Walk through the middle section of the Duku Highway and enter the small town of Bayinbulak. At this time, it is less than 12:00 noon, and you should report to the scheduled Ogede Hotel first. The room has not been sorted out, so it is temporarily unavailable for occupancy.
I got the news from the hotel that because of the bad weather, the scenic spot was closed, so I went to eat first. The driver recommended a restaurant and drove along the main street of the town from the westernmost end to the easternmost end, which is facing the tourist center of Bayinbulak Grassland Scenic Area.
Luo's finger meat
There is a line of words on the signboard of Luo's hand-picked meat: Swim in Swan Lake, taste Luo's hand-picked meat.
There was a fire in the dining room, steam was rising from the kettle, and when you came in from the cold outside, you felt warm and comfortable.
Luo's signature hand-caught meat is really delicious, fat but not greasy, thin but not sticky, soft and tender, suitable for people with bad teeth, I feel that it is the most satisfying meal of mutton after coming to Xinjiang.
Tripe
Toothpick Meat (Lamb)
After lunch, go back to the hotel where you are staying to check in, and take a nice nap. This is the first time since you started your journey in Xinjiang, which is really rare.
Bayanbulak Grassland
At the tourist center of the scenic spot, we entered the scenic spot at 17 o'clock in the afternoon. At that time, the sky was cloudy, the wind was strong, the rain was very dense, and some parts of the clothes were wet. This photo was taken when I came out of the scenic spot after visiting the scenic spot. At 21:32 in the evening, it was sunny after the rain.
In the visitor center, the dome hall is built in style, and the decoration is also full of ethnic characteristics.
Bayinbulak Grassland, which means "rich spring water" in Mongolian, is the second largest grassland and the largest alpine grassland in China. It is located in the northwest of Bayingoleng Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture and Jingxian County in Xinjiang. It is an intermountain basin in the middle of the Tianshan Mountains, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Surrounded by mountains, the average altitude is between 1500 meters and 2500 meters. The grassland is flat, rich in water and grass, and abundant in rain and snow. It is one of the most important animal husbandry bases in Xinjiang.
There is a paradise surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the Kaidu River with "nine curves and eighteen bends", and the elegant and charming Swan Lake; there are nine ethnic groups living here, including Mongolian, Han, Tibetan, and Kazakhstan, with colorful ethnic customs. Every year from the 4th to the 6th day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar, a grand grassland event - "Nadam Conference" is held, with traditional performances such as horse racing, wrestling, sheep racing, yak racing, ethnic costumes, and folk songs and dances.
As usual, take the scenic spot car first. As usual, the distance and time are very long, and the rain is still falling.
The rain is intermittent, big and small, and the weather is really bad. Nevertheless, it is a blessing that the scenic spot can still be opened after being closed for several hours. It seems that luck is not bad. I remember that a few days later, the driver learned from his friend's phone call that there was a hailstorm in Bayinbulak, the scenic spot was closed to thank visitors, and the tourists who came here were shut down.
Swan Lake
After more than 40 minutes, the scenic spot car stopped at the first stop - Swan Lake. The name is beautiful and attractive. Since there are swans, of course I have to come down and take a look.
Bayinbulak Swan Lake Reserve, said to be the first swan nature reserve in the country, is located in the alpine basin of the upper reaches of the Kaidu River. The unique geographical environment has created the largest wetland in Xinjiang, with a length of 30 meters from east to west. It is more than 10 kilometers wide, more than 10 kilometers wide from north to south, and covers an area of more than 300 square kilometers. Surrounded by icebergs and snow-capped peaks, the reserve has a humid climate, lush water and grass, and beautiful scenery. It is an ideal habitat for swans and various birds.
The Swan Lake Reserve is actually a large area of swampland composed of many small lakes connected in series. The water area in front of me is a bit like an artificial lake. The water surface area does not look very large, and a long wooden plank road has been built. After searching for a long time, I saw a few swans in the lake from a distance. It is said that they were artificially raised, which was a bit disappointing.
Why are there no swans in the swan sanctuary? Where did the swan go, wrong season, wrong time? Later, I learned that there are many swans in the Bayinbulak grassland, but they are all in the lakes deep in the grassland, and ordinary tourists can't see them at all. If you want to see swans, you can only ride through the wetlands and swamps. The road is very difficult and there are too many mosquitoes.
Swans in the rain.
I probably feel the same as us. Many tourists come here to have a face-to-face meeting after getting off the bus. There are only a few swans, feeling very boring, and immediately turn around and return.
