Our entry into this massive city of millions of busy people, was seriously hazardous to say the least. There are road rules - on paper only - and anything goes. Cars, trucks, busses, bikes, 3 wheelers, scooters and pedestrians vie for the available gap. The trick seems to be to keep a steady forward pace, make no sudden moves, avoid eye contact- and pray. An even temper must be maintained at all times- there is no point in claiming any rights.
It was a relief to reach our rather seedy hotel and we celebrated with a good few beers on the steps. Amazing how all seemed right with the world thereafter.
Xi'an was the nucleus of Ancient China. There is evidence of a settlement here in 11th Century BC. It was shot to archeological stardom in 1974 with the discovery of the Terracotta Army of the 1st Emperor of the Qin Dynasty.(More of this World Heritage sight later as we are visiting it tomorrow) So now it is a tourist city of note and a large industrial centre, and boasts 5 star hotels and massive shopping malls.
We set out to explore last night. As we headed into the main thoroughfare to hail a taxi, I noticed that scattered over the pavement were scores of small fires which the locals were feeding with what looked like money! Incredible - but I was to learn that this is a ritual which happens around Halloween time and it is fake money, but the gesture is to ensure riches in the life here-after. Ancient traditions indeed - and within a few minutes we were in downtown Xi'an with its flashing neon lights, its McDonalds, its KFC's and a Starbucks. Towering above all this - richly illuminated are the Drum Tower and the Bell Tower constructed in 12th Century, and now a focus for tourists. In days gone by, the bells heralded the dawn and the drum announced the dusk.
Today it is raining and the grey, sombre, polluted sky is heavier than usual. It is impossible to appreciate the magnificence of the city wall and gates -so I may just have to go shopping! Steaming dumplings for lunch could also be a good idea..
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Lanzhou to Xian
And I was dreading this section ?
I thought it would be all people and trucks- but as luck would have it, we took some detours and saw some of the most beautiful scenery that China has to offer! Also we went into rural areas where Westerners are almost never seen - so there were many rounds of photographs - especially for our young , tall, blond and blue eyed Dutch lady. She is over 6 feet tall and looks like a veritable giant next to the diminutive Chinese.
This is the hilly, terraced part of China which is almost familiar from the many images which we have seen on paintings and photographs. What is not portrayed is the ancient feel it has . The terraces are still hand tilled with the use of wooden ploughs and animals and hand carts, and I am in awe of the physical strength and industrious nature of these farmers.
The cycling has been tremendous fun with good long climbs and exhilirating downhills. Passage through a 2,4km tunnel was also an exciting experience. Needless to say , hands and feet are frozen most of the day. Our early morning departures are often in temperatures just above freezing. Frost covers the ground and our saddles crack with ice at the first perch.
We also had the good fortune of seeing an old Taoist Monastery high on the Kong Tong Mountain. It is a place of great serenity and has pilgrims flocking to feed here off its peace. Taoism is regarded as the only truly Chinese religion and was founded in the 7th century BC .It promotes oneness and harmony between all living things. It has now also incorporated elements of Buddhism which was imported from India just a little later in history. Confuscianism is not really regarded as a religion in China - it is more a philosophy. What does make me smile though is that in the time of Mao and the Cultural Revolution - religion was banned and there was wholesale destruction of all symbols of religion. Now, anything ancient and with religious significance has been restored, upgraded - and promoted to pull in huge tourist dollars!
We are now in the Shaanxi Province - often regarded as the ancient heart of China and where the Communist Party truly took root. Intensive agriculture is all pervading but so is industrialisation - and the smog is horribly noticeable and forever in our nostrils. Many riders are choosing to wear masks over nose and face - a practice which we have seen done by the Chinese locals increasingly. It does make me feel uneasy though - some serious moves have to be made to keep our global air clean....
I thought it would be all people and trucks- but as luck would have it, we took some detours and saw some of the most beautiful scenery that China has to offer! Also we went into rural areas where Westerners are almost never seen - so there were many rounds of photographs - especially for our young , tall, blond and blue eyed Dutch lady. She is over 6 feet tall and looks like a veritable giant next to the diminutive Chinese.
This is the hilly, terraced part of China which is almost familiar from the many images which we have seen on paintings and photographs. What is not portrayed is the ancient feel it has . The terraces are still hand tilled with the use of wooden ploughs and animals and hand carts, and I am in awe of the physical strength and industrious nature of these farmers.
The cycling has been tremendous fun with good long climbs and exhilirating downhills. Passage through a 2,4km tunnel was also an exciting experience. Needless to say , hands and feet are frozen most of the day. Our early morning departures are often in temperatures just above freezing. Frost covers the ground and our saddles crack with ice at the first perch.
We also had the good fortune of seeing an old Taoist Monastery high on the Kong Tong Mountain. It is a place of great serenity and has pilgrims flocking to feed here off its peace. Taoism is regarded as the only truly Chinese religion and was founded in the 7th century BC .It promotes oneness and harmony between all living things. It has now also incorporated elements of Buddhism which was imported from India just a little later in history. Confuscianism is not really regarded as a religion in China - it is more a philosophy. What does make me smile though is that in the time of Mao and the Cultural Revolution - religion was banned and there was wholesale destruction of all symbols of religion. Now, anything ancient and with religious significance has been restored, upgraded - and promoted to pull in huge tourist dollars!
