D1~D3 (9.9~9.11), take the train from Nanjing to Urumqi at 23:53 on September 9, arrive in Urumqi at 16:15 on September 11, and stay at Bestay Express Hongshan Store in Urumqi

D4 (9.12), Urumqi → Tianchi → Colorful City → Fuyun, live in Fuyun

D5 (9.13), Fuyun → Keketuohai → Colorful Beach → Burqin, live in Burqin

D6 (9.14), Burqin→Hemu, Zhuhemu

D7 (9.15), Hemu→Kanas, living in Arden’s house in Tuwa New Village, Kanas

D8 (9.16), Kanas→Black Lake→Kanas, live in Arden’s house in Tuva New Village, Kanas

D9 (9.17), Kanas→Baihaba→Tiereketi Township→Kanas, live in Arden’s house in Tuva New Village, Kanas

D10 (9.18), Kanas→Urho Devil City→Karamay, live in Karamay

D11 (9.19), Karamay → Sailimu Lake, live in Xiaoma’s yurt in Sailimu Lake

D12 (9.20), Sailimu Lake → Yining → Nalati, live in Nalati

D13 (9.21), Nalati→Bayinbulak, live in Bayin town

D14 (9.22), Bayinbulak → Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon → Kuqa, live in Kuqa

D15 (9.23), Kuqa → Luntai Tarim Populus euphratica Forest Park → Luobu Village → Korla, live in Korla

D16 (9.24), Korla → Bosten Lake → Jiaohe Ancient City → Turpan, live in Turpan

D17 (9.25), Turpan → Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves → Turpan Museum → Urumqi, live in Urumqi Junggar Hotel

D18 (9.26) Urumqi→Grand Bazaar→Diwopu Airport, Urumqi flies to Nanjing at 17:00, arrives in Nanjing at 23:05

When mentioning Xinjiang, one can’t help but hear “We are a good place in Xinjiang, the Tianshan Mountains have good pastures in the north and south, the Gobi beach has turned into fertile fields, and the snow has melted to irrigate the farms…” In the process of humming, there seems to be a group of people in front of us. The Uighur girl raised her eyebrows, shook her head and moved her neck, clapped her hands and snapped her fingers, dancing the Xinjiang dance.

Xinjiang is a place full of exotic customs, and Kanas is one of the 50 must-see attractions in this life. It can be said that Xinjiang makes you dream before you go, and after you go, you can't stop, and you will go there again and again in this life.

Our first trip to Xinjiang was planned for nearly a month, and finally adopted the form of a team chartered car, and finalized the Mitsubishi Pajero car of Master Zhang of Xinjiang Xueyu Automobile Club. It lasted 14 days and the fare was 13,300 yuan. In addition, we need to be responsible for the driver Accommodation costs.

On the evening of September 9th, I originally took the T52 train bound for Urumqi at 23:53, but it was delayed until 0:35 on September 10th. After I settled my luggage, I climbed onto the upper berth and fell asleep. The train rattled along the way, just as a lullaby, and soon fell asleep.

Along the way, there is both the expectation and excitement of starting a new journey, as well as boredom and helplessness. Since the train is known as a "mobile hotel", then sleep more if you have nothing to do, and the time is relatively easy to pass.

At around 16:30 on the evening of the 11th, the train arrived in Urumqi. After leaving the train station, I went to the Bestay Express Hongshan store, met Fengyu who had arrived earlier, and signed a car rental contract with Master Zhang. The dinner is of course Xinjiang style, with hand-picked rice and mutton skewers, and I can still adapt.

On the morning of the 12th, we officially started the 14-day car rental itinerary. The first stop, Tianshan Tianchi.

According to folklore, Tianchi Lake in Tianshan is a fairyland where the Queen Mother of the West bathes. It is said that Jiman, King Mu of Zhou, traveled westward by car and was treated by the Queen Mother of the West. At present, Tianchi has left many stories related to the Queen Mother of the West. The most famous eight scenery of Tianchi: Longtan Biyue, Dingtian Sanshi, Dinghaishenzhen, Nanshan Wangxue, Xishan Pines, Haifeng Chenxi, Xuanquan Waterfall and Shimen Line, most of them are It is related to the Queen Mother of the West.

For example, "Longtan Biyue", Longtan is "Xiaotianchi", which is said to be the footbath of the Queen Mother of the West.

Another example is "Three Stones Ding Tian". It is said that the Queen Mother of the West split a peak of Tianshan Mountain into three pillars with her hands to withstand Xitian, which was about to fall due to Gong Gong's rebellion.

As for the "Shenzhen Dinghai", it is said that the Tianchi Water Monster made waves because the Queen Mother of the West did not invite him during the Peach Blossom Party. The more she thought about it, the more angry she became. After locking the water monster, later generations called it "Shenzhen Dinghai".

And "West Mountain Viewing Pines", it is said that the spruce forest on the West Mountain was transformed by the jade girl who accompanied the Queen Mother. .