Now the rain was falling more intensively, and the wind was blowing so hard that the umbrellas had to be turned sideways to keep out the falling rain. Simply take shelter from the rain under the small wooden pavilion, and enjoy the waterfowl flying with their wings. It happens that there is a spare baked naan in the backpack at any time, so you can enjoy the fun of feeding the birds.
small screen
Frolicking and playing with many birds, and besides the Swan Lake deep in the grassland, how pleasant and happy!
From Swan Lake, take the shuttle bus for about ten minutes, go to the nine bends and eighteen bends, and watch nine sunsets.
Basilica Lookout
There are three scenic spots in the scenic car, and Swan Lake is my first stop; I get on the bus from Swan Lake and pass the second scenic spot on the way, called Barun Temple. It is said that it is a temple brought by herdsmen to move on the carriage, and almost no one gets off the bus here. ; The third stop is called Basilik Observation Deck, which is also the terminal of the scenic car. Get off here to see the nine bends and eighteen bends. But from here to the real viewing platform, there are still about 3 kilometers, and it takes 40 minutes to walk. However, there is a paid battery car connection, 20 yuan for a round trip, and you can also ride a horse.
Basilik Observation Deck, you can see the distant mountains and grasslands, the sky is blue and the wild is vast, but there are no cattle and sheep. I think it may be related to the rainy weather. If it is a sunny day, we will definitely enjoy the scenery, take a walk and relax on the grassland. This kind of windy, cold and rainy weather, covered by clouds and fog, dim and dull, and the scenery fades away, obviously do not arouse interest.
There are a few battery cars parked in the parking lot. For some reason, they have not stopped for a long time. In order to gather enough people, they still leave at a fixed time? Anyway, it just makes you wait, go wherever you go, do as the Romans do, you have to follow other people's rules after all, it's useless to worry.
Not far away, there are several groups of sculptures, figures holding khatas, ethnic costumes, and cattle and sheep. They look very new, and it seems that the artistic appreciation is not good, and they lack the attraction of people approaching and appreciating.
After a long wait, I came out, waited for about 10 minutes, and finally got on the battery car. The car was driving fast, the walls were open, and the cold wind was blowing in the face. Although it was only a few minutes' drive, it was quite chilly. Look at the driver of the battery car, wrapped in a military coat, with a scarf on his head, and fully armed to keep out the cold, it can be seen that the temperature is low enough.
The battery car passed through the vast grasslands and pastures, with scattered board houses, yurts (this is the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, it is estimated that it should be called a yurt) and horses grazing. If the weather is fine, it will be very interesting and poetic to walk this distance and watch the pastoral scenery of the grassland along the way.
After a while, on the distant skyline, I saw a small wooden pavilion on the viewing plank road, and there were figures smaller than ants. That was the stand for viewing the nine bends and eighteen bends of the Kaidu River.
From far to near, it gradually becomes clear that the viewing plank road is very long. Looking closer, there are quite a lot of tourists who come to watch the scenery, and they all come from afar. No matter what the weather is (by luck), as long as the scenic spot is open, there will be no mistakes.
Nine bends and eighteen bends
The Kaidu River is a famous inland river in Xinjiang. It originates from the Alming Mountain in the Tianshan Mountains and flows into Bosten Lake in the southeast. The total length is 610 kilometers. Kaidu River is the "Liusha River" described in the novel "Journey to the West". It is said that the "Sunjing Island" on the way for the Tang monk to learn the scriptures is in Hejing County.
Boarding the viewing plank road, the eyes are bright. This is the crowning point of the Bayinbulak Grassland Scenic Area, and tourists from all directions come to it. There is a refreshing prairie here, nine twists and eighteen bends twisting like a golden snake, and nine suns that can be seen at the same time when you are lucky.
At 19:19, the sky was slightly brighter, but it was still half-dark, with gray-black clouds and mist filling the sky, and a long strip of white clouds suspended on the skyline. The observation deck was crowded with tourists, and many photographers took up the seats early, and those who arrived late had to settle for the next best thing.
The nine bends and eighteen bends are the biggest attraction of the Bayinbulak Grassland Scenic Area, the most exciting and classic place. The nine bends and eighteen bends of the grassland are more beautiful than the nine bends and eighteen bends of the Mozhgrad River on the Hulunbuir Grassland seen a few years ago, and the appearance is much higher.
Perhaps it was because of the rain just now. Beside the main road of the river, there are many thin and thin tributaries, and there are also intermittent small puddles that cannot be seen by the naked eye. They are collaged into a picture of flowing freely on the vast grassland. beautiful pictures.