We are now in the Shaanxi Province - often regarded as the ancient heart of China and where the Communist Party truly took root. Intensive agriculture is all pervading but so is industrialisation - and the smog is horribly noticeable and forever in our nostrils. Many riders are choosing to wear masks over nose and face - a practice which we have seen done by the Chinese locals increasingly. It does make me feel uneasy though - some serious moves have to be made to keep our global air clean....
Saturday, October 25, 2008
My birthday indulgence
I turned into a dimly lit, but pleasing massage palour, and attempted to explain with very explicit sign language, that I wished to have a massage. What I did not realise was that this massage palour was one which specialised in foot massage and reflexology. I felt a bit like a lamb being led to the slaughter as a young man escorted me into a room with 2 reclining couches and indicated that I should remove my jeans. I gazed around me.
The room was designed for comfort and exuded a calm and serene atmosphere, so I sunk back into the chair and sighed deeply.
A cute little Chinese lady cautiously entered and turned on the TV. I tried to indicate that I really did not want it on, but the message did not get through. She simply made it louder, obviously thinking that my frantic nodding of my head was because I could not hear ir. I resigned myself to watching the latest in Chinese Soapies which was an education in itself. Lots of stares, sighing and dramatic music.. The gentleman then returned with a tray tastefully arranged with cookies and fruit juice, while the lady filled a bucket with boiling water and indicated my feet were to be immersed there-in. Horrors! It was so hot but she seemed unconcerned and kept pushing my feet back, and proceeded to massage my hands and arms, as I surreptitiously raised and lowered my feet until all nerve endings were deadened.
I started to relax and enjoy this luxury and self indulgence. The little lady started on my feet- and a look of utter disbelief appeared on her face. What she did not appreciate was that I have been cycling in sandals for the past 3 months and my heels are cracked and layered with dirty dead skin. She resolutely set to correcting this sorry state of affairs.
She tried once more to communicate with me and when I smiled and shrugged my shoulders, she wrote an sms on her phone and presented it to me. I thought perhaps she was writing down the cost - but it was a message in Chinese! So she really did think I was deaf!
The entire experience was wonderful. From the elbows in my back muscles to the deep pressure on my calves; from the bags of scalding stones rolled along my spine to the cracking of all my toes and finger joints. And on departing, to protect my uncared for feet she gave me a pair of socks and inner soles for my shoes!
I staggered out, smiling , happy and knowing that my birthday in Lanzhou would forever be one to remember
The room was designed for comfort and exuded a calm and serene atmosphere, so I sunk back into the chair and sighed deeply.
A cute little Chinese lady cautiously entered and turned on the TV. I tried to indicate that I really did not want it on, but the message did not get through. She simply made it louder, obviously thinking that my frantic nodding of my head was because I could not hear ir. I resigned myself to watching the latest in Chinese Soapies which was an education in itself. Lots of stares, sighing and dramatic music.. The gentleman then returned with a tray tastefully arranged with cookies and fruit juice, while the lady filled a bucket with boiling water and indicated my feet were to be immersed there-in. Horrors! It was so hot but she seemed unconcerned and kept pushing my feet back, and proceeded to massage my hands and arms, as I surreptitiously raised and lowered my feet until all nerve endings were deadened.
I started to relax and enjoy this luxury and self indulgence. The little lady started on my feet- and a look of utter disbelief appeared on her face. What she did not appreciate was that I have been cycling in sandals for the past 3 months and my heels are cracked and layered with dirty dead skin. She resolutely set to correcting this sorry state of affairs.
She tried once more to communicate with me and when I smiled and shrugged my shoulders, she wrote an sms on her phone and presented it to me. I thought perhaps she was writing down the cost - but it was a message in Chinese! So she really did think I was deaf!
The entire experience was wonderful. From the elbows in my back muscles to the deep pressure on my calves; from the bags of scalding stones rolled along my spine to the cracking of all my toes and finger joints. And on departing, to protect my uncared for feet she gave me a pair of socks and inner soles for my shoes!
I staggered out, smiling , happy and knowing that my birthday in Lanzhou would forever be one to remember
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Contrasts?
One of the never ending aspects of China is its glaring contrasts.
I should be accustomed to this - coming from developing Africa - but perhaps here it is all so new and therefore more obvious.
This city Lanzhou has over 2 million people. It is situated on the Yellow River - and we rode 75 Km along the river to get to it - and we had industrial developement the entire distance. The skyline is punctuated with high rise buildings under constuction and I counted at least 30 obvious huge cranes. Yet just off the highway, there is intense rural agriculture, and even the servitudes of the expressways are carefully cultivated.
There was one blatant example of this contrast.