The last "Hanging Spring Waterfall" is the Bailongxia Waterfall between the Big Tianchi and the East Xiaotianchi. Legend has it that the little white dragon guarding the stone gate was dishonest and peeped at the queen mother washing her clothes. Enlightened by the Queen Mother of the West. The silver chain of Bailongxia Waterfall hangs high, the smoke and water are misty, and it makes an earth-shattering sound. It is said that it is the cry of the little white dragon begging for mercy from the Queen Mother.

Tianchi is nearly 2,000 meters above sea level, next to her Bogda Peak, which is the highest peak in the eastern section of the Tianshan Mountains. Bogda means "Sacred Mountain", "Holy Mountain" and "Spiritual Mountain" in Mongolian. When passing by this mountain, riders dismount when they see it, pedestrians kowtow when they see it, and even officials passing by here have to stop and bow down. In some Taoist classics, Bogda Mountain and Tianchi have always been regarded as the residence of the Queen Mother of the West, so Bogda has naturally become the sacred mountain of Taoism. In 1219 A.D., Qiu Chuji, a Taoist master of a generation, responded to Genghis Khan’s edict and led 18 disciples to go west. When they passed Tianshan Tianchi, he led his disciples to build Tiewa Temple. "It is written in:

The three peaks rise side by side to insert clouds and cold, and the four walls hang horizontally around the stream.

In the world of Xueling, heaven and man are out of reach, and the glorified sun in the ice pond is unsightly.

The depth of the rock can avoid the damage of swords and soldiers, and the abundance of water can nourish crops and crops.

The north of the famous town is the first, and no one writes to draw a picture.

In order to attract tourists, Tianchi Scenic Area set up a stage in the open air by the lake for free singing and dancing performances.

Uighur female audience in the audience.

After coming down from Tianchi, we went to Wucai City. Passing through the Gurbantunggut Desert on the road, everyone was more excited, jumping and jumping on the sand. The animals and plants in the desert are full of novelties for us. A desert lizard that we found accidentally attracted everyone to watch Photograph.

It can be said that everyone forgets to sleep and eat when they play. It was not until around 15:30 in the afternoon that they found a place to eat a bowl of noodles. In fact, they are our topping noodles.

At around 5 o'clock in the evening, we arrived at Wucai City. We didn't enter from the entrance of the scenic spot, but went around from the side. When we approached the scenic spot from the wild, a staff member ran over aggressively and wanted to fine us 100 yuan. Yuan, it’s all here, just when we were about to pay to go in, the staff suddenly changed their minds and kicked us out.

The colorful city is actually the underground coal layer that came to the surface through the movement of the earth's crust. The sand on the surface was eroded by wind and rain, and the exposed coal layer was burned under the action of lightning and sunlight, forming colorful ashes.

There are many Gobi jades in the Gobi Desert around Wucai City. When we were visiting, the driver Master Zhang was picking up Gobi jades. After we found out, we also picked them up curiously. Faye picked up a nice pigeon-egg-shaped beautiful stone , I don’t know if it’s real jade, but it looks like it anyway.

Here are the rocks I picked up and a rock that looks like a meteorite.

After picking it up for half an hour, we set off for Fuyun. Along the way, we had to pass through the Kalamaili Hoofed Animal Reserve. We all stared wide-eyed, hoping to see animals like wild donkeys and wild horses, but the vast Gobi was lifeless, and there was not a single living thing.

At around 8:30 in the evening, the car passed a small river. The sun was setting and the sun was warm. I stopped to shoot quickly. The moon had already climbed up before the sun had completely set.

Staying in Fuyun County at night, I have long heard that there is a huge funnel-shaped open-pit mine in the Keketuohai scenic spot that I will go to tomorrow.

After breakfast the next morning, we set off for Keketuohai. After driving for about an hour, we arrived at a reed marsh called Kekesuli.

Coco Suli, a very poetic name. Kazakh means "blue lake". There are large and small reed islands floating on the surface of the lake. The reeds are gently swaying with the wind, and the lake water is very gentle, with waves layer upon layer.

The warm sunshine in the morning shines on the green grass by the lake and the reeds in the lake, adding a layer of gold to these green plants. On the pastures on the shore, cattle and sheep are quietly grazing. We are the only tourists in the entire lake area. , I really can't bear to break this tranquility.

When we were about to leave, we happened to see a camel team passing by, probably the herdsmen who were transitioning.

After leaving Keke Suli, we continued to Keketuohai. The autumn scenery is pleasant along the way.

When passing a large wheat field that has been harvested, I found a group of sheep crossing the road to the opposite side, so I quickly got out of the car to take pictures.

These sheep are very fat, especially the buttocks, which have two thick fat blocks. From the back, they look like beautiful buttocks. Feng Yu said while taking pictures, these photos can be named "beautiful buttocks contest".

