Unforgettable trip to South Xinjiang

When I was very young, I knew from books that Xinjiang is a good place, far away in a far away place, where there are high mountains and valleys, snowy plateaus, Tianshan Mountains, Kunlun, Tarim Basin, Taklamakan Desert, where there is a picturesque landscape, fruits and fruits, and ethnic minority customs, songs and dances and so on, how can we not be mesmerized.

On October 10th, we departed from Shanghai and flew directly to Urumqi, a nearly 6-hour flight, where the temperature was 8 degrees lower than in Shanghai, making it slightly colder. There is a long mound of dirt next to the airport runway, which is very special, and I guess it is for wind protection.

From the airport to the city, there is a subway, but also the only subway in Urumqi, the city's population of only 3 million people, the subway is very few people, most of the friends of the Uighur, I was sitting across from the two young women, very beautiful, white skin, high nose, big eyes, face angular, speak the language of the Uighur, speak very quickly, in a hurry in the foreign country. I booked a hotel near the International Grand Bazaar, the subway direct.

International Grand Bazaar has a strong Islamic architectural style, focusing on the rich Western ethnic characteristics and regional culture.

There is a super large building complex, the Grand Bazaar Banquet Hall, the Grand Bazaar Gourmet Square, the Grand Bazaar Joy Square, the first sightseeing tower of 80 meters in Xinjiang, a sightseeing Islamic mosque, and a lot of tourism and craft boutiques.

Now there are not a lot of tourists, may be the reason for the cold days, there is a hundred years of naan store, but also bought a few, ready for the back of a few days of the trip to the lunch, 5 yuan a, the original flavor, not very hard kind of. Around the hotel, there are a lot of Xinjiang restaurants around, decorated with luxury. But there are not many guests, the later talents know, we turn the time is more than 5:00, Xinjiang people eat most of the time is about 9:00, children after school are after 7:00. Urumqi Civil Affairs Bureau in Urumqi next to a baked bun store, bought four, three yuan a, inside the filling is made of mutton and beef, not now baked out of the flavor in general. Another Xinjiang people more snacks store, very clean, curtains are fine white rust flowers, the overall store looks very elegant. I found that the Xinjiang people, very concerned about their own dress, neat, solemn, hair also meticulous. Even in Ta County, which is thousands of kilometers away from Urumqi, it's the same. But the food, feel the taste is still a little uncomfortable.

The first day (October 11, 2020), Urumqi - Luobu people village - Korla.

The tour guide driver came to pick us up early in the morning, at 7 o'clock, it was very dark outside. There were four other friends traveling with us, and the Buick business car was very comfortable. The driver introduced us to the full 2500 kilometers. This is only a small half of the southern border, no wonder some people say, not to Xinjiang do not know the size of China. Luckily, the driver is a dry tour guide, or senior, more than 40 years old, funny, wide knowledge, mainly also talkative. The first thing you need to do is to get your hands dirty.

A highway, soon out of the city of Urumqi, all the way to the east, Turpan direction, Tukwu high-speed, two-way 8 lanes, driving more than 1 hour, and then all the way to the south, all the desert, far away from the misty mountains is the Tianshan mountain range. Almost to the time of Dasan City, the day light, the distant Dasan City green trees, but Dasan City girl did not see, the big braid is also no shadow. Along the road there is a landscape, that is the wind farm, took 2 hours of highway, all are big fans, only one cost more than 10 million. Some in the rotation of some did not turn, is man-made in the control, on-demand in the power generation. The winds in Xinjiang are strong, and when they are strong, even trains are blown over.

After arriving at the Xiaocao Lake Interchange, do not take the Lianhuo high-speed, directly to the south, spit and high-speed, across the Tianshan Mountains, through the Toxun County, along the Tianshan Mountain Range south land all the way to the west, through the Bosten Lake Scenic Area, in fact, from the highway there are more than 20 kilometers, the lake's shadow did not see. Along the road to see pieces and pieces of red pepper tanning field, very spectacular.

The driver said that the quality of Xinjiang's chili peppers is the best in the country. The roadside mountains are full of sun-dried chili peppers.

Noon ate the famous Korla's pear, very sweet, water, too delicious, even eat the skin. Direct order 12 pounds a box, 85 yuan 包邮 , after lunch, to Yuli County, Luo Park people village, which is an ancient village to fish for a living, next to the Tarim River, the Tarim River is more than 2,000 kilometers long, the world's fifth largest inland river. The village of the Luopu people is right on the edge of the Taklamakan, the Taklamakan Desert, which is located in the center of the Tarim Basin and is about 1,000 kilometers long from east to west and 400 kilometers wide from north to south, second only to the Great Sahara Desert in Africa, and the world's second-largest desert." Taklamakan" Uyghur language means "in and out", also known as the "Sea of Death", standing on the sand hills, the desert can not see the end, the Tarim River near the desert there are many reeds, take pictures is very beautiful. There are also yellow poplars dotted in the lake, too beautiful.