It was a glorious morning . Colours were luminous and the air crisp and clear. I had stopped endlessly to capture images of the ongoing harvest. In the distance, there was a rumbling which as we proceeded, grew to a cacophony of ear bashing sound - shattering the peace of the countryside. The source soon became clear. In the air, were at least 10 MIG 21 Fighter jets, with their distinct Delta wing formation- all doing circuits and bumps from a nearby Airforce base. And this went on for at least 3 hours.
A haiku began to form-
Peasants till the soil
Fighter jets plough the sky-
Food for man or war?
I should be accustomed to this - coming from developing Africa - but perhaps here it is all so new and therefore more obvious.
This city Lanzhou has over 2 million people. It is situated on the Yellow River - and we rode 75 Km along the river to get to it - and we had industrial developement the entire distance. The skyline is punctuated with high rise buildings under constuction and I counted at least 30 obvious huge cranes. Yet just off the highway, there is intense rural agriculture, and even the servitudes of the expressways are carefully cultivated.
There was one blatant example of this contrast.
It was a glorious morning . Colours were luminous and the air crisp and clear. I had stopped endlessly to capture images of the ongoing harvest. In the distance, there was a rumbling which as we proceeded, grew to a cacophony of ear bashing sound - shattering the peace of the countryside. The source soon became clear. In the air, were at least 10 MIG 21 Fighter jets, with their distinct Delta wing formation- all doing circuits and bumps from a nearby Airforce base. And this went on for at least 3 hours.
A haiku began to form-
Peasants till the soil
Fighter jets plough the sky-
Food for man or war?
From Lanzhou - on 23rd October
It does feel rather weird to have a birthday where no-one really knows this- and to be in this huge, bustling Chinese city in contrast to the vast, magnificent open spaces we have been riding through. So I am digging deep into my adaptability resources and doing my best to cope with the sensory overload. Thankyou for all the kind birthday greetings and blog comments - very much appreciated, I assure you.
For reasons known only in cyberspace - my blog has been out of operation for the past 10 days or so - and it seems today it wont accept photos, but we have had some wonderful times and sights which I will try to paint for you.
Chinese Harvest
We have had some of our best cycling days as we progressed from Jiayuguan to Wuwei. The fields we have passed through have been a hive of activity. Every man ,woman, child and beast has been involved in the autumn harvest. There have been piles of corn, haystacks, sugarbeets, green tea, cabbages, celery, flower seed heads, onions, herbs and a few unknown fruits and grains-all being lifted from the soil or processed from the plant. All this action with a backdrop of high snow covered peaks - huge to the south where Tibet lies, and smaller to the north. The millions of poplar trees are a rich yellow gold and interspursed we catch glimpses of deep red Chinese Maples. There is an urgency in the air to batton down the hatches before the onslaught of winter- and for very good reason. A few days ago we climbed up to a pass of 3030m in clear crisp, but very cold weather- and that evening the snow started to fall. Great excitement for me- but as we set of the next morning, with the snow falling, with 150km ahead- the mood was not so joyous. Riders came into lunch wet and frozen. I was on lunch duty - so after a few hot drinks, hot noodles, and sizzling fried eggs and bread - and the fact that a watery sun was attempting to break through- things looked up. Max, our young French Canadian got so cold that he stopped at a gas station, managed to get a pair of worker uniform pants and then bought gloves, and towels in which to wrap his feet - and he arrived, looking rather an odd apparition, but smiling smugly.
Our Last camping night
This was indeed an occassion. We had a magnificent site- far from the highway, so no rumbling trucks, and we were right up against remnants of the Great Wall, which stretched far into the distance east and west.
We had a massive bonfire on which did a few ceremonial burns - like the toilet shovel and greasy bike rags, but we also had procured a few marshmallows and a fair Chinese vintage of red wine.
I did an " Informal awards Ceremony"- a lot of fun and laughs and leg pulling but resulted in a good feeling of solidarity that we had made it this far.
I will miss the camping. I love the feeling of self sufficiency, and I am often filled with a great surge of well being.
But it is certainly getting cold now - and population pressure is noticable so I guess I will have to adapt to a shower every night and the city noises.
For reasons known only in cyberspace - my blog has been out of operation for the past 10 days or so - and it seems today it wont accept photos, but we have had some wonderful times and sights which I will try to paint for you.
Chinese Harvest
We have had some of our best cycling days as we progressed from Jiayuguan to Wuwei. The fields we have passed through have been a hive of activity. Every man ,woman, child and beast has been involved in the autumn harvest. There have been piles of corn, haystacks, sugarbeets, green tea, cabbages, celery, flower seed heads, onions, herbs and a few unknown fruits and grains-all being lifted from the soil or processed from the plant. All this action with a backdrop of high snow covered peaks - huge to the south where Tibet lies, and smaller to the north. The millions of poplar trees are a rich yellow gold and interspursed we catch glimpses of deep red Chinese Maples. There is an urgency in the air to batton down the hatches before the onslaught of winter- and for very good reason. A few days ago we climbed up to a pass of 3030m in clear crisp, but very cold weather- and that evening the snow started to fall. Great excitement for me- but as we set of the next morning, with the snow falling, with 150km ahead- the mood was not so joyous. Riders came into lunch wet and frozen. I was on lunch duty - so after a few hot drinks, hot noodles, and sizzling fried eggs and bread - and the fact that a watery sun was attempting to break through- things looked up. Max, our young French Canadian got so cold that he stopped at a gas station, managed to get a pair of worker uniform pants and then bought gloves, and towels in which to wrap his feet - and he arrived, looking rather an odd apparition, but smiling smugly.