By the Irtysh River at the foot of Keketuohai Mountain, the pebbles on the riverbed are clearly displayed in front of you through the clear river water.

On the way to Shizhong Mountain, a large group of cattle and sheep came to the hillside, and the dust was flying for a while.

After we got off at the terminal by the scenic spot bus, there were many stalls selling jade. In one of the stalls, we bought a purple crystal pendant for 10 yuan, which looked not bad.

Shizhong Mountain is also known as Shenzhong Mountain. The solitary peak stands proudly, uprooted from the ground, and straight into the sky. Its shape is like a bell and a cone. The implication is that the "bell" is safe.

We walked all the way along the Irtysh Grand Canyon. The Irtysh River under our feet was gurgling, sometimes gentle, softly rippling, and sometimes rushing.

On the hillsides on both sides of the canyon, the birch trees have turned yellow, and the green pine trees complement each other, which is very beautiful.

"Keketuohai" means "green forest" in Kazakh and "blue river bay" in Mongolian. There is a rare green forest in Xinjiang. We walked a long distance along the Irtysh River to the hot springs. Seeing that it was still far away, we resolutely chose to return.

On the road, I saw the real shepherd of Keketuohai. His dark face is not as romantic as the song "The Shepherd of Keketuohai".

After coming out of Keketuohai, it was almost two o'clock in the afternoon and continued to Burqin. The time was tight along the way, but the driver, Master Zhang, drove a car that could be refueled and refueled. In order to save money, he always If you can fill up the gas, you can fill it up. You often need to queue for hours to fill up a gas, but there is no need to queue up for refueling, which wastes a lot of our precious play time. Everyone regrets that there is no option to refuel in the contract.

When we finally arrived at the colorful beach scenic spot, it was almost 9 o'clock in the evening, the scenic spot was closed, and the sun had already set. We hurriedly crossed the Aktubek cable bridge from the back door and came to the other side of the Irtysh River. Take pictures of the colorful beach at night.

We stayed in Burqin at night, and early the next morning, we came to the colorful beach scenic spot to make up for yesterday's regret.

The Colorful Beach Scenic Area is nestled on the banks of the Irtysh River, which is the only river in my country that flows into the Arctic Ocean.

The peculiar landscape of the colorful beach is vividly summarized as "a river separated by two banks is better than two heavens". There are oases and deserts on the south bank, and the cliff-like Yardang landform on the north bank. Under the warm sunlight, the color of the rocks is mainly red, with green, yellow, white, black and transitional colors in between. It is called "the most beautiful Yardang landform in Xinjiang". It is said that the cause of the colorful colors of the colorful beach is also the ashes formed after the burning of coal.

After coming out of Colorful Beach, we went to Hemu. The scenery along the way is beautiful, we stop and go, and fully experience the magnificent autumn colors and strong ethnic customs of Xinjiang.

This is the red melon seeds drying on the road.

You can't enter Hemu by car, you have to change to a scenic traffic car, and we arrived at Hemu at about 7:00 pm. If Kanas is the back garden of the gods, then the biggest secret of Kanas is that the gods still have a private land in the back garden, which is Hemu.

Hemu is the largest of the only 3 remaining Tuva villages, and the other two are Kanas Village and Baihaba Village, which we are going to visit next.

When we came to Hemu Village, the first thing we saw was the small wooden houses and herds in groups. These small wooden houses have become the symbol of the Tuva people. Most of the small wooden houses are basically buried in the soil. Resisting the severe cold of the snow-covered mountain period for nearly half a year, it is particularly primitive and simple, with the traditional characteristics of nomads. The roof is generally nailed with a man-shaped canopy with wooden boards, and the body of the house is made of single-layer logs with a diameter of 30 to 40 centimeters, which is both warm and moisture-proof.

We live in the cabin of the Tuva people tonight. After putting down our luggage, we started to wander around the village.

Later we crossed the Hemu River and climbed up the river beach and hillside opposite the village.

On the gentle slope at the foot of the mountain, there is a birch forest, and the autumn colors are thick at the moment.

We also climbed up to the viewing platform where we were going to shoot the morning mist of Hemu tomorrow morning, so we could familiarize ourselves with the venue in advance. I wandered around until 9 o'clock in the evening before returning to the cabin to rest.

Lying in the cabin at night, tossing and turning, I simply got up to look at the starry sky.

The next morning, I got up early to shoot the famous Hemu Morning Mist.

There is no morning fog in Hemu today, but the smoke from the villagers' cooking in the morning has covered the village with a light white gauze.

When returning from the mountain, I passed the birch forest that I shot last night. The light and shadow in the morning were beautiful, and I couldn't help but shoot again.

There is a classic hiking route from Hemu to Kanas, with beautiful scenery along the way, but we chose to drive to Kanas because we did not make a plan in advance, and the scenery along the way is also picturesque.

It is rare to see herds walking on the mountain road on the road.

