Monday, December 5, 2016

Attractions Of Silk Road - Xi'an & Dunhuang

Yesterday I have just returned from China after being away for 10 days. I have experienced very cold winters and seen many new eye openers which were captured in over 1000 photographs. Honestly I am still mentally tired after the long train rides and flight home. In a few days, I will be off to Jakarta for a few days on my good friend's invitation. So I decided to post just some preview photos here before I find quality time to sort the photographs and compile them for your reading pleasure.

  
Greetings from our room at Ramada Hotel in Xi'an.
It takes 5 hours by plane from Kuala Lumpur to reach
Xi'an at the Shaanxi Province. The temperature was
like averagely High 7C and Low -3C.




 We took their normal train ride from Xi'an to reach Dunhuang
which is a very ancient city at the Silk Road journey. The train
took us 24 hours each way. Lots of sceneries of mountains,
farms and melted snow along Gobi Desert. Their average freezing
temperature was like High -3C and Low -7C. Dunhuang is
located in the Gansu Province.



This map illustrates the journey from Xi'an to Dunhuang.




 It was a very memorable trip to see the ancient Mogao Caves which we
had talked for many years. We also visited the Mingshan Mountains
and rode camels across the desert!




We took the miserable train back to Xi'an and spent 3 days
visiting the places & temples we have missed since our last trip in 2014.
We enjoyed riding bicycle around the entire city wall of Xi'an
and saw all the tall skyscrapers in the big city within 2 hours.
Xi'an City was the first capital of China and was better
known as Chang'an with a population of over 4.5 million
inside the crowded city itself! This is the most highly 
recommended place to visit after having visited
Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chengde, Chengdu, Nanjing,
Jiuhuashan, Suzhou, Emei Shan and others!


*****


48 comments:

  1. Good evening TM... The weather is so hot today...

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    Replies
    1. Good Evening Queen of Zumba!
      It is also warm today.

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  2. Times do flies so fast, seem like yesterday you have flown to China, but your trip has end...

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    Replies
    1. Yeah time flies so fast. I had planned this trip one year ago and kept looking forward to the trip.

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  3. Hey TM! Is that really you in moustache? :) When you mentioned -3 degrees, I wanted to shiver.. I think I could never stand the cold even though with thick covers. Maybe young that time can, now definitely cannot.. so one tip from this auntie here.. go visit more places when young, don't wait till retirement! hahahaa...

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    1. That man is me!

      Hey, you should not fear the coldest temperature if you invest in those special jackets we had. Their material are so thick and dense to withstand minus temperature. I didn't shiver inside even if I wore just a singlet inside!

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    2. I tried winter in Korea... shivering cos I didn't bring a mask to cover my nose and mouth.. very freezing!

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  4. Wow! Nice experiences for you. I think you could go there,because you are very young. It looks very cold, but very nice trip!!

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    1. Yes it was the best experience for us and the memories will last a lifetime. Age is just a number and I am not really that young anymore. When I reach 80, I would still go skiing!! Ha ha

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  5. Beautiful sharing, dear! I've yet to visit these places. I miss going to deserts!

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    Replies
    1. Oh, which deserts did you visit and miss them now?

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    2. I've been to the ones in Dahran & it was like 40 deg c! Crazy!

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  6. Oh wow. 10 days in China and soon you'll be in Jakarta. I'll be dead tired if I travel like that especially with two kids in tow.

    I havent been to this part of China. I dread the long train journey and I am most afraid of the biting cold weather. But I am sure looking forward to more beautiful pictures of your travel so I can learn more about Xi'an.

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    1. I am almost dead tired to get on the plane tomorrow as I am just recovering from high fever. Must be the North Winds blowing.

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  7. Wow! So cold!

    For China, I only been to Beijing in November 2014, it was so cold that I cannot take it.

    I thought Shanghai would be nice also, actually that time I wanted to go Shanghai but my friend prefers Beijing so I compromised.

    By the way, you look so Jap with that moustache and your wifey's Hello Kitty hat is so cute

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    1. I went to Beijing in the year 2002 during summer and I swore not to visit China in Summer again. It was too hot and too crowded with tourists. Beijing is more interesting than Shanghai but the people in Shanghai are averagely taller, fairer and good looking.