There are three old men in the village, a very tall, are working, are 100 years old, seem to be in good spirits. In the evening, we returned to the city of Korla, Korla is the seat of the regional government of Bayinguoleng Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, a city built in the desert, the air is not good, and the next day is again 8:00 pm, the city of Korla city look like did not see.

The next day (October 12, 2020), Korla - poplar forest park - Kuche

From Korla early in the morning and set off again. Destination, to see the poplar forest, along the road along the desert highway, said the desert highway, but the road on both sides of the road is still sporadic shrubs, red acid branches. To go on this road can be said to be one of the world's longest - the world's longest highway built in the flowing desert, north and south through China's largest desert - the Taklamakan Desert, which crosses the flowing desert length of up to 446 kilometers, completed in 1995, is China's most difficult to build. Completed in 1995, it is one of the most difficult highways to build in China. In fact, people sitting in the car, it is difficult to see too much desert scenery, in order to protect the highway will not flow desert erosion, both sides of the highway planted a sand solid green belt, more than half a person high, from the car to look out, reflecting a large swath of green, it is difficult to imagine that this is China's largest desert. But several oil and gas areas have been discovered.

In China 90% of the poplar trees grow in the southern border, the southern border of the poplar concentrated growth in the Tarim River around, there are "three thousand years" life cycle of the magical poplar, poplar life and a thousand years do not die, die and a thousand years do not fall, fall and a thousand years do not rot. The Tarim Poplar Forest National Forest Park in Lantai County covers an area of about 100 square kilometers and is located in the middle reaches of the Tarim River on the northeastern edge of the Taklamakan Desert.

Take a shuttle bus through the poplar forest and then take a photo tour on foot. The poplar fights against the arid climate with its tenacious vitality. Whether it is the lush green leaves, cracked trunks, or dried branches, all symbolize the power of life. Walking along the way, feeling its unyielding life, tenacious strength.

After the visit, today's destination Kuche, along the road are deserts, Kuche city belongs to the eastern end of the Aksu region, we went to the hotel time is relatively early, today you can take a good stroll in the night market. Kuche city everywhere to repair the road, we can only walk, there is a fruit have not eaten, called figs, very tasty, you can even eat the skin together, Xinjiang's fruits are very strange, pears are also eaten with the skin, and do not feel bad at all.

Kuche night market is very successful, suggest that friends must go.

Eat a variety of food, there are ethnic song and dance performances, cattle big bone, large portion, as long as 68 yuan a copy of the taste is superb, in the store recommended to eat noodles Qizi, sour and very appetizing.

The third day (October 13, 2020), Kuche - Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon - Kizil Thousand Buddha Cave - Aksu.

Tianshan Shenmi Grand Canyon is located 64 kilometers north of the city of Kuqa County, Xinjiang (ancient name of Guzi), surrounded by mountains in the southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon, a collection of earthly canyons of the wonderful, and Tianshan wonders of the long. The mountains are made of ochre-colored muddy sandstone.

Going to the Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon, took a small section of the Dukou Highway, actually a small section of the highway through the Tianshan Mountains, the characteristics of the Danxia landforms are revealed, the canyon is deep and the bare rock, different colors, forming faults, or straight lines, or curved, hundreds of millions of years of geological movement, only to be formed, which is the power of nature. Passing through a tunnel, the driver let us out of the car, took pictures of the beautiful scenery, a piece of mountain shaped like the Potala Palace, in the sunrise reflection, incomparable magnificence. I also climbed a small hill and snapped a few masterpieces. It was very satisfying.

The Grand Canyon is the southern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains are arid sandstone mountains, especially here the mountains appear ochre-red color, in the sunlight, the rock walls as if by the flame burned red, spectacular. The mouth of the canyon is open, the bottom of the valley is flat, and inside the valley, the paths are winding through the valley, and there are other places, and the cliffs on both sides are straight into the sky, with the angle of the sun moving light and shadow of thousands of people.

Tianshan Shenmi Grand Canyon out, along the Dukui Highway back to the southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, west of the provincial highway, to the Kizil Grottoes, the driver told us that we have been in the Tianshan Mountains in the travel of the mountainside, we just did not feel, and so on, until the Kizil Grottoes, only to understand, to the Kizil Grottoes to the down to the river valley. At noon to eat authentic Xinjiang people opened a small restaurant, not even signboards, local villagers patronize more, hand-held rice is too good.