Arrive at Jiadengyu around 13:30 in the afternoon, and then transfer to a transportation vehicle to Kanas Village. Our driver will wait for us in Jiadengyu for three days.

The first stop of the traffic car in the scenic spot is Wolong Bay, the second stop is Moon Bay, and the third stop is Shenxian Bay. Because we have to play there for three days, the light at this time is not too good, so we didn’t take many pictures.

At the traffic station, Arden’s mother, who is from Tuva, took the four of us to his home in Xincun. The room was very simple, with several beds spread out in disorder, and there was no bathroom. After we put down our luggage, we decided to walk to the fish viewing platform.

This is the hut where we live, and Arden's mother is preparing meals for us.

The mountain where Guanyutai is located is called Harakite Mountain, which means "camel's peak" in Mongolian. It is more than 2,000 meters above sea level and about 600 meters from the vertical height of the lake. We started climbing the mountain at 3:30 in the afternoon, playing while climbing, and did not board the fish viewing platform until 6 in the evening.

This is the tomb of the local people on the hillside, built with logs and using local materials.

There are four symmetrical wing-like shapes designed on the top of the fish viewing platform. Some say they are the wings of an eagle, while others say they are the dorsal fin of the Kanas Lake Monster.

Standing on the fish viewing platform, you can see three-quarters of the entire Kanas Lake. This is the best place to watch Kanas Lake, and the surrounding scenery is unobstructed. It is said that this is also the best place to watch the Kanas Lake Monster. Many sightings of the Kanas Lake Monster happened here. When we stood here and looked far away, we did not see the Lake Monster, but saw the calm of the lake.

When we got down from the Yuguantai, we also did not choose to take the bus, but walked all the way to the accommodation along the gentle slope. The warm sunshine accompanied us all the way, and we didn't feel tired at all when we walked.

The next morning, the sun was shining on the surrounding hills, and Tuva New Village was quiet and peaceful. After breakfast, we decided to spend 200 yuan to pack Arden’s car and take us to Sandaowan for shooting.

The first to arrive is Sanctuary Bay. At around 8:30 in the morning, the morning fog here has not dissipated, and the surrounding scenery is full of fairy spirit because of the blessing of fog. It is said that because of the frequent fog here, it is like a fairyland, so it is called Shenxianwan.

The second stop is Wolong Bay. Legend has it that the small alluvial island in the bay is named after lying here like a huge crouching dragon.

The water flow here is gentle, and the lake water emits a faint blue light like a sapphire. The surrounding trees reflect in the water, forming a wonderful combination of light and shadow. We went down to the river beach and walked for a while on the fallen leaves all over the ground. It was really refreshing.

The beautiful Moon Bay is a landmark scenic spot in Kanas. The Kanas River draws a beautiful anti-S-shaped arc here, just like a crooked moon falling into this lush canyon, hence the name Moon Bay.

On the shoal next to S Bay, there are two small shoals that resemble footprints. They are very peculiar and are called "fairy footprints" by the locals. Regarding the two huge footprints, it is said that they are the footprints left by the Dragon King of the West Sea when he recovered the river monster. This is the footprint left by walking like the wind when chasing the enemy. This huge footprint adds a touch of mystery to Kanas.

The last one to go is Lake Kamozawa. The area of ​​this small lake is small, surrounded by reeds and grass, the lake is as calm as a mirror, surrounded by green mountains and green trees, blue sky and white clouds reflected in the water, it looks like a dream.

After coming out of Yaze Lake, we did not return to the inn, but went directly to Kanas Lake.

"Kanas" is Mongolian, meaning "beautiful and mysterious lake". The water storage capacity reaches 5.38 billion cubic meters, which can provide about 4 cubic meters of fresh water per capita in my country, ranking third among freshwater lakes in China. The deepest lake reaches 188.5 meters. Because the lake is as deep as the sea, it can hide dragons and crouching tigers, so it has always been The legend of the mysterious lake monster.

At about two o'clock in the afternoon, we came out of Kanas Lake and decided to split up. I decided to go to the Black Lake on foot, while Faye and Moon Shadow were going to ride horses to the Black Lake, and Fengyu planned to take a casual stroll.

After being separated from the three of them, I walked across the mountains to the Black Lake alone.

After passing through several small wooden villages, I went in and sat for a while.

Walked and walked, walked for two and a half hours, the Black Lake was still far away, it was almost 5 o'clock, and I was afraid that it would be too late to return, and I was exhausted. I happened to pass a village and saw a horse tied to the outer wall, so I walked over Discuss with the herdsmen, and finally finalize 150 yuan to send me to Heihu.

The herdsman rode a horse in the front, and led my horse with a rope at the back, tick-tock all the way, and arrived at the Black Lake an hour later.

The Black Lake is actually a small lake in a low-lying swamp in a mountain valley. The lake is not big, and its shape is a bit like a horse's head. The lake is dark blue and light blue. It does not have the black color shown in the legend. It is said that to see the pure black, you must catch up with the wind and rain. When crossing. On the hillsides around the lake, there is a very ideal pasture, with flocks of cattle and sheep.