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  8. Whoa I like that type of temperature! I have experienced -5C and I love it. I also want to go to China one day. Looking forwards to your coming posts.

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    1. Yes please don't delay anymore as each day we are closer to our graves. You should dig out your big savings to travel now.

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  9. Whoa....did you just ride a camel...your backside got sakit or not? Hehe! :D Love your wife's cute kitty hat...and did she photobombed you in the first photo? ;) Take your time and have a good rest before your next trip to Jakarta. The posts can wait and I look forward to reading them in due time :)

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    1. We rode the camels to the peak and back. It was an exciting experience. Will share more details later as I have 1000 photos.

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  10. Thank you for updating us with a summary of your very interesting trip. Love all the photos you have posted here and can't wait to see more and hear the details. 24 hours train ride each way? Reminds me of the movie Train to Busan but luckily no zombies on your train. Now you inspire me to go on this trip if I can get my family to go with me.

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    1. I had not watched the movie Train to Busan yet. Now I should after the horrifying train journey in China. Yes the train was exectly 24 hours each way. Xi'an to Beijing is nearer than going to Dunhuang.

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  11. OMG I cannot imagine 48hours in the train >_<

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  12. Is that really you??? The first picture, looks very much like a mafia boss, with all that mustache glory!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you if my mafia boss face gave you some chills. Ha Ha

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  13. It's becoming hotter here at Taiping, how I wish can experience some of the cold weather like what you have mentioned!

    I know, traveling is nice and exciting but at the same time, tiring. Furthermore you will be flying again soon~
    But thinking at the bright side, at least you get to travel again, many people wish for a holidays but can't get it, just like me >.<

    Have a safe and joyful trip to Jakarta!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I miss the colder weather in overseas. I think I should move there so that I can enjoy the 4 seasons.

      You had many trips overseas already and I remember all your very lovely photos taken in Europe. You went to places where most Malaysians didn't had the chance to visit.

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  14. Just came back and now off to Indonesia? Take care and have fun. Let me slowly read your travel post.

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    1. You are back to the blogs! Let me go and visit you.
      I will go and eat the exotic Indonesian food in Jakarta.

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    2. You are not back yet? Until you got "Janggut" eh...

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  15. Welcome back. But you going off soon, or I should say have fun at Jakarta. Xian is that the place to see the king Qing Shi Wang grave? The place they buried lots of soldiers underground since the ancient them?

    I've been to Luoyang for work last time, it's a quiet and nice place.

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    Replies
    1. Yes you can see all my earlier posts on my side bar where I had visited Xi'an. I had seen the Terracotta Warriors Tomb, the Emperor's grave, Mount Huashan and others.
      http://twilightzone518.blogspot.my/2012/11/winter-in-xian-terracotta-warriors.html

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  16. Welcome back ANay & Letchumy!

    Enjoyed the photos you posted on FB too!

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  17. Another place to visit and see. I will surely enjoy the sceneries but not the rides back and forth. I will in the near future go back to China.

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  18. This is an eye opening of your trip to me. I would love to see if you will be posting any photos in the train. That was really a long journey..kudos to both of you!

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  19. Fuiyoh....got Janggut leh. Ghenghis Khan? Joking only ok.

    Letchumi looking like Duracell bunny la. So happy and energetic. You chase up faster ah. Get well soon

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  20. Sounds a pretty long journey and could feel the desert cold from your photo! Hope you enjoyed the rides despite being long and exhausted.

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  21. Welcome back and looking forward to your posts!

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  22. Hi!Well come back. Nice trip for you. It looked very hard trip.. But I think you enjoyed many unforgettable things. Thanks for sharing.

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  23. You are a 6 footer. I wont dare to stand next to you. Ketiak oso kenot sampai.

    24 hours train ride is something I can do long long time ago with my hubby but with kids in tow, no way we can execute that. They'll be restless after 2 hours and the next 22 hours will be hell.

    I am alike your wife in the sense that I can't sit still for long. I'll be pacing the train throughout the journey. I did that in the plane on our way to Europe last time. Just can't sit still for long. Blood needs to circulate and heart needs to keep pumping. Haha.

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  24. i will be back to see your blog again...happy new year..

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  25. can we exchange link..add my blog to your blog list..i will add you too..inform me...thanks...

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