This place belongs to the small Uledus Basin in the upper reaches of the Kaidu River. The valley is wide, the water flow is gentle, and the pasture is lush. On the flat and vast grassland, the river flows meanderingly, forming a magnificent landscape with nine bends and eighteen bends. Mongolian characters, with a spirit of uncanny workmanship.
Looking closer, the nine bends and eighteen bends in front of you are so beautiful that you dare not blink. Everyone is holding their breath, holding their cameras and mobile phones, concentrating, changing the focal length, from far to near, and then from near to near. And far, keep pressing the shutter.
At 19:29, unknowingly, the sky began to clear up. Although there were still many clouds, a large blue sky appeared above the white clouds.
At 19:40, the weather reversed. God was sympathetic to the public opinion and was merciful. Knowing that it was not easy for these tourists from afar, the rain stopped, revealing a large blue sky. The scenery was more beautiful and the grassland scenery was more fascinating.
Looking at the surrounding prairie, the line of sight returns to the charming Kaidu River again, and once again freezes the beautiful figure with its nine bends and eighteen bends. Look left and right, look horizontally and vertically, no matter how you look, you can't see enough, no matter how you shoot, you can't feel it is in place.
At 20:20, there are still nearly 2 hours before sunset, and I have been on the grassland for several hours. Although I don’t wear too much clothes, I can’t bear the low temperature for a long time, and I don’t want to wait for the nine suns to show up. Moreover, so many tourists evacuate at the same time after shooting the sunset, and they have to squeeze into a big group when taking the scenic spot car. I wonder how long they have to wait in the cold? It's scary to think about it, retreat when you face difficulties, and accept it when you see it.
Stepping back three times, reluctantly walking down the viewing plank road, under the setting sun, the skylight, cloud shadows, green grass, and curved water constitute a beautiful picture of "a piece of water immersed in the blue sky without a trace, and the mountains and waters form their own pictures" , Full of praise, worthwhile trip.
The transfer from the battery car to the scenic car went smoothly, and there were not many tourists. It took another 1 hour to go directly to the visitor center. Fortunately, the bus was sheltered from the wind, and the temperature was higher than outside, so I felt much more comfortable.
The hands were exposed all the time, a little numb from the cold, almost cramp feeling, rubbing them constantly, it took a long time to recover. Even so, don't forget to snap a few pictures along the way.
The scenic drive passed the Basilik viewing platform, and the group of herdsmen sculptures was seen through the window.
That is to say, in an instant, the surroundings of the sculpture were suddenly filled with sunlight, as if a large spotlight in the sky illuminated this area, but the large piece of sky in the background was still overwhelmed by dark clouds.
Take a picture of Barun Temple on the car on the return journey.
The scenic spot is undergoing massive construction work, and many buildings have been built at the root of the mountain.
Stepping out of the tourist center of the scenic spot, it was already 21:32.
hotel dinner
Coming out of the scenic spot, let the driver put us on the street not far from the hotel, thinking about finding a restaurant for dinner. There are a few restaurants, but they don't seem to like it, and they don't want to go far, so they decide to go back to the hotel restaurant.
Unexpectedly, the food in the hotel restaurant is decent, and it is Chinese food that suits the taste, and it is delicious and not expensive. I almost entered a small restaurant on the street just now, but fortunately I stopped, thankfully.
Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables
braised yellow croaker
Pull piece
The hotel has installed air-energy water heater heating equipment, which is said to be the first in Bayinbulak Scenic Area. I slept soundly and securely in the warm room. If there is no heating, this night will probably be very uncomfortable.
early morning
At 6:30 in the morning, I wanted to go outside the hotel, but the gate was closed. A security guard on duty told me that I could not go out, and that I had to wait until 9:30 for a nucleic acid test. When I heard this for the first time, I didn't pay much attention to it. I thought it was because I didn't do a test when I came here yesterday, and I need to make up this procedure today.
I want to go to the roof platform to view the scenery, but the door is locked. Fortunately, there are windows on both sides for viewing. At this moment at 6:49, the eastern sky is full of morning glow and golden light. If you are watching the sunrise on the grassland at this moment, it will definitely be a mess of beauty.
The hotel is located at the westernmost end of the main street of Bayinbulak town, and looking out, it is a large yurt on the grassland, probably for tourists to stay in?
6:55
6:58, sunrise east.
Waiting for good news
The hotel breakfast is not bad, the variety is not too small, and the food is quite satisfactory.
