Fame & Food in China

After shaking the sand out of our clothes, ears and pockets we headed straight for the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang.  The caves once housed the greatest collection of Buddhist art in the world, before explorer archaeologists heard about it and whisked around 20,000 priceless manuscripts off to Europe, including the world’s oldest printed book in existence, the Diamond Sutra (AD 868).  A popular tourist attraction with the Chinese as well, although as the day began it felt like we might be the focal point.  Crowds gathering around the truck to take photos as we descended the steps like movie stars.  Being the middle of the national holiday meant visitors were there in the thousands, testing everyone’s patience and pushing the boundaries of personal space as locals tried to jostle ahead in the queues.

The hordes descend on the Mogao Caves

The caves from a distance

Rich tires of waiting in the queue

Sam looking delighted

Robbie, Sam, Rogs & Bruce B

Reclining Buddha at the caves

We even had a reporter Juicy Hu, Who? No Hu! stop by for a quick interview and some photos.  Not quite making the printed press but she did do an online write up.  Copying members of the public’s comments on the article into a translation software came up with some amusing responses: “Mixed passenger load, why do not buckle under?” “Handsome car explosion, people are very friendly” “Car is to change people's people want to gnaw gnaw none to change it? S*** law, do not understand how the illegal up.” “I love this car! There are toilet or something?”  “Then pushed back to London?” Anyway, that’s the local’s thoughts!

Linc with the truck mascots

The Dunhuang night market produced some of the best food we’d tasted in China so far.  A smart and organized market with comfortable deck chairs to recline in for an evening of kebabs, donkey meat, lamb’s penis, addictive toffee apple style mixed fruit skewers or whatever took your fancy.

Vicky & Tan at the night market

Rich looking confused

DO try this at home - toffee apple style fruit kebabs

Rae

Anna, Phill & Chris gorge on tasty pastries

Hmmm... not so keen...

Anyone for soy sauce?

Mark & Vicky prepare to feast

Vicky & Tan with their young friend

Hels making friends with the locals

Dodgy mannequins part II

An enjoyable evening was spent for many of the group at the theatre, watching an acrobatic production called The Dunhuang Goddess.  It brought to life some of the stories painted on the Mogao Cave walls.  Gymnasts back-flipped and somersaulted across stage whilst others floated above on wires, even live camels had their moment and were paraded across the stage.  Torrential rain and fire effects drew gasps from the audience and made for a stunning show.

Stunning Dunhuang Goddess acrobatic show

Live camels on stage stealing the show

Crescent Moon Lake, Dunhuang

Calypso is back to her healthy self and was treated to two new front tyres and a service in Dunhuang after quite a search and much sign language.  Here’s our handy picture guide to buying tyres in China.

Step 1: Pick a tyre from the top of the pile

Step 2: Load them onto a mini-truck

Step 3: Ride with the tyres back to the truck

Step 4: Decide what goes where

Step 5: eat grapes at the tyre shop before paying the bill

Step 6: Fit tyres to truck

Step 7: Put spares on the back

Step 8: Ensure the usual crowd is assembled to watch

Calypso looking fine with her new rubber!

It's all good!

Winding our way North West from Dunhuang over mountain passes, late afternoon we found a break in the never ceasing green motorway fence.  Following a sandy track and picking a direction at random each time it split we happened upon the perfect spot for the night.  Nestled between rocky hills, we happily devoured a chicken casserole and mashed potato. 

Wind farms enroute

A way through the green fence - promise it wasn't us!

Track to the bushcamp

Judy, Dave, Suzie, Chris & Robbie

Rambo enjoying a beer

Another fine bushcamp

Spot the truck!

Our next stop was Turpan for the night and we entered our final province, Xinjiang.  Turpan boasts one of the lowest depressions in the world at 154m below sea level, for once we weren’t watching the GPS to see the elevation click over 5,000m, this time was to see it go under zero and enter minus figures.  The temperature now considerably warmer than recent weeks we appreciated the shade of the grape vines growing across the road and at our hotel and many spent the afternoon at the Karez irrigation canals.

Abundant melons enroute

Minus elevation coming into Turpan

Grape vines overhead

Karez irrigation canals

Watch out, the road is slippery!

Very slippery!

Bruce B having a wrestle

A baby hedgehog rescued from an empty swimming pool, awwww

Fresh bread

Dogs in nappies, whatever next?

Again the night market and street food traders delivered up some tasty dishes, rotisserie chicken, freshly baked bread and dumplings.  Now in the Uighur homeland the people of the town had visibly changed, from looking Chinese to more Central Asian, with nearly 50% of the population being Muslim, although this used to be nearer 90% before the Han started moving in en masse under China’s “Develop the West” economic campaign.

The drive from Turpan to Kashgar crosses approximately 2,500km of the Taklamakan Desert, at times a strikingly lunar landscape.  A loo stop turned into a dash for the dunes.  Rogs, Linc & Rich clawing their way up despite burning lungs to then race down, Rich unintentionally doing a full somersault near the top.

Rogs, Linc & Rich racing up the dunes

And down again!

A few long consecutive drive days on the truck, and the group have had to find a way to pass the time.  Apart from reading, listening to music and sleeping, Gin has played an important part, being introduced as a serious penalty for calling the truck a bus, even if at 7am.  Proceeded by beer, permissible from about lunchtime, it increased the frequency of our loo stops but provided some merriment along the way.

Stopping en route for the night at Kuche or Kuqa, a strangely large City with lots of industry around.  A poster in the lift summarised it well “Kucha Old Haunt Petrochemical New Town”.  We’d have loved a swim in the hotel’s pristine pool, or as the sign said “Pwimming Poot” within the lush greenhouse, unfortunately having not brought our swimming caps with us it was not to be.  Sam relented and bought one, and Linc somehow made it past the by now very grumpy lady attendant 5 minutes before the pool closed wearing a shower cap.

Wedding passes by the Kuche Hotel

Dr Bruce

Linc & Sam pull it off

That night we enjoyed some delicious food at the hotel’s restaurant.  For the first time in China actually finding Peking duck, served with pancakes and hoisin sauce, just like home! 

Fantastic picture menu at the hotel

Interesting choice of packed breakfast items from the hotel

Our final port of call in China was Kashgar where we stayed in the former Russian consulate.  Heavily decorated rooms with glittery relief plasterwork and gaudy carpets adorning every corridor and room.  The group wandered the local market and old town and picked up the last of their Chinese souvenirs.

Ah, we were looking for some charcoal

More stunning scenery en route

The fabulous Seman Hotel in Kashgar

An interior decorator's dream! 

Local Uighur life in Kashgar

Having a shave

Anyone for a hat?

Old and new towns of Kashgar

The next morning we headed for the border to Kyrgyzstan and the Torugart Pass, one of the most un-predictable border crossings in the world.  Fortunately getting out of China is substantially easier than getting in!

Thank you Rambo!

Thank you China, and goodbye!