2. Took an overnight train from Turpan to Dunhuang
Jiaohe Ruins
Turpan - Model of the ancient city of Jiaohe. There is one entrance to the city and the steep cliffs and rivers on both sides formed natural defenses against invaders.
Turpan - Jiaohe Ruins. This city was an important site along the Silk Road and was a Buddhist center.
Turpan - Jiaohe Ruins
Turpan - Jiaohe Ruins - Inside one of the intact buildings.
Turpan - Jiaohe Ruins
Turpan - Jiaohe Ruins
Turpan - Jiaohe Ruins
Turpan - Jiaohe Ruins
Turpan - Jiaohe Ruins - The place was crowded with mainland China tourist. There were some Japanese tours and some French tours. No Americans were seen.
Karez Underground Water System
Turpan Water Museum
Turpan - Model of how the Karez irrigation system was built. This irrigation system is still in use today and provides the desert communities and farms with a stable water source. The wells collect water from the snow melt of the Tian Shan Mountains. Vertical wells are dug and connected by horizontal canals. The system is underground to prevent evaporation due to the desert environment. The vertical wells allow access to the water source.
Turpan - This picture provides an aerial view. Each small circle is a vertical well. It shows how extensive the Karez irrigation system is.
Lunch
Staple of Uighur cuisine - Shou La Mian (noodle dish)
Fire Mountain
Turpan - Fire Mountain - A site made famous because it was a filming location of a movie based on the Monkey King from the classical Chinese novel, Journey to the West. A bit of a tourist trap. You can see the mountain from the highway, but they fenced an area, built an air-conditioned building to sell souvenirs, put some statues outside, and charge admission to the place.
Turpan - Fire Mountain - Pretty hot out there.
Turpan - Fire Mountain - A sign telling you not to hike the mountain due to extreme heat and the risk of getting a sunstroke.
Turpan - Fire Mountain - Chocolate that doesn't melt in the desert.
Grape Valley
Turpan is well-known for their grapes.
This is how they dry the grapes to make raisins.
Local Uighur home for dinner
Courtyard where we ate. In the back is their kitchen. Grapevines covering the courtyard. The man's daughter just had her first child and they were gathered around the baby.
Local beer and local grapes.
They had a puppy we were playing with while waiting for the food.
Turpan to the train station
Sunset in the desert as we were driving to the train station. Sun sets late in this part of China. This was around 9 or 10pm.
Overnight train to Dunhuang
We had booked our trip at the last minute, so there were no more first class train tickets left. This is a second class cabin. Difference between first and second class consists of having 6 bunks in one room rather than 4 and no door for privacy in the second class. You have to be worried about people stealing your luggage. Bathrooms are a lot dirtier, too. No showers on the train. Didn't shower, brush my teeth, or change clothes that night.
The train system is a bit chaotic and rudimentary. Reminded me of movies where you see the soldiers boarding the trains to depart for war. The train will leave without you if you don't board by the departure time. People are running and pushing to get on.
I had the top bunk. My view at the top. The tickets specify which specific bed you have in which room. They provide one pillow and one blanket.
Trying to show the 3 bunks in the picture. My brother was sitting out there in the corridor because he wasn't sure how to climb up to the bunk. There's not enough space on the top bunk to sit up.
The overnight train ride was about 8 hours from Turpan to Dunhuang.
