Tianchi

Out of everywhere we've been, we expected Tianchi, a picturesque
mountain lake only two hours from Urumqi, to be the most touristy.
Although we did see overflowing parking lots and tourist busses, we
also managed to get away from it all and enjoy one of the most relaxed
hikes of our trip. AND we got to meet some really cute little kids.
Really, really cute.

The lake was so unbelievably blue that Lily couldn't resist jumping
in. She is immune to all differences of temperature and thus didn't
notice that the lake was also unbelievably cold. Freezing! I was
sitting onshore, feeling like a dry wimp, when two little girls
waltzed up and wanted to hang out. I was off the hook when it came to
getting in the freezing water (well, for 24 hours, anyway). Victory!

Kuqa and Salimuhu

The last few days have been both eventful and relaxing. Eventful because we've spent a lot of time in transit. Relaxing because when we aren't sitting on busses, we're sitting in hotel rooms. Well, or looking at priceless Buddhist artwork and hiking...

We left Kashgar about a week ago and headed to Kuqa, a dusty little town that just so happens to be near the 1,000 Buddha Caves--basically, an ancient monastery made of caves. Those ancient monks lived in style and the seven caves that are open to the public were more like art museums than bat habitats.

After that, we went to Salimuhu, a big mountain lake where we got to go hiking. This community felt more real than some other rural places we've visited. The people made a living through herding, not just touristing. Of course, that meant there was a huge road to scar the landscape and trash everywhere, but at least it was authentic. And outside of the town, it was truly beautiful.

Unfortunately, life in Salimuhu was more than we could handle, not because of the town itself but because we had a disagreement with the older son in the family we were staying with and decided he was too creepy for comfort.

We hightailed it out a day early, splurged on a nice hotel room, and stuffed ourselves with three different types of homemade noodles. No complaints here!

Kashgar

Kashgar is a conflicted city. The city is in China, but most of the population is ethnically Uigher and Muslim. I had a hard time talking to taxi drivers, because they didn't speak (or read) Mandarin. I often found that English was a more effective means of communication, at least for common tourist things like locations.

The conflict isn't just figurative; we arrived only a few weeks after a combination bombing/ mass stabbing rocked the city. However, we never felt unsafe and, for us, experiencing the differences betweeen Kashgar and the rest of China was part of the point.

Karakul Lake

Offers for lodging began as soon as we arrived at Karakul Lake. We barely had time to take in the snow-capped mountains around the lake before a deluge of people began offering "Kyrgyz yurt, good price." We refused the first few in order to get an idea of the going rate but finally agreed to take a look at one yurt because the salesman followed us for five mintues making offers.

Something seemed off about the salesman from the beginning, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Only when we were inside the yurt and he had taken off the hat and mask that protected his face from the sun did I realize how young he was: just 15 years old. Without realizing it, we had stepped right into a Kyrgyz family. He introduced us to his mother and 5-year-old brother. We didn't meet the father until later, when all four of them joined us to sleep in the single, circular room that comprised their home.

Xinjiang Time

All of China runs on one big timezone, which means that in the Western province of Xinjiang, the days' activities often don't start until noon and daylight lasts until 10pm. That pretty much sums up life here:it's the same country as the Eastern areas I've visited but offset, different. 

Lily and I flew into the Western metropolis of Urumqi and then caught a bus to Turpan, a small town a few hours south. There, we visited beautiful old adobe villages and mosques that belong to the Uighers, the majority ethnic group in this province. We also biked through China's wine country. That's right, wine country. I told you it was weird.

After Turpan, we headed for Kanas Lake, a nature reserve wedged into the intersection between China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. Even on the overnight bus trip North, I knew we were going to like this place: I could see a blanket of stars out my window, a rarity in China.

The lake itself is a magent for Chinese tourists, but they are so unwilling to step off of the pavement that an hours' walk from the tourist center yielded a location that felt remote. We found beds at a Kazakh family lodge and spent our first afternoon visiting the lake. I've never seen such blue water!

Back in the Running

I've been back in Hong Kong all of June and July, after a busy May in China. Life is pretty quiet on Lantau Island, but I'm enjoying the chance to be in one place for two months in a row (what a concept!) and relax for awhile.

And by relax, I mean run. Because, what's more relaxing than sweating, breathing hard, and chafing?!

After I graduated, I took on a run because it's fun philosophy. I enjoyed summer runs with a great group of Philmont people and had a good time exploring the karst scenery on sporadic jaunts in the fall, but I never logged my mileage or had a goal in mind. I just ran because I enjoyed it and gave me a time to think.

Back on the Mainland!

I like being in Hong Kong. Almost everyone speaks English. My apartment is a short walk from a beautiful beach, complete with lifeguards and little old ladies who pick up all litter (including fallen leaves, which probably shouldn't count). Better yet, I'm a two-minute run from trails and places that have "mountain" in their names. Anyone who wants to visit is more than welcome.

You know what, though? I'm so glad to be back in Mainland China. As soon as we had crossed the border and made it to the dining car of our train, I was hooked.