Our Last camping night
This was indeed an occassion. We had a magnificent site- far from the highway, so no rumbling trucks, and we were right up against remnants of the Great Wall, which stretched far into the distance east and west.
We had a massive bonfire on which did a few ceremonial burns - like the toilet shovel and greasy bike rags, but we also had procured a few marshmallows and a fair Chinese vintage of red wine.
I did an " Informal awards Ceremony"- a lot of fun and laughs and leg pulling but resulted in a good feeling of solidarity that we had made it this far.
I will miss the camping. I love the feeling of self sufficiency, and I am often filled with a great surge of well being.
But it is certainly getting cold now - and population pressure is noticable so I guess I will have to adapt to a shower every night and the city noises.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Through the Gobi Desert to Jiayuguan
( My second attempt - the first one disappeared)
Cycling through the Gobi Desert has been the realisation of a childhood dream. I was in Junior School in Zimbabwe when I read a book about a prisoner of War who had escaped and had to spend many months of suffering crossing the Gobi Desert to safetry. It is reputed to be the driest desert in the world and this poor man had to meat snakes to survive. I had scuttled off to the atlas and noted that the Gobi was in a part of the world totally unknown to me. Would I ever see and feel that desert? I now have had the privilege to see it, smell it, eats its dust, sleep in it and curse its icy winds!
Our route travelled along the Hexi corridor,with the Gobi to our north and east, and with the lofty, snow capped Qilian mountains to the south. We are now in Jiayuguan which has had a settlement since the 2nd century BC but is reputed to be the last western outpost of the Great Wall. For desert travellers along the Silk Route it marked the end of known territory and entry to the unknown. Its main attraction is a splendid Fort built in 1372 and from here the Great Wall can be seen extendeing North and South, far onto the distance over rocky mountains and desolate plains.
We were able to climb up to a look out tower and allow our imagination to run riot. We had made it here across the desert by leg power only. Perhaps not as impressive as Marco Polo and the boys - but still a good feeling.
Cycling through the Gobi Desert has been the realisation of a childhood dream. I was in Junior School in Zimbabwe when I read a book about a prisoner of War who had escaped and had to spend many months of suffering crossing the Gobi Desert to safetry. It is reputed to be the driest desert in the world and this poor man had to meat snakes to survive. I had scuttled off to the atlas and noted that the Gobi was in a part of the world totally unknown to me. Would I ever see and feel that desert? I now have had the privilege to see it, smell it, eats its dust, sleep in it and curse its icy winds!
Our route travelled along the Hexi corridor,with the Gobi to our north and east, and with the lofty, snow capped Qilian mountains to the south. We are now in Jiayuguan which has had a settlement since the 2nd century BC but is reputed to be the last western outpost of the Great Wall. For desert travellers along the Silk Route it marked the end of known territory and entry to the unknown. Its main attraction is a splendid Fort built in 1372 and from here the Great Wall can be seen extendeing North and South, far onto the distance over rocky mountains and desolate plains.
We were able to climb up to a look out tower and allow our imagination to run riot. We had made it here across the desert by leg power only. Perhaps not as impressive as Marco Polo and the boys - but still a good feeling.
A tourist day in Dunhuang
I am usually a rather reluctant tourist but one day can be a treat.
So we paid our money, jumped on a bus and set off to the Mogao Caves - which are also called the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas. I had learned that these are infact a World Heritage sight - but I really did not know what to expect.
I was totally blown away. Hundreds of caves have been carved into the side of sandstone cliffs- between the fouth and fourteenth centuries by folk wishing to pay homage and give thanks, and hopefully to gain blessing, by Buddha. Inside there are a variety of paintings, carvings, sculptures - depicting hundreds of Buddhas and his followers and disciples, and the entries to the caves are then enclosed by intricate woodwork. The largest Buddha was at least 3 stories high. ( Sorry - no photos allowed inside) The survival of these caves has been miraculous - pehaps due largely to the fact that this area was taken by the Tibetans in 781AD. Even the Monguls did not manage to wreck them.
Relatively recently, they have been threatened by treasure seeking archeologists - and so many of the treasures and scrolls and silk paintings can now be found in the British Museum, in France and even St Petersburg.
It is obviously a major tourist attraction - but mainly by Korean, Japanese and Chinese tourists, often as part of a pilgrimage. We were informed however, that this year has been a very bad tourist year due to the Olympics, and also the recent devastating earthquake which was in the adjacent province. However - the massive bus park, huge trinket shops,acres under concrete and generally regimemted feel to the place made us realise that we were lucky to have viewed these wonders in relative peace.