Returning to Tuva New Village from Black Lake, we rode horses for two hours. This day’s more than 3 hours of immediate travel also caused my buttocks to be worn out. In the next few days, mucus oozes out and scabs repeatedly, so I have to secretly wash in the clean river water of Kanas. Embarrassed. Later I heard that Faye had a similar experience.

The starry night in Kanas is brilliant, and the Big Dipper can be clearly seen.

On September 17th, we paid 1,000 yuan to pack Arden's car to Baihaba and Tielekti Townships. To go here, we need to apply for a border pass. We applied for the pass at the Kanas Border Police Station in advance.

On the way to Baihaba, the sun just burst out, and the earth was dyed a layer of gold.

Baihaba is known as the No. 1 Village in the Northwest, and was rated as one of the eight most beautiful towns in China by China National Geography. Baihaba is dominated by Tuva people. It is a village that blends natural ecology and ancient traditional culture. Everything still preserves the original features inherent in hundreds of years. The wooden houses where the villagers live and the fences for raising livestock are scattered in the pine forest and the birch forest, which is peaceful and peaceful.

The village of Baihaba is very small, and the head can be seen almost at a glance. After wandering around the village, we headed to Tirekti Village.

The river below the canyon is the natural border river between China and Kazakhstan, so the canyon is also known as the Grand Canyon on the border between China and Kazakhstan.

There are two Tirekti townships in Xinjiang. One is Tirekti in Habahe County, which we are going to visit today. Most people here call it Tirekti. The other is Tirekti in Yumin County, Xinjiang. , where the Sino-Soviet conflict took place in 1969. To be honest, at first I thought Tirekti on the Haba River was the place where the Sino-Soviet conflict occurred, so when I passed the checkpoint, I paid more respect to the people inside.

The village of Tirekti is not too big, but the surrounding vegetation is lush, which is very suitable for grazing.

Originally, I made an appointment with Arden to take us to Baisha Lake, and I reminded him several times on the way, but Arden didn’t seem to hear it, but he didn’t take us there. I don’t know if he didn’t know this place or for some other reason. , making everyone very depressed. However, he still took us for a long walk in the direction of the Haba River, and the scenery on the road was not bad.

After three o'clock in the afternoon, we returned to Kanas from Baihaba. Everyone still splits up and looks for things that interest them.

I walked downstream along the south bank of the Kanas River, looking for the most beautiful autumn colors in Kanas. I went shopping until more than 8 o'clock in the evening before returning.

I thought I had found the most beautiful autumn colors in Kanas, but after seeing the photos taken by Yueying and the others, I realized that the most beautiful autumn colors were still far away from me.

Tonight is our last night in Kanas. In the past few days, everyone has light meals and focused their energy on sightseeing. In the evening, everyone unanimously decided to go to the old village of Tuva to corrupt and reward themselves.

In the early morning of the 19th, we took the scenic spot bus back to Jiadengyu, reluctantly continuing to check in at Sandaowan scenic spot in Kanas along the way.

After meeting the driver at Jiadengyu, we headed to Baihualin Park in Habahe County.

After having lunch at Haba River, we continued to Urho Devil City.

This is a saline-alkali land passing by on the road, and there are bright red plants growing on it.

At 8 o'clock in the evening, we came to Wuerhe and took the time to buy tickets and enter the scenic spot. Just as the sun was setting, I hurried up to the high mound to enjoy the ghost city under the setting sun.

Walking into Wuerhe Devil City, you will involuntarily admire its magnificence, majesty, and marvelous craftsmanship of nature. When you go deep into the mounds, there are dry and cracked loess under your feet. Without the arrival of tourists, you will think that you are in an alien planet.

We played until the sun had completely set before going to stay in Karamay City, 100 kilometers away. On the way to Sailimu Lake the next day, in order to win us over, the driver, Mr. Zhang, invited everyone to eat a plate of Xinjiang Dapan chicken for 88 yuan at noon.

After eating, I found out that the Sailimu Lake yurt accommodation that Master Zhang contacted in advance cost several hundred yuan. In order to prevent us from inquiring about the real situation, after arriving at Sailimu Lake, all the attractions kept going, trying to pull us directly accommodation. Later, we found out that a yurt was only 100 yuan, so we resolutely rejected Master Zhang. This suddenly touched Master Zhang's interests, so he threatened everyone with the underworld, which angered everyone. This was the first time he saw Feng Yu angry. Master Zhang had to compromise and took us to continue to play Sailimu Lake.

Wild swans in Sailimu Lake.

The sun is setting and the light is soft.

In the evening we stayed in the yurt of Saihu Xiaoma's house. In order to reflect Xinjiang's characteristics of "wearing cotton-padded jackets in the morning and gauze in the afternoon, and eating watermelons around the stove", Fengyu specially bought watermelons, and everyone gathered around the stove, eating with relish, feeling very comfortable.