Kizil Grottoes, also known as the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves, Chinese Buddhist grottoes, for the cultural remains of the ancient Guzi State. Than the Mogao Grottoes 200 years earlier. Due to, limited reception capacity, just queuing for more than 2 hours. As an important grottoes on the Silk Road in the history of the spread of Buddhism to the east, here was once the sound of Brahma, after a thousand years, but only the remnants of the grottoes and mottled murals, people can not help but sigh, the entrance to the sculpture of the monk Hatamo Roche, eyes slightly closed watching the footsteps of the present-day visitors. Ascending the steps leading to the cliff, dozens of grotto sites are distributed on top of the cliff, so that people feel the power of faith.

The fourth day (October 14, 2020) Aksu - Kashgar ancient city - Kashgar,

This day's itinerary has no attractions, but the scenery along the road is breathtaking. 8:30, the day is not yet bright, we set off, along the G3102 Touhe Expressway has been going west. The whole highway, the great beauty of the Tianshan Mountains and another beautiful scenery in front of us, here the mountains are tall, Yadan landforms, stretching hundreds of kilometers, all this landform, incomparable magnificence, a variety of veins in the mountains, showing different colors, superimposed layer by layer, which also has a green ore body, the driver said that is gold, other places can not be seen, and the Gansu Zhangye Danxia than that is really a little witch to see a big one, the Gansu Province, the Gansu Province. We are immersed in this stunning scenery, cheering.

Suddenly in the distance, there are three or three or two wild camels, strolling leisurely in the desert, all long and strong, the driver said that if there are rings on the ears is the owner. Along the road from time to time also saw crows, eagles and so on.

This highway is nearly 6 hours, the road condition is good, is the service area is too little. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to get a good deal on this, but I'm sure I'm going to be able to get a good deal on this. Almost to Kashgar, Tianshan and Kunshan slowly together, think of us all the way from Urumqi, has been traveling along the Tianshan, thousands of kilometers. I can't help but feel that Xinjiang is really big, and the country's mountains and rivers are so vast and magnificent!

Kashgar full name "Kashgar", meaning "jade concentration place", written history of more than 2000 years, surrounded by mountains on three sides, one side of the open, the population of 4 million people, the ancient name of Shule, Kashgar, as the ancient Silk Road, the main transportation hub, is the Chinese and foreign merchants gathered in international trade. Kashgar, as the transportation hub of the ancient Silk Road, is an international commercial port where Chinese and foreign merchants gather; it is also the only national historical and cultural city in Xinjiang, which centrally embodies the characteristics and essence of Uyghur folklore, culture and art, architectural style and traditional economy. Settle down in the hotel, our party can not wait to stroll through the old city, the city streets crisscross, most of the homes for the civil engineering, brick and wood structure, yellow and gray architectural tone, brick carvings on the facade and the wooden door is very ethnic characteristics, many traditional homes have been a hundred years of history.

Kashgar ancient city is a large area, there are three commercial streets, we came to the snack street, a variety of Xinjiang cuisine a wide range of baked eggs, pigeons, buns, mutton, and yogurt seeds, hand-held rice, all kinds of nuts, fruits, the deepest impression is the roasted pumpkin, the size of the pumpkin, which is a variety of nuts, especially tasty, the ancient city alleys inside the play in the cellular phone with a lot of children, children quite! cooperate with us to take pictures, there are also a lot of old people walking, very much a sense of life.

In the morning, you can walk from the hotel through the old city of Kashgar to reach the Etigarh Mosque. The main entrance of Etigarh Mosque is a bright goose-yellow color, which is very conspicuous in the whole old city of Kashgar. Originally constructed in the mid-15th century AD, the Etigarh Mosque has undergone many alterations and expansions since then, making it the largest mosque in the Xinjiang region and one of the largest in the country.

When you enter the main gate of the mosque, the most attractive thing is this hanging carpet, which is a gift from Iranian President Nejad to the Etigarh Mosque, which is exquisite and extraordinary. There is a pomegranate flower pattern, the meaning of this pattern is "all ethnic groups should be like pomegranate seeds as tightly embraced together, this slogan can be seen everywhere in Xinjiang, this multi-ethnic settlement, the meaning of this sentence is extraordinary.

The Gaotai residential area is a very distinctive Uyghur neighborhood in downtown Kashgar, built on a loess plateau and said to be over 600 years old. Most of the houses here are earth and brick houses, layered, curved, up and down, is the witness of generations of Uyghur compatriots living here. Looking in from the outside, it feels like entering a labyrinth with a thick history. Due to the age, many houses have cracks and look shaky. When we came here, the place was being upgraded and remodeled, so we were not allowed to visit, so we turned around and left.

Day 5 (October 15, 2020) Kashgar - Baishahu - Karakuli Lake - Tarxien

The movie "Guests on the Iceberg" introduced the world to the Pamir Plateau, which in Tajik means " The roof of the world", from Kashgar, the flat China-Pakistan Friendship Highway connects the plateau, through the Burenkou, Burenkou Baishahu and Baishahu Mountain, today's weather is good, the wind is strong, we are all wearing a thick down jacket, Baishahu Mountain, the fine sand, look like satin, and Baishahu Mountain in the Baishahu Lake in the perfect reflection, is like a beautiful painting.

