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It is very difficult to find reliable information about some of the older, archaeological sites around Urumqi. It is one of those cities where the tourist books expect the visitor to be more interested in tractor factories, the new post office and the highway underpass. Then there is the steady staple diet of "touristic sites" which have great scenic beauty but little history.
When I explained to a taxi driver where I wanted to go, I learned the Chinese word for "insane" (fengkuang). After much persuasion, he agreed to take us out there.
It had been snowing heavily and although snow hadn't settled, the temperature was -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees F). With a 30 knot wind blowing, the wind chill factor made that -36 degrees C (-33 degrees F).....so I suppose he had a point. It was certainly the coldest temperature I had ever felt. My lungs hurt every time I drew breath. I had two layers of thermal underwear on, and two scarves: I looked like a mummy. My eyes constantly watered from the cold. One digital camera froze solid after 3 minutes. Fortunately I have a manual Leica which kept on going for the 20 minutes I was out in the open.
(continued....) Leave a Comment Address: About 20km south of UrumqiDirections: Several Chinese guidebooks say that it is "10km south in the suburbs". It is much further and not in the suburbs. It's in the open countryside.
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Hong Shan Park is located on and around the highest hill in Urumqi, the Red Mountain. The red Pagoda on the top of the 150m high hill is from 1788. In the park are some pagodas, squares and ponds. There is also a nice and quiet Buddhist Temple, that is about 100 years old. From Hongshan you have a great view of modern Urumqi and the Tianshan Mountains, which surround the city. Leave a Comment
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The Hui muslim population of Xi'an in Shaanxi are a prosperous and generous lot. In 1906, towards the very end of the Qing Dynasty, they donated money for a mosque to be built far away in the city of Urumqi, half way along the Silk Road back to Europe. The traditional Chinese building with hip and gable wooden roof, is substantial and very graceful. It holds over 500 people inside and a further 800 or so on the raised terrace at the front. Further forward is an attractive courtyard, as always in China, filled with builders rubble, broken this and that, and rubbish: it was once a garden.
Behind the main building is a small pavilion-st
Midday prayers had just finished when I arrived, and several of the faithful were keen to show me around and discuss the architecture of the building and the situation of Muslims in China. A fascinating few hours.
It was amusing that my taxi driver - a pleasant enough Han - had no idea where the mosque was, even when I showed him on the map, and said that he never even knew it existed. He found it weird that I should want to go and see a religious building: he couldn't speak a word of Uighur either - not even "Hello". Leave a Comment Address: Yonghezheng Lu, off Heping Lu
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People's Park is a very nice and green Chinese Garden. Here you can find everything you expect: a pond, gates, pagodas, people doing their Taiji exercises, old men singing Chinese operas. It is a quiet place, very enjoyable in the early morning.
The pavillon is said to have been the home of the Chinese poet Ji Xiaolan (JiYun 1724 - 1805), who had been banned to Urumqi in 18th century. Leave a Comment
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The site of Urabo....or was it Ulanbay....is outside Urumqi to the south. After about 20 minutes, alongside the railway, a right hand turn is taken onto a graded road which eventually crosses a big plain which is actually the bed of a recharge dam - the dam wall was visible in the distance. The driver said that when it rains, another track needs to be followed. We were heading towards the mountains, and passed a small village. Immediately beyond a huge wall becomes apparent on the left. This is the ruins of the city of Ulanbay. Each wall is about 4 metres high and about 450-500 metres long. Most of the walls are intact, but inside blown snow made it difficult to see the ground and whether there were traces of streets or structures.
The city sits on a rise above the main plain, and even in the poor visibility, it was clear that it has a great view across the entire valley, a great strategic location.
It is considered to be the ruins of a city called Luntai, founded in 648, towards the end of the reign of of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. At that time, there was great turmoil in Central Asia, and it all threatened to spill over and down into China. The Chinese felt it necessary to block the main arteries into western China.
