciding with Ramadan. The tree-lined streets, beautiful gardens, grand buildings and absence of high rises added to its overall charm. Bishkek's history is quite recent and indeed it only took on its current name after independence in 1991.

    We started the day with an exploration of the city, focusing on the 4 main squares. Each has it's own story and our guide provided an excellent commentary as we progressed our tour. First stop was Manas Square. Kyrgyz love their stories and perhaps the most famous of all is the Epic of Manas, a traditional poem of more than 500,000 lines, transmitted orally for hundreds of years. The text is key to Kyrgyz national identity, as it describes the unification of 7 tribes into a single people. There are quite a few versions and there is also no clear evidence this Manas fellow was real, but it makes for good story telling.

    As Nastacia was recounting this story, a uniformed man and 2 others in plain clothes approached us. Turns out they were tourist police- not to check up on us but to help us! Very friendly fellows and quite taken by our 2 younger females. Stories of bride-kidnapping came to mind!

    The remainder of the tour covered the Ala-Too square, with its change of guard; the Old Sqaure, with its beautiful stone sculptures and the Victory Square- the most modern. A yurt-inspired monument dominates the square, a female figure represents home and an eternal flame burns. The story of their efforts in World War 2 were told through this striking collection of works.

    Lunch at a local restaurant provided some respite from the heat, especially the spiced cherry lemonade- so good I ordered a second.

    A brief visit to the recently opened mosque (largest in Central Asia) provided another special experience. Beautifully decorated inside and out, the complex of white minarets and domes created a stunning picture.

    An equally brief visit to the local markets after a failed attempt at visiting the Fine arts museum and it was time for a rest before dinner. The rain that had threatened earlier bucketed down as we headed back to our hotel after dinner. A warning of says to come.
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  • Day 22

    Horsing around

    June 6, 2019 in Kyrgyzstan ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Getting anywhere in Kyrgyzstan takes time. While the main "highway" is in reasonably good condition, many of the roads are pot-holed, narrow, unsealed, frequented by slow drivers or large trucks, slippery from rain or snow - or all of the above.

    We farewelled the hotel moggie and canine and headed out with the intention of firstly visiting the 11th century Burana tower. However a change of plan to meet our schedule saw us arrive at a roadside field decked out with viewing platform. We were soon treated to a demonstration of 4 horse-based games that are part of a suite of sports played at the Nomad Games, a biennial event that attracts sports folk from around the world.

    The highly skilled horsemen introduced us to:
    1) tiyin-enish - where the rider tries to pick up tiny bags of coins from the ground while riding at full gallop;
    2) odarysh - where 2 riders on horses try to wrestle each other off their horses;
    3) koko buru (or buzkashi) - a game with 2 teams of 5 or 6 in which a headless dead male goat is snatched from the ground, with the rider then racing to a circular pit, hurling the goat in to score a goal, all the while trying to fend off opposition defenders who surround the riders horse;
    4) horse races - at full gallop.

    The skills of the horsemen were most impressive and even the goat-polo was enthralling (once you got over the squeamishness of the dead goat tossing). Apparently after the game the goat is cooked and is considered the best of meals!

    The horses are certainly put through their paces and were probably appreciative of the sedate pace they kept as we enjoyed a short ride. The horsemen were buzzing and any exchange of words was unnecessary to see the enjoyment they got from these activities.

    Burana Tower was of some interest, the stone totems even more so, but the rain dampened our enthusiasm for anything but lunch. By now we'd got used to the guest house meals - tables piled high with bread, jam and sweets. Salad, soup and a meat and vege dish - more than a usual Kyrgyz lunch or dinner and a bit too much for us also. But tasty and made with aroha.

    The remainder of the day was spent travelling to our overnight destination of Kochkor, with the odd photo stop along the way. Another guest house, another meal.

    Despite the late hour we agreed to a demonstration at the Women's Felt Co-op of the art of making shyrdak - the felted wool mats that are a trademark of Kyrgyz handicraft. Used in particular in the insulating of yurts, the process is time-consuming and the outputs beautiful. We couldn't resist.
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