It was then off to the Sand Dunes. This was for me all very amusing as the Chinese Tourist Board have managed to exploit these and yet still give the tourist a thrilling experience. They are magnificent dunes - and you can walk up them, slide down them on sleds, slide down on tubes in a special shute, go on a camel ride, fly over them in a microlight, go on a 4x4e jaunt, and ofcopurse but Cowboy hats and trinkets at any number of stalls. Just for walking on the dunes - a fastidious tourist can hire a set of leggings- bright orange just in case of getting lost-to prevent the sand from entering ones shoes!
Again - demand for all these activities was low and I thoroughly enjoyed wandering around the hundreds and hundreds of camels and marvelling at the scale of this venture.
What a relief that I am only a real tourist occassionally though!
So we paid our money, jumped on a bus and set off to the Mogao Caves - which are also called the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas. I had learned that these are infact a World Heritage sight - but I really did not know what to expect.
I was totally blown away. Hundreds of caves have been carved into the side of sandstone cliffs- between the fouth and fourteenth centuries by folk wishing to pay homage and give thanks, and hopefully to gain blessing, by Buddha. Inside there are a variety of paintings, carvings, sculptures - depicting hundreds of Buddhas and his followers and disciples, and the entries to the caves are then enclosed by intricate woodwork. The largest Buddha was at least 3 stories high. ( Sorry - no photos allowed inside) The survival of these caves has been miraculous - pehaps due largely to the fact that this area was taken by the Tibetans in 781AD. Even the Monguls did not manage to wreck them.
Relatively recently, they have been threatened by treasure seeking archeologists - and so many of the treasures and scrolls and silk paintings can now be found in the British Museum, in France and even St Petersburg.
It is obviously a major tourist attraction - but mainly by Korean, Japanese and Chinese tourists, often as part of a pilgrimage. We were informed however, that this year has been a very bad tourist year due to the Olympics, and also the recent devastating earthquake which was in the adjacent province. However - the massive bus park, huge trinket shops,acres under concrete and generally regimemted feel to the place made us realise that we were lucky to have viewed these wonders in relative peace.
It was then off to the Sand Dunes. This was for me all very amusing as the Chinese Tourist Board have managed to exploit these and yet still give the tourist a thrilling experience. They are magnificent dunes - and you can walk up them, slide down them on sleds, slide down on tubes in a special shute, go on a camel ride, fly over them in a microlight, go on a 4x4e jaunt, and ofcopurse but Cowboy hats and trinkets at any number of stalls. Just for walking on the dunes - a fastidious tourist can hire a set of leggings- bright orange just in case of getting lost-to prevent the sand from entering ones shoes!
Again - demand for all these activities was low and I thoroughly enjoyed wandering around the hundreds and hundreds of camels and marvelling at the scale of this venture.
What a relief that I am only a real tourist occassionally though!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
A tough 6 days cycling
We are at last in Dunhuang after a tough 6 days of cycling where conditions were far from ideal.
Granted - the road is relatively flat - in fact boringly so, but the wind was evil and temperatures are plummetting.
Each day was in the region of 130- 140km and what awaited at the end of each day was a rocky campsite close to the noisy highway. Hence we are delighted to be in a hotel now with the prospect of two whole rest days. The beers have been flowing - and the Chinese make good beer - and serve it in BIG bottles!
Dunhuang once marked the extreme western point of the Chinese Empire and marked the end of the Great Wall. Of relevence to us is that it was the last stop for Silk Road caravans before they crossed the dreaded Lop Desert. This is the desert we have been steadily cycling through. Not too much to tell - but some great photo opportunities which I have included alongside. Dunhuang was also an ancient Buddhist centre and tomorrow we are off on a bit of an easy tourist jaunt- by bus- to see Caves of a Thousand Buddhas which are a World Heritage Site.
The rhythm of cycling sometimes takes over and it is easy to miss some of these amazing pieces of history which make China such a puzzle. Dunhung is also well known for its gigantic rumbling sand dunes. These we will also see and I will report back as to whether or not they compare with those magnificent specimans at Sossus Vlei.
Our days of camping will soon be over as population density and freezing temperatures make it a bad option.
We have four more days in our tents and we will mark the end of this phase with a party at our campsite at the Great Wall.
I will miss my familiar tent and cozy sleeping bag - but may welcome the hot shower at the end of a long and cold day.
Will let you know....
Granted - the road is relatively flat - in fact boringly so, but the wind was evil and temperatures are plummetting.
Each day was in the region of 130- 140km and what awaited at the end of each day was a rocky campsite close to the noisy highway. Hence we are delighted to be in a hotel now with the prospect of two whole rest days. The beers have been flowing - and the Chinese make good beer - and serve it in BIG bottles!
Dunhuang once marked the extreme western point of the Chinese Empire and marked the end of the Great Wall. Of relevence to us is that it was the last stop for Silk Road caravans before they crossed the dreaded Lop Desert. This is the desert we have been steadily cycling through. Not too much to tell - but some great photo opportunities which I have included alongside. Dunhuang was also an ancient Buddhist centre and tomorrow we are off on a bit of an easy tourist jaunt- by bus- to see Caves of a Thousand Buddhas which are a World Heritage Site.