Early the next morning, get up early to enjoy the sunrise of Sailimu Lake.

The color temperature changes rapidly before and after sunrise. Often the previous photo is still red and warm, while the latter photo becomes normal.

Play with silhouette shots.

Around 10:30, we set off to Yining. When passing Guozigou, the dust is flying.

Arrive in Yining at around 12:30, first go to the river beach under the Yining Bridge, and watch the locals take a speedboat to play. It is probably the first time for the elderly in their seventies and eighties to take a speedboat.

Next, go to Hanren Street, which is the most popular place in Yining, adjacent to Kazanqi Folk Village, with a strong cultural atmosphere.

Pedestrians and merchants coming and going on the street have also become the objects of my photography.

Before I came to Xinjiang, I had long heard that Islamic believers pay attention to hygiene. When eating noodles in Hanren Street, I made a loud noise because I blew my nose, which immediately attracted the disgust of other diners, which offended them. taboo.

At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, we set off from Yining to Nalati.

When I arrived at Nalati, it was around 7:00 in the evening. I went to the ticket office to inquire, and it was too late to play in the grassland in the air, so I had to go to the hotel to rest. After putting down the luggage, I went to wander around the farmland behind the hotel, and met a few local teenagers, very lively and lovely.

Since we missed Nalati, let’s make up for it later. In the morning of the next day, we went to Bayinbulak as originally planned.

In Mongolian, Bayinbulak means abundant spring—“abundant spring water”. It is an intermountain basin in the middle of the Tianshan Mountains. Elegant and charming Swan Lake.

You need to ride a horse to go to Swan Lake. We spend 60 yuan per person to ride a horse to the swamp wetland to see the swans.

Wild swans are very alert, as soon as people approach, they immediately fly away without a trace. Later we went to a pond not far from Swan Lake, where there are half-wild swans that have been artificially fed after being injured, and they are not afraid of people at all.

When you come to Bayinbulak, in addition to watching swans, there is another very important activity, which is to shoot the sunset with nine bends and eighteen bends.

After coming out of Swan Lake, we took the traffic car to the place where we shot nine bends and eighteen bends.

To shoot nine bends and eighteen bends, you need to climb up the hill. Of course, you can also spend money to ride a horse. We chose to walk.

On the viewing platform of Nine Curves and Eighteen Bends, you can take pictures of the winding Kaidu River to the west, and the lake center island of Bayinbulak Grassland in the east. Take a look at the beauty behind you.

Of course, the highlight is the sunset with nine bends and eighteen bends. It is said that in order to photograph the nine suns reflected in the water, it must be in the two days before and after June 22 and September 22 every year, and of course the cooperation of the sun is required.

Today is September 21st, the day is just right, but the clouds in the sky are a bit thick, and the sun is always half hidden. Standing on the viewing platform and overlooking to the west, on the yellow and green grassland, the river winding around from the left and right comes from the horizon, and the gentle grassland supports the beautiful curve of the river. It's a pity that we waited until the sun went down, and we didn't wait for the spectacular scene of ten days with the same brilliance.

On the morning of the 22nd, we began to cross the Tianshan Mountains along the Duku Highway. The driver was not sure whether the road would pass or not, so when he saw a construction worker blocking the car on the road, he hurriedly took him with him. This is very sensible, because when we walked to the tunnel construction site, it was because of this worker that they removed the scaffolding and let us pass.

Duku Highway is one of the must-drive roads in this life, with beautiful and magnificent scenery, but because of the harsh climate along the way, it is only opened for a short period of 4 months from June to October every year, and the road is closed at other times.

This is the big and small dragon ponds passing by on the road, which are two alpine lakes of different sizes.

After successfully crossing the Tianshan Mountains, it was around 2:30 pm when we arrived at the mysterious Tianshan Grand Canyon at the southern foot of the mountain.

This is a canyon with red sandstone as the main feature, with a total length of about 5 kilometers. It is composed of the main valley and seven branch valleys. The widest part of the valley is 53 meters, and the narrowest part is 0.4 meters.

This place was only discovered and developed in 1999. The reason why the word "mysterious" is added is that in addition to some mysterious phenomena in the Grand Canyon itself, it is also related to the Aai Grottoes discovered in the Grand Canyon during the heyday of Tang Dynasty.

In the autumn of 1999, a local Uyghur youth inadvertently touched the Grand Canyon while picking herbs on the mountain, and was suddenly hit by a heavy rain. When he was looking for a place to shelter from the rain, he accidentally discovered a cave on the cliff not far away. . When he got into the cave and looked around the walls, he found that it was a Thousand Buddha Cave that he had never heard of. Because this place is under the jurisdiction of Aai Township, Kuqa County, it is named Aai Grottoes. Unfortunately, when we went, the grottoes were not yet open to the public.