Further walls apparently divide the city into three parts, but I couldn't see this, and when you are freezing your nuts off, who cares? Three parts, four, five, whatever.
Fengkuang. You bet. Leave a Comment Address: See Part 1Directions: See Part 1
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If you are starting your trip of Silkroad or Western China in Urumqi, then the Regional Museum ( Qu Bowuguan) is an absolute must! It houses a detailed exhibition of minority people, their dresses, living circumstances and art, living in Xinjiang Province. Here you see how to distinguish Uygurs from Mongolians, which musical instruments they use and which local hats they wear.
There is also an exhibition of mummies, found in the dry sand of Taklamakan Desert. Some of the mummies are more than 2000 years old. Some of them show Indo-European features.
The museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Leave a Comment Address: Xi Bei Lu 132Directions: Bus: no. 7 to Bowuguan; the museum is opposite
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The Southern Mosque lies in Erdaoqiao in Jiefang Road in Urumqi and has the history of one hundred years. This is a leading place of religious gathering of a sect of Islamic in Xinjiang. Originally at Nantaizi , it was rebuilt Erdaoqiao in 1919. The main structure is the prayer hall in a convex shape. Leave a Comment
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The liveliest place in town is this bustling market. You can just find everything on this bazaar: exotic fruits, rare vegetables, meat from various animals.
I found it very astonishing, that people, who can afford this (and there seem to be quite a lot!), drive into the bazaar with their big cars or with a taxi, jump out, go to the stall and buy their fruits or vegetables.
For more pics please see my travelogue "Market" Leave a Comment
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Peoples Square is like in almost all Chinese city the center, where events take place and many important business centers and shops are located. In Urumqi the Bank of China has their main branch here.
When I was in Urumqi a big promotion event advertising some soft drinks was taking place with sportive games, music and a market. Leave a Comment
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This is probably the biggest attraction for visitors to Urumqi. On the ground floor are exhibits about the many differerent peoples of Xinjiang Province (Uighurs, Kazakhs, Manchus, Kirghiz, Russians etc.) including typical costumes, musical instruments and other artefacts, as well as a yurt.
Upstairs can be found the centuries-old mummies from the Taklamaklan desert, with their European features, including the 'Loulan Beauty'. One woman is said to date from 1800 BC, yet the finely woven textile she is wearing looks as if it could have been made just a few years ago. Another was buried with a small mask containing real human teeth. Visitors who have been to the tombs at Astana will recognise the reconstruction of the tomb with the bird paintings.
Unfortunately photography is not permitted inside the museum, and they did not have any postcards of the mummies on sale. They do sell a good range of books about them, but I didn't have room in my luggage, sadly. Leave a Comment
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- Ramada Urumqi
52 Changjiang Road, Urumqi - Xinjiang Grand
No.139 North Xinhua Road, Urumqi - Yilite
95 Da Jiang Road, Urumqi - Mirage (Mirage Tower)
No 5 Xinhua Bei Road, Urumqi - Hoi Tak Hotel Urumqi (T)
No 1 Dong Feng Lu, Urumqi - Silver Star
134 Qi Tai Road, Urumqi - Hua Ling Grand
9 Hong Dong Road, Urumqi - Orient Dynasty Hotel Xinjiang
159 Zhongshan Rd, Urumqi - Hua Ling Grand Hotel Urumqi
9 Hong Dong Road, Urumqi - Taipei Suites Hotel Xinjiang
No 108 Xinhua North Road, Urumqi - Hong Fu
160 Wuyi Road, Urumqi - Mirage(Vip Tower)
No 5 Xinhua Bei Road, Urumqi - Hoi Tak
No 1 Dong Feng Lu, Urumqi - Ramada Tunhe
52 Changjiang Road, Urumqi - Hong Xin
61 North Jie Fang Road, Urumqi
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on December 5, 2004
on August 19, 2007
on December 22, 2003
on August 3, 2007