The rhythm of cycling sometimes takes over and it is easy to miss some of these amazing pieces of history which make China such a puzzle. Dunhung is also well known for its gigantic rumbling sand dunes. These we will also see and I will report back as to whether or not they compare with those magnificent specimans at Sossus Vlei.
Our days of camping will soon be over as population density and freezing temperatures make it a bad option.
We have four more days in our tents and we will mark the end of this phase with a party at our campsite at the Great Wall.
I will miss my familiar tent and cozy sleeping bag - but may welcome the hot shower at the end of a long and cold day.
Will let you know....
A very windy cycle day of 138km
With great effort, I lift my head and gaze up to the barren, purple mountains to the north.They do little to raise my spirits, as my every fibre is involved in propelling my bike and myself forward against a vicious wind, blowing head-on, with powerful side gusts intermittently. Slip streaming is out of the question as none of us can keep a straight line- at best we are trying to avoid being blown down the steep road embankment. Massive trucks grind past and add to the physical danger. The air turbulence they cause tugs and pulls at us, like an invisible pillow beating from every angle, endeavouring to force us into the wheels, or headfirst into the tar.
The sky darkens and the air temperature plummets.
" Enough" yells Knut the Norwegian, as he disappears down the embankment, curls up in a sheltered spot and embarks on one of his well known snoozes. I am in awe of this magical ability he has.
I take a break sitting on the tarmac, adding another layer of protective gear. Suddenly an apparition comes into view on the road ahead. It is a tall Western looking being - but he is pulling a Chinese type handcart! He pulls along side and we exchange travel stories. He is a German fellow called Chris and he was a student of photography in Beijing for the past 2 years. Having completed his course- he needed to return home - so he decided to walk- all the way to Germany!He has set aside 3 years to do this- and he appears to be having a lot of fun.
We bade farewell and he disappears, walking jauntily into the distance.
This proves to be my turning point. From here on, every inch I cycle , he has walked. A front end loader chugs past me affording some wind protection. Suddenly I feel I can pedal harder and keep up with this mechanical giant. My speed increases from 8km per hour to a heady 24km per hour as I ride tucked in at a safe distance next to mammoth wheels. What a steal -I smile to myself And it comes into my head - how sweet the unexpected pleasures that emerge in the midst of seemingly unending adversity!
It is growuing late and cold. Only 10km to camp - but that may take over an hour. A very large startling white object looms up on the side of the road. I laugh out loud. It is a lifesize cement dinosaur. It is part of a series of bizarre cement animal statues which we have been passing along this desert road- camels, cows, even giraffe and kangaroos. Some road builder obviously is trying to prevent sense of humour failure on this desolate windy stretch.
Camp at last. Erecting tents proves yet another challange and our wishes of a dying down of the wind for the night are not met. It howls and buffets all night, pulling at fly sheets and causing a deafening racket within. Mike comments that sleep proved almost impossible as he felt he was sleeping in a subway tunnel.
A watery dawn breaks - and the wind is still whistling through our ears.
Can this go on for yet another day? We have another 140 km to ride today and 4 days more after that . Will we survive?
It is a very quiet group of cyclists seen leaving , heads down, legs straining, each privately hoping for some small reprieve.
The sky darkens and the air temperature plummets.
" Enough" yells Knut the Norwegian, as he disappears down the embankment, curls up in a sheltered spot and embarks on one of his well known snoozes. I am in awe of this magical ability he has.
I take a break sitting on the tarmac, adding another layer of protective gear. Suddenly an apparition comes into view on the road ahead. It is a tall Western looking being - but he is pulling a Chinese type handcart! He pulls along side and we exchange travel stories. He is a German fellow called Chris and he was a student of photography in Beijing for the past 2 years. Having completed his course- he needed to return home - so he decided to walk- all the way to Germany!He has set aside 3 years to do this- and he appears to be having a lot of fun.
We bade farewell and he disappears, walking jauntily into the distance.
This proves to be my turning point. From here on, every inch I cycle , he has walked. A front end loader chugs past me affording some wind protection. Suddenly I feel I can pedal harder and keep up with this mechanical giant. My speed increases from 8km per hour to a heady 24km per hour as I ride tucked in at a safe distance next to mammoth wheels. What a steal -I smile to myself And it comes into my head - how sweet the unexpected pleasures that emerge in the midst of seemingly unending adversity!
It is growuing late and cold. Only 10km to camp - but that may take over an hour. A very large startling white object looms up on the side of the road. I laugh out loud. It is a lifesize cement dinosaur. It is part of a series of bizarre cement animal statues which we have been passing along this desert road- camels, cows, even giraffe and kangaroos. Some road builder obviously is trying to prevent sense of humour failure on this desolate windy stretch.
Camp at last. Erecting tents proves yet another challange and our wishes of a dying down of the wind for the night are not met. It howls and buffets all night, pulling at fly sheets and causing a deafening racket within. Mike comments that sleep proved almost impossible as he felt he was sleeping in a subway tunnel.