We played in the Grand Canyon for a full two hours. The reason for the formation of the Grand Canyon is the long-term water erosion. At the bottom of the Grand Canyon, in order to prevent flash floods during sudden rainstorms, several levels will be built at intervals. There are steps so that tourists can climb up the cliff to avoid danger when the torrent comes.

After coming out of the Grand Canyon, sand and rocks suddenly flew, and the wind was so strong that even the car door could not be opened.

Before going to Kuqa, I originally planned to go to the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves, but unfortunately the driver stepped on the accelerator and had to give up after driving more than 10 kilometers.

After arriving in Kuqa, we first visited the national key cultural relics protection unit, Murana Eshtin Mazha, also known as the Kuqa Small Temple. Tickets are charged at a symbolic price of 5 yuan per person.

Melana means the saint's post-shang, and Mazar means the tomb. According to legend, Eshdin was the ancestor of Islam. He came to Kuqa to spread Islam during Song Lizong's time, and was buried here after his death. The building here is decorated with green glazed bricks, which is a curved Islamic style. It's a pity that it looks a bit dilapidated here. We climbed up and down the trembling stairs to visit, and found no tombs or special cultural relics. However, I prefer this ancient architectural style that has not been repaired. of.

After passing the Kuqa Palace, we didn't stop to visit, but went directly to the Kuqa Temple.

The Kuqa Temple is the second largest temple in Xinjiang after the Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar. Tickets are 15 yuan, which is very cost-effective. According to legend, the temple was founded by Ishakwari, the ancestor of Yichan Sect in Xinjiang in the 16th century. The existing temple was rebuilt by Kuqa native Airim Aji after it was destroyed by fire in 1931. The temple covers an area of ​​more than 9,000 square meters. The main building has two parts. One is the main body of the large temple, which has a spiral staircase to the top of the temple, all of which are of brick and wood structure. The second is the main hall for believers to worship.

The worship hall in the temple can accommodate 3,000 people to worship at the same time.

The hall is supported by 88 large hexagonal columns with round stone plates underneath, decorated with colored carvings and paintings, and is magnificently decorated.

This is the girl who opened the worship hall for us to visit.

What is particularly worth mentioning is the various types of carpets laid in the worship hall, with fine workmanship and exquisite patterns.

The next day, we went from Kuqa to Luntai and visited Tarim Populus euphratica Forest Park, where the Populus euphratica forest was rated as one of the ten most beautiful forests in China by China National Geography. When we entered Populus euphratica Park, it was already 12 noon.

As the saying goes: If you don’t go to Luntai, you don’t know the magnificence of Populus euphratica forest; if you don’t look at Populus euphratica, you don’t know the glory of life. Populus euphratica is said to live without dying for 3,000 years, die without falling for 3,000 years, and fall without rot for 3,000 years.

The best time to view the Populus euphratica forest in Tarim is at the end of October and the beginning of November. We came early, and the Populus euphratica forest is still basically green. The key point is that the Populus euphratica forest here is basically wild. There are hair-like things growing on the branches, and the dead branches and leaves falling on the lake are also in disorder. It is not easy to take a clean picture.

There is also a small train ride here, 30 yuan per person, which will take you around 13 kilometers, passing through several lakes along the way, it is worth a ride. This is the only desert Populus euphratica forest park among the 1,200 forest parks in the world. According to statistics, most of the world's Populus euphratica grows in China, and more than 90% of China's Populus euphratica grows in the Tarim River Basin in Xinjiang. The Populus euphratica Forest Scenic Area in Tarim is the oldest, largest, best-preserved and most primitive Populus euphratica forest reserve in the world. We then walked into the Populus euphratica forest to photograph these desert elves.

At 7 o'clock in the evening, we came to the village of Rob people.

The Luobu people are one of the oldest ethnic groups in Xinjiang. They live by the Xiaohaizi on the Tarim River. There are only a few "last Rob people" left in the desert.

We were not interested in watching the man-made Rob villages specially prepared for tourists to visit, but climbed directly to the Taklamakan Desert behind the villages.

Located in the center of the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, the Taklimakan Desert is the largest desert in China, the tenth largest desert in the world, and the second largest mobile desert in the world. The Taklamakan Desert, the cursed, submerged city under the desert in Uyghur legend. The word "Taklamakan" is divided into two parts, "Takla" and "Magan", where "Takla" means "underground", "below"; "Magan" means "field", "homeland", " living place”; thus “Takalamakan” means “the city under the ground” or “there is a city under the ground”. This is probably related to the Niya ruins, an ancient city buried in the desert, discovered by Western explorer Stein more than 100 years ago.

How can you not be crazy when you come to the largest desert in China? Get old if you're not crazy.

When leaving the Taklamakan Desert, the setting sun shone on the Tarim River, dazzling. In the evening we arrived at Korla for accommodation.