8:43, sunny day, blue sky and white clouds. The news gradually came in the morning, and the situation gradually became clearer. The two Guizhou tourists who lived in this hotel were close contacts of the new crown cases and were taken away from the hotel at two o'clock in the middle of the night. Affected by this, the rest of the residents will have to wait for arrangements after accounting and testing, and may even be quarantined on the spot. Hearing this remark for the first time is like a blow to the head. If so, wouldn't the trip be in vain? Although I understand that there will be many unknowns when going out, it is really unexpected to encounter this suddenly.
Later, I got news that the accounting samples of the two tourists from Guizhou had been sent to Hejing County, which is 321 kilometers away from Hejing County, and it takes 5 to 6 hours to drive. The tests of other residents also need to be sent to Hejing County. How long does it take to come and go? Things seem to be getting worse? I can't even imagine being isolated here...? !
At 10:38, after we finished the nucleic acid test, we can still walk around in the hotel at will for the time being, and we can also look out at the gate.
At 14 o'clock, the hotel provides free food delivery to the guests, and the food is good.
At 16:41, the tourists who were already in a hurry couldn't hold back, and had several negotiations with the staff of the local government department. This move may be effective. News came soon that the test results of tourists from Guizhou were negative. Although the test results of the rest of the tourists have not yet come out, they can be released first, and the phone needs to be kept open.
It's really overjoyed good news, like getting an amnesty. We finally don't have to worry about isolation and can finally continue our journey. The driver asked for our opinion: should we stay here for one night before leaving, or should we leave immediately for our next destination, Korla? Without thinking, we almost said in unison: let's go now, without stopping for a moment.
on the road
I remember that I left the Ogde Hotel at about 18:45, and walked more than ten kilometers on the Duku Highway (National Highway 218); then on the S321 Highway, after driving for more than 50 kilometers; More than an hour to Korla.
The sky is bright and clear, and it is the best time of day in the afternoon, and the scenery along the way is picturesque. If you are not in a hurry, you will definitely have to stop many times to view the scenery and take pictures. Snapshots were taken through the window of the filmed car, and while driving, the beautiful scenery is greatly reduced, and it is only a record of the journey.
A travel note wrote: "The scenery of Bayinbulak is actually outside the scenic spot. If you have enough time, you may wish to continue walking along Bayinbulak to the grassland on the side of the scenic spot. The road here is straight, and the grasslands and snow-capped mountains on both sides are no better than the scenic spot. Internal difference." Although this statement is slightly biased, the scenery on the road is really great, and this statement is true.
At 18:52, not long after we came out, we were still 52 kilometers away from G218 National Highway.
At 19:30, still on the S321 road, beside the road is the cheerfully flowing Kaidu River.
Street sign: Chahan Aril, I couldn't resist the temptation of the beautiful scenery on the roadside, so I asked the driver to stop for a few minutes and come down to take pictures.
The sky is blue and pure, the white clouds are elegant and stretching, the snow peaks in Yunfang are undulating, the nearby grasslands are gentle, and the river is calm. At this moment, nature shows us its most beautiful face.
21:10, already driving on G218 National Highway.
At 21:46, Barentai Town, which belongs to Hejing County, is more than 60 kilometers away from Hejing County, and it is still far away from Korla City.
It is located on the edge of the small town of Barentai, within a mountain depression, a service area on the G218 national road, where passing vehicles stop and rest, there are not many houses, shops and restaurants.
The driver had been driving for several hours and was required to stop and rest as required, so we got out of the car and wandered around.
Big red characters: Red memory - the Republic will never forget, I don't know what happened here.
A roadside restaurant bought a piece of naan, and the owner put it on a charcoal fire to heat it.
The hot baked naan is delicious.
The moon rises over the mountain.
The section from Balun Terrace to the Huangshuigou Toll Station is a mountainous section. When driving at night, I am most afraid of large vehicles coming from the opposite direction. The headlights are dazzling, and it is a mountain road. Fortunately, I am a local professional driver. If I drive here myself, I would definitely not dare to drive in the middle of the night.
At 23:24, the Huangshuigou toll station is still more than 100 kilometers away from Korla, and it takes nearly 2 hours to drive.
Arriving in Korla, the capital of the Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, it was already past one o'clock in the middle of the night, and we ran for more than 6 hours. I feel that Korla is like a modern city, with wide, neat streets and bright lights, the first impression is excellent. It was 2 o'clock in the morning when I went to bed. Although the running was very hard, it took more than half a day to recover, so that the itinerary would not be greatly affected.