A watery dawn breaks - and the wind is still whistling through our ears.
Can this go on for yet another day? We have another 140 km to ride today and 4 days more after that . Will we survive?
It is a very quiet group of cyclists seen leaving , heads down, legs straining, each privately hoping for some small reprieve.
Friday, October 3, 2008
China First impressions
I visited China almost 3 years ago, and I vividly recall the words of our guide.
He said wisely-
"When you have been in China for a week - you feel like you could write a book; after a month, perhaps only a chapter- and after a year, it feels impossible to write anything accurately about the enigma that is China"
I am going to risk a few first impressions.....
Colour
RED - everywhere, day and night. Red signs, red paint , red lights, red lanterns, red shoes, red trucks. Get into the business of selling RED and you are made.
It is associated with luck and prosperity
Walls
I guess it is stating the obvious to say that the Chinese have an obsession with walls - given that they are the owners of the most famous wall of all time!
But it feels more than that. Walls line roads, they enclose compounds, they are often gated and they lend an air of secrecy. I am often left wondering as to the activities behind those intimidating structures..
Smells
My children will tell you that I have almost zero sense of smell - an attribute they think is ideally suited to my profession of medicine. However - here in China I am constantly accousted by strong odour.
In the country - animal odour fills the air, along with smells of chillies which lie drying in the sun. We pass beehives and honey smell fills the air. Next the unmistakable whiff of human excreta, mixed with heavy cigarette smoke, but we pass ladies in a town and perfume wafts into our nostrils.
Even hotels smell different. Is it the suspect plumbing, or kitchen smells wafting through the air conditioning?
Garlic, cabbage, fish, liver, - I seem to have smelt them all.
And a seasonal smell right now- melons of every type and their unmistakable smell as they age and rot.
The smell along the roads is often of diesel fumes and other pollutants - and I am sad about that.
Children
Definately fewer than are seen on African roadsides- and boys do predominate, although I suspect many of the girls are hard at work with their mothers. Toddlers while being potty trained have slits in the crotch of their pants- hence you often have to mind your step in towns.
Order juxaposed with disorder
Uniformed bank employees all out on the sidewalk in neat rows, doing Tai Chi to music while the traffic around them seems to obey no rules. Even the pavements are not out of bounds to motorised transport.
I am illiterate
I can neither read or vaguely decipher the simplest of signs. Town names remain a mystery. Warnings are meaningless, even writing down a name in Chinglish meets with blank stares. I feel like a dumb, rather slow child, totally at the mercy of those who know better than I do...
Smiles vs reserve
I meet both. Often there seems a pleasure at the meeting of a westerner - at other times distinct hostility.
I do wonder that if in this predominantly Muslim area, there is a suspicion of Westerners - seen as Americans, who may harbour anti muslim sentiments
Massage
The Chinese are the absolute masters. I had an hour long massage- every muscle in my body, face and head was beaten, pushed, rubbed, thumped - and I staggered out- almost gasping, but next day I felt like a new being!
Environment
Atrocious air pollution, but a national recycling programme. Scrap metal is all re- used and every last tyre seems to find a use. Many earn their living from scavanging recyclable items - makes for a trash free highway
Perhaps by next month I may have revised all of these!!
He said wisely-
"When you have been in China for a week - you feel like you could write a book; after a month, perhaps only a chapter- and after a year, it feels impossible to write anything accurately about the enigma that is China"
I am going to risk a few first impressions.....
Colour
RED - everywhere, day and night. Red signs, red paint , red lights, red lanterns, red shoes, red trucks. Get into the business of selling RED and you are made.
It is associated with luck and prosperity
Walls
I guess it is stating the obvious to say that the Chinese have an obsession with walls - given that they are the owners of the most famous wall of all time!
But it feels more than that. Walls line roads, they enclose compounds, they are often gated and they lend an air of secrecy. I am often left wondering as to the activities behind those intimidating structures..
Smells
My children will tell you that I have almost zero sense of smell - an attribute they think is ideally suited to my profession of medicine. However - here in China I am constantly accousted by strong odour.
In the country - animal odour fills the air, along with smells of chillies which lie drying in the sun. We pass beehives and honey smell fills the air. Next the unmistakable whiff of human excreta, mixed with heavy cigarette smoke, but we pass ladies in a town and perfume wafts into our nostrils.
Even hotels smell different. Is it the suspect plumbing, or kitchen smells wafting through the air conditioning?
Garlic, cabbage, fish, liver, - I seem to have smelt them all.
And a seasonal smell right now- melons of every type and their unmistakable smell as they age and rot.
The smell along the roads is often of diesel fumes and other pollutants - and I am sad about that.
Children
Definately fewer than are seen on African roadsides- and boys do predominate, although I suspect many of the girls are hard at work with their mothers. Toddlers while being potty trained have slits in the crotch of their pants- hence you often have to mind your step in towns.