At noon the next day, we came to visit Bosten Lake. Bosten Lake, which means "oasis" in Uighur, is located in Bohu County, southeast of Yanqi Basin, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. It is the largest inland freshwater lake in China.

Heshuo Golden Beach is known as the Hawaii of Xinjiang. The Bosten Lake here is connected with sky and water, with vast mist and waves, and has the charm of the sea. The natural sandy beach stretching for thousands of meters on the shore of the lake is golden and delicate, so it is called Golden Beach. There are mermaid sand sculptures built on the beach, we took off our shoes and walked on the beach.

During lunch, the little girl in the restaurant was lively and cute, and I couldn't help taking a few more photos.

At 7 o'clock in the evening, we rushed to the Jiaohe Old City Scenic Area in Turpan.

Jiaohe Ancient City is the largest, oldest and best-preserved adobe city in the world. It is the only cultural relic unit in the country that preserves the urban ruins of the Han Dynasty. It is also the most complete urban relic in my country for more than two thousand years. Anxi Duhufu, the highest military and political institution, was first established in Jiaohe Ancient City. It is currently a national key cultural relics protection unit.

The ancient city of Jiaohe was founded and built by the Cheshi people from the 2nd century to the 5th century BC. It reached its peak in the Northern and Southern Dynasties and the Tang Dynasty. From the 9th to the 14th century, due to its important strategic location and years of wars, Jiaohe City gradually declined. During the Chagatai period at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, wars continued in Turpan. Jiaohe City was severely damaged and was finally abandoned.

The ancient city of Jiaohe got its name because there was a river under the city that bypassed it. Looking down from the air, Jiaohe Ancient City looks like a big willow leaf.

After thousands of years of vicissitudes, the main structure of the city's architectural layout is still miraculously preserved, all of which benefit from Turpan's unique dry and rainless climate.

Walking in the city, you can vaguely see architectural relics such as Buddhist temples, government offices, and private houses.

The ancient Uyghur village near Jiaohe Ancient City is also worth seeing. Almost all the buildings here are made of mud, with a simple atmosphere, which is exactly the same as that of Jiaohe Ancient City.

In the evening, I visited the Turpan Night Market. The melons and fruits here are very cheap, and they are all quoted in kilograms.

In the morning of the next day, we went to the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves. We passed the famous Flame Mountain Scenic Spot on the way. The scenery inside can be seen at a glance on the road. Except for a few sculptures of Tang monks and apprentices, there was nothing bare. We didn’t go in .

This is the Flame Mountain near the Thousand Buddha Caves, and there are also sculptures of monks and apprentices, which looks more like a Flame Mountain.

In front of the Thousand Buddha Caves, there is a Xinjiang Desert Earth Art Museum, all of which are made of raw soil, which is very distinctive.

I don't know who's Mazar (tomb) it is.

Bezeklik means "mountainside" in Uighur, and "decorative painting" in Turkic. The Bezeklik Thousand-Buddha Cave is one of the largest Buddhist cave temple sites in Xinjiang. It has a total of 83 caves, of which more than 40 have murals. It is the grotto group with the most caves and the richest murals among the existing grottoes in Turpan .

The old man at the entrance of the Thousand Buddha Cave has become an Internet celebrity, and he can be seen in many people's Xinjiang travel pictures.

After coming out of the Thousand Buddha Caves, we had plenty of time. We also visited the Turpan Museum. There are not many cultural relics in it, but there are many mummies. In order to support the appearance, the museum borrowed some bronze wares from the Henan Museum for display.

This tomb town beast is very beautiful.

Unearthed pictures of Fuxi and Nuwa. The two are in the state of mating, with human faces and snake bodies. What Fuxi holds in his hand is a "moment" and an ink fountain. What Nvwa is holding in her hand is no longer visible, but it should be "rules". These are the two most important drawing tools in ancient China, called "no rules, no square circle" (one is used to draw a square and the other is used to draw a circle). Why do men take the moment? Because men have to practice the "Founder's Way", and only by practicing the Founder's Way can a man gain a foothold in the world. Women should follow the rules and practice the "way of harmony". A woman must be harmonious in order to ensure happiness and consummation.

On the streets of Turpan, there are grape racks full of grapes everywhere, and bunches of grapes hang temptingly on the top of the head, almost reaching for picking, but these grapes are no longer attractive to Turpan people.

Under the grape arbor, there was an old man with a white beard, who was embarrassed by my photographs, covering his face with his hands from time to time.

Depart from Turpan in the afternoon, return to Urumqi, check in Junggar Hotel. In the evening, I had a Sanhu meal at a Hunan restaurant near the hotel.

In the morning of the next day, go to Urumqi International Grand Bazaar to buy local products. Since Fengyu and our flight were not on the same flight, the driver asked him to take him to the airport first in the morning. The other three of us took the airport bus to Urumqi Diwopu Airport in the afternoon, and returned to Nanjing by plane at 5:00 in the evening, ending the 18-day journey in Xinjiang.