2013 - Xinjiang

The Land of Singing and Dancing

All ethnic groups in Xinjiang love to sing and dance. Singing and dancing has been part of their culture since ancient times. 
This group of solely male musicians perform, using the local musical instruments to play, sing and dance in a local restaurant in Urumqi. It was a fun evening joining them to dance!

The Faces of Xinjiang

Xinjiang’s ‘kai xin guo’ -- 新疆的开心果!

In Chinese, the term ‘kai xin guo’ is used to symbolise happy people especially, children – they are sweet and delightful; like the land of fruits and melons in Xinjiang!

Uyghur siblings family 

Uyghur girl...

and her sister

The parents were working in the field under the hot sun. This rather shy girl with her cute hairstyle seen hiding behind her mother's shadow  -- the practical sunshade.

Resting on her mother's shoulders

Tuwa ethnic kid

Tuwa village kid

Nana, the orphan child at the village school

  

The  Uyghur family at the camel farm -- mother and son

A Uyghur ethnic Muslim grandma -- this charming lady was busy at work, chopping up greens in the back of the kitchen of a small eatery. She is in her eighties and...

...she has bound feet that was unbelievably tiny. We had a good chat. She had gladly obliged to let me take photos of her and was happy to view the pictures I had taken of her. 

A small Uyghur family Muslim eatery business -- the daughter did the cooking while grandma helped out in the kitchen. The food though simple was surprisingly good!

Wedding traditions are still in practice although they spent lavishly on their modern wedding attires. After the traditional ceremony, newly wedded couples with their families, relatives and friends would come together to take photos before they adjourn to continue with their dinner party that would go on till the wee hours. 

The pretty bride and her bridesmaid in a bright blue gown.

The Land of Treasure Trove

We have travelled over 3000km on this trip. Besides the amazing natural landscapes and the diverse ethnic groups here, there are the endless fields of rich natural sources of oil, gas, coal, energy and minerals.

This province has the largest reserves of natural oil, gas and coal in the country. It is also rich in minerals.

Oil fields

Wind Energy

Xinjiang has an abundance of flat endless land with natural wind force and suitable sunshine environment, making wind and solar energy largely available. 

Cotton Farming
Xinjiang is the largest cotton producer in China.

Endless acres of cotton fields

Harvesting season

Cotton processing plant

Lavender Farming

This is the second largest industry after cotton in Xinjiang; grown largely in the Ili district or Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. 

Lavender fields in the Yili Valley

Wild berries and apples 
Our Mongolian chieftain found some wild berries and apples on the road less travelled. . 

These wild berries tasted sour!

I thought they were cherries at first sight but these are the smallest wild apples I have ever seen!

They tasted naturally sweet and a wee bit tangy. My favourite apples by far on this journey -- the rich burgundy-coloured wild apple against the golden delicious with a touch of pink on the skin made a perfect contrasting portrait  The tasty, crunchy golden delicious variety is locally grown in the Yili valley. 



Wolfberry (Goji) Berries Farming 

Wolfberries, also known as Goji berries or Chinese wolfberres or Gou Qi Zi in Chinese are edible berries that can be enjoyed fresh or dry.  It is largely consumed as a dried fruit.

This amazing fruit is packed of lots of natural goodness and provide a variety of antioxidant

and aid in visual improvement. 

We stopped by at this Gou Qi berry farm, owned by a couple. They allowed us to try them; the first time I had tasted fresh Gou Qi berries. I popped a handful of freshly picked Gou Qi berries in my mouth and it tasted so good!

I bought a few kilograms from them to take along with me. Prices range from 50 yuan to 80 yuan per kilogram.for the small and medium sized variety.

Intense Chilli Cultivation

Mounts of dried chillies that stretch across open fields for miles along this leg of our journey. The weather condition is suitable for chilli farming in this region. 

Chillies are raked, lined into rows, sorted according to sizes

 Farmers working under the scorching sun

Farmer wearing gloves, a shawl over the hat that covers the sides of her face, tied under the chin, with a mask over her mouth and face to shield off the scorching sun while working on the fields. 

This farmer has to sieve through the rows of chillies to sort, remove those not of the required standards. 

This labour intensive business is extremely hard work but it brings in good stable income to feed the whole family. 

Chillies galore! Drying chilli is a traditional way of preserving the hot pepper's full natural flavour. They are naturally sizzled for days to the right degree and texture before they are sold in the wholesale markets. 

The Land of Rare Engineering Feat

After soaking in the sunset scene in Sayram Lake, the drive along the highway approaching the Fruit Valley was one of absolute ‘Wow!’

The drive along the spiral loop that wound around the Lianhuo Expressway and back below the bridge itself; all within a stretch of the 40 kilometres was remarkable -- the expressway drops from a drastic 1200 metres in elevation from the Sayram Lake area at 2000 metres above sea level to Lucaogouzen city at 800 metres! 

At dusk -- approaching the Guozigou Bridge after driving past the almost 360 degree expressway, roller-coastering around the mountain...

The snow-capped mountain in the distance and the valley below...

The Guozigou Approach Bridge...

Capturing the last moment of twilight at the Guozigou Bridge...

Amazingly, I did not feel the adrenaline rush effect of that 40 metres stretch rise and fall of the roller-coastering around the mountain expressway...but felt the exhilarating natural energy!!

Looking up at the Guozigou Approach Bridge from below...wow!!! Hats off to the creative team of designers and engineers!

This has been one fascinating journey of over 3000 kilometres across vast plains, snowy mountains and deserts oasis and, experience the ethnic lifestyle with a Tuwa family as well as a warm welcoming authentic homemade meal with an ethnic family.

This journey has been nothing short of spectacular that felt so much like Central Eurasia. My insatiable appetite and curiosity to this amazing land has charms that still allure... 

Getting there
If you are going on a budget travel, have several months on hand to explore this spectacular region, public transport is available but I would avoid the three major national holidays week exodus to anywhere in the country. 

(November 2013)