Order juxaposed with disorder
Uniformed bank employees all out on the sidewalk in neat rows, doing Tai Chi to music while the traffic around them seems to obey no rules. Even the pavements are not out of bounds to motorised transport.
I am illiterate
I can neither read or vaguely decipher the simplest of signs. Town names remain a mystery. Warnings are meaningless, even writing down a name in Chinglish meets with blank stares. I feel like a dumb, rather slow child, totally at the mercy of those who know better than I do...
Smiles vs reserve
I meet both. Often there seems a pleasure at the meeting of a westerner - at other times distinct hostility.
I do wonder that if in this predominantly Muslim area, there is a suspicion of Westerners - seen as Americans, who may harbour anti muslim sentiments
Massage
The Chinese are the absolute masters. I had an hour long massage- every muscle in my body, face and head was beaten, pushed, rubbed, thumped - and I staggered out- almost gasping, but next day I felt like a new being!
Environment
Atrocious air pollution, but a national recycling programme. Scrap metal is all re- used and every last tyre seems to find a use. Many earn their living from scavanging recyclable items - makes for a trash free highway
Perhaps by next month I may have revised all of these!!
From Turpan
I am at the lowest point of my life - only literally speaking as Turpan lies 156metres below sea level.
It also holds another honour- that of being the hottest town in China. The highest recorded temperature is 49.3 degrees C and average summer temperatures are 38 degrees C. They say it only rains once every 10 years - and remarkably - we got caught in that rain on our bikes.
It was incredibly exciting as strong winds buffetted us as we were on a 50km downhill into the Turpan depression, and dark, ominous looking clouds collected overhead. The air grew heavy and humid and suddenly - the rain and that magnificent post rain smell. It was short lived- and we soon stripped off the rain gear, and were sweating again, as the clouds lifted, wind died, and all felt fresh and light.
Turpan is a laid back, easy going place that survives on a system of underground water channels. These are called karez- and the idea is thought to have originated 2000 years ago in Iran. The underground network covers a distance of 3000km and taps the water from the snow melt of the Tian Shen mountains.Wells tap the water at regular intervals and miles and miles of agriculture are dependant on this source. These channels have all been dug by hand and the locals are justly very proud of the system.
Were it not for this ingenious water supply - the Turpan depression would be dry as a bone, windswept and featureless. Now its boulevards are covered by leafy, cool grape vines and the towns folk while away the hours sipping cold drinks, and playing cards while watching the world go slowly by. We have easily slipped into this commendable past-time.
Turpan is also famous for its dried green grapes. At the town's edge there are many square brick structures with aeration walls. Herein the grapes are dried and as they are not exposed to direct sunlight, they remain a gorgeous green colour. They are very high in sugar content, due to the conditions of extreme heat and plentiful water in which they grow.
Now the vines are turning brown slowly. This week is a week of celebration as National China Day was 1st October, and it also marks the end of Ramadan. Winter looms, and so now is a time for outdoor celebration and feasting.
Tomorrow our rest ends as we climb out of this low point of the world, back to the vast exspances of desert.
I know we will have thoughts of those cool leafy boulevards, as we huff, puff and sweat or way up, on our journey eastwards to Beijing.
It also holds another honour- that of being the hottest town in China. The highest recorded temperature is 49.3 degrees C and average summer temperatures are 38 degrees C. They say it only rains once every 10 years - and remarkably - we got caught in that rain on our bikes.
It was incredibly exciting as strong winds buffetted us as we were on a 50km downhill into the Turpan depression, and dark, ominous looking clouds collected overhead. The air grew heavy and humid and suddenly - the rain and that magnificent post rain smell. It was short lived- and we soon stripped off the rain gear, and were sweating again, as the clouds lifted, wind died, and all felt fresh and light.
Turpan is a laid back, easy going place that survives on a system of underground water channels. These are called karez- and the idea is thought to have originated 2000 years ago in Iran. The underground network covers a distance of 3000km and taps the water from the snow melt of the Tian Shen mountains.Wells tap the water at regular intervals and miles and miles of agriculture are dependant on this source. These channels have all been dug by hand and the locals are justly very proud of the system.
Were it not for this ingenious water supply - the Turpan depression would be dry as a bone, windswept and featureless. Now its boulevards are covered by leafy, cool grape vines and the towns folk while away the hours sipping cold drinks, and playing cards while watching the world go slowly by. We have easily slipped into this commendable past-time.
Turpan is also famous for its dried green grapes. At the town's edge there are many square brick structures with aeration walls. Herein the grapes are dried and as they are not exposed to direct sunlight, they remain a gorgeous green colour. They are very high in sugar content, due to the conditions of extreme heat and plentiful water in which they grow.
Now the vines are turning brown slowly. This week is a week of celebration as National China Day was 1st October, and it also marks the end of Ramadan. Winter looms, and so now is a time for outdoor celebration and feasting.
Tomorrow our rest ends as we climb out of this low point of the world, back to the vast exspances of desert.
I know we will have thoughts of those cool leafy boulevards, as we huff, puff and sweat or way up, on our journey eastwards to Beijing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