A Tajik woman on the side of the road with cow dung baked naan, our party asked for two, very delicious.

Drive further, to the southern border of the most beautiful snow mountain - Moustagh Peak, elevation 7509 meters, Moustagh this name, is the translation of the Uyghur language, the original meaning is "the father of the icebergs" meaning. Moustagh has developed more than a dozen glaciers, and the thickness of the ice sheet at the summit is about 200 meters. Moustagh peak although the altitude of more than 7000 meters, but the slope is relatively gentle, in the 7000 meters level of snow mountain is relatively good to climb, used to be allowed to climb, and can ski. But in the last two years, it has been closed to protect the glacier from further melting. Perhaps a distant view is the best way we can appreciate the glacier now.

The Tahoman Wetland, at the foot of Moustag and Gonger Jiubie peaks, is golden at this time of the year, mirroring the snow-capped mountains. The surface of the water is reflected in a piece of the snowy mountains, standing at the edge of the lake to see the towering snowy mountains from afar, close to the calm of the lake, I sighed, in front of the nature we are so small, why can not slow down their own pace, empty their mood, to listen to the voice of nature, to the awe of the power of nature, to awaken the heart of their own heart true voice.

After this, it's not far from Tashkurgan County, where National Highway 314 continues on the vast Pamir Plateau. The stone city here, that is, in ancient times was an important pass on the Silk Road, westward merchants and travelers from here into South Asia and West Asia, will be tea, silk, porcelain and other commodities to bring out, and the eastward merchants and travelers from here into the Western and Central Plains, brought spices, camels, gold and silverware and other items, is the best witness of the prosperous Silk Road trade.

The time to Ta Xian is still early, behind the hotel is a high snow mountain, to the hotel to rest a little, we strolled up the county. The county is very small, met a Sichuan sister, she said, living in Ta Xian for more than 20 years, her daughter and her husband and wife 2 people are working in Ta Xian, said that the retirement back to Sichuan, can imagine, here from Kashgar have to be 6 hours by car city, such a remote place, the environment is so harsh, working for a lifetime, which need to make great sacrifices, the motherland is very much a respect for the work of the frontier with the people.

Here is China's only original white ethnicity, the county's population of more than 50,000 people, basically not intermarried with the outside, walking in the street, all the faces of Europeans, female friends look so high and cold, dressed neatly. Along the road there are just after school students, no parents to pick up and drop off. Most of the houses of the county residents are 2-story long residential buildings, the appearance looks very simple. A flower why this red, so that the Tajik ethnic nationality is well known to everyone, they have been guarding in the environment of the difficult northwest border of the motherland for generations, life is not rich, but the spirit of protecting the family and defending the country is admirable.

Day 6 (October 16, 2020) Tower County - Panlong Ancient Road - Kashi Ancient City

Due to the usual route due to weather reasons, the temporary road closure, after communicating with the driver, to take another route to the Panlong Ancient Road, it is this change, so that we can enjoy a different view, full of harvest.

9 o'clock we set off, this line is slightly worse, along the Kunlun Mountains winding through the Grand Canyon, the river is clear, the water is not big. After a large reservoir, the lake blue, sparkling, after a bridge in the lake, the scenery in front of the change of style, a piece of the river valley, sometimes wide and sometimes narrow, a variety of vegetation is golden, small villages scattered in the valley, from time to time, there are ethnic minority compatriots on the side of the road to take a ride, the driver will stop, explain, we have no extra empty seats in the car, the people here are very pure and simple. But neatly dressed. Every now and then there are wild sea buckthorns on both sides of the road, and the sheep leisurely eat sea buckthorns, and some of them even rake to the trees. You say, this sheep can not taste beautiful.

A beautiful picture was presented in front of our eyes, there are snowy mountains, meadows, golden woods, streams, herds of cattle, sheep, and compatriots in national costumes, we kept cheering, kept praising, we kept getting out of the car to take pictures, and hated to take all the beautiful scenery away.

The last stop is the Panlong ancient road, the valley is very wide, both sides of the mountains spectacular, snow-covered, the valley is far away, standing on the mountainside looking into the distance, the heart will really become broad, sighing people in front of nature is how small. In fact, the Internet has seen a lot of photos, I want to say, only you personally come to a trip, you can feel its shock, feel its power.

The original road back to Kashgar, the beautiful scenery once again let the tired eyes pregnant again.

The unforgettable trip to South Xinjiang was a success. The first time I saw this, I was able to see a lot of people who had been in the same place for a long time.