Silk Road - Xinjiang Turfan, the driest city on earth!

Before I started talking about going on Silk Road, I imagined everything like those in Turfan.  After I came back from Silk Road, I talked about everything in Turfan.  Yes, you are right, I love Turfan.  Turfan to me is like the ancient Chinese once said "西丝", the persian beauty! This town is so relax till you want to stay forever.

The most striking part of this city, is very much because of all the history sessions I had in high school.  Almost all my high school teacher is from Taiwan, or educated in Taiwan.  Thus, Chinese history is part of life than school.  A major part is about Khazack, Mongol, Xiongnu and the western territory of Xinjiang.  Not hard to see the reason, the Hans considered concurring the west and north as their major empire.  While Turfan is a oasis town which centred at most the empires trying to concurr the west, it has long history since 100AD and been concurred by the Turks, Rouran, Gokturks, Tang dynasty, Tibetian, Sogdian, etc. To have such background, Turfan is loaded with historical sites and mixture of cultures.  It is everything to experience the imagination I had in high school, is De-Javu!

After the long journey back from Kanas Lake, we took a 3 hours bus heading east.  We been to the west, the north, well, heading east means heading home.  Turfan was our last stop in Xinjiang. As we had came to know, learn and realize so much about the Uyghur Culture, not exactly Hans, we love it. Before we headed to all the famous histrorical sites, this is how relax it is.

9am, bed and sleeping in the middle of the street.

No, I am kidding.  Turfan is one of the driest cities in the world. Thus, it is hot and dry.  There is a local culture to move the bed out of the building at night so that it is easier to sleep with the breeze.  It is common in Turfan.

Well, if you come to Turfan, you have to visit the 8 UNESCO historical sites for it is too famous such as the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, the Tarim Mummies, etc.  The very famous Emin Minaret is completely built by earth brick.  One of the 8 Great Literaturers in the Ming dynasty, 苏东玻 was outcasted to Turfan and stay here for the rest of his life.

For all, I only impressed by the JiaoHe Ruins.   Jiaohe Ruins is still very much intact. Taking a walk through this ruins  is a real live history session. It shows the properous time of the Silk Road.

I named this photo "背影", for it to looks so lonely!

In Turfan, even with such hot and dry climate, we couldn't forget to talk about Grapes.  As it is an oasis, fruit is in plenty while grapes are in major production.  Going into the town, you will not miss the Qingnian Lu, a street which shaded by grapevine trellises.  Just like I say, you will fall in love with Turfan.  Take a walk to this street will tell you why.

Transportation vehicles are allowed.

Some of the grapevine trellises are over 150 year old.

When the harsh cold Winter comes, the city will unfold these grapevine down and cover it with the desert sand. When Spring comes, they will put it up the trellises.  Citizen are well behave and no one is trying to pick the grape.  They don't need to, well, you will see why when we go to Toyoq Valley.