Lanzhou Off The Beaten Path

I have never been to this museum, but I keep seeing it on Dong Ganxi Lu, on the north side, about 400 metres from the Lanzhou Binguan. It seems to be in a branch of a bank. Must give it a try because it seems the kind of quirky place that you don't expect in a city like Lanzhou!

One block west of the Baiyuanguan Temple, is a bridge over a particularly badly polluted stream - not much more than an open sewer. Yet in the old days, this short stretch of mud and grass was where the boats and barges were tied up and unloaded and the city's wharves. Nothing to see there these days, but at least it is open and a break from the grim buildings in this area.

Xihu Park is one of the more tranquil spots in this busy city, especially in the summer months, when locals head for the river bank for their evening stroll. This park has several lakes, but also has the usual clutter of very old and very suspect-looking playground and funfair equpiment. Like in all parks across China, one of the joys of the park is watching the city come out to play, and Xihu park is particularly popular with people exercising their caged birds. It is also peopular with the park calligraphers, who wander around the lanes painting their art on the ground with sugared water so the calligraphy remains just for a few hours before evaporating.

One good recommendation is to travel overland from Lanzhou south to Chengdu in Sichuan province. Along the way, you will pass by some of the most breathtaking scenery around, including must visits to places such as Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong.

Bingling Buddhist Caves are some of the earliest yet least known caves in China. Built in the 5th century Jin Dynasty, these caves have been added to by successive dynasties and are still in decent shape. The giant Buddha is more than 27 meters tall. The artwork shows a transitional style from Indian to Chinese. The setting is also spectacular. Built into the side of a canyon just next to the Yellow River, the surroundings will astound. If you follow the dry usually riverbed up the canyon you will go through a narrow pass that opens into a surreal maze of hole filled towering cliffs. A 20 minute walk will bring you to a small temple across from which are more small unopened caves on the cliff face. Look out for yaks and the occassional flashflood. The Yellow River gives the only access to this amazing site. To get there during the summer, take the ferry from the dock by the Yongjing Dam. Outside the season, you might be able to get a speedboat to take you for several hundred RMB. Round-trip and a 3 hour wait included. Yongjing is a small town just a few minutes away from the dam and dock. You can get here directly from Lanzhou but I came via Xiahe and then went on to Xining in Qinghai. Have fun.

Somewhere in between Lanzhou and Xining I took this photo. There is a small town about 100km away from Lanzhou city called Linxia, it's a place of Muslims and Tibetans, so why not? Or you can take a taxi drive you out of the city into the original desert land. Do not miss the water wheel of Lanzhou, this water wheel is located on Huang river in the water garden if not mistaken. I pay RMB2.00 for the ticket. This Huang river is big enough about 100 feet or more in width and looking over the opposite hill fully inhabited with Huang peoples, origins of this river according to historians.

The famous town of Dunhuang with its unique sand dunes called Minsha dunes as well as the Moon Cresent Lake are worth a visit.