Come to Burqin, a fairy tale border city, to start a dream journey!
Choosing a destination in winter is a big problem. In the cold Beijing, I always want to go to the tropics. After looking at the islands in Southeast Asia, I have gone to all kinds of islands. Lao Gao had a flash of inspiration and said: "We Do the opposite, go to a colder place to see the snow!" My cousin jumped up excitedly when he heard "snow". I heard that Burqin, Xinjiang, known as the "Fairy Tale Border Town", is a dreamy fairy tale town, and Burqin in winter is a veritable snow town!
Prelude
I checked the weather forecast. Recently, the road from Burqin to Kanas has been sunny, and the mountains should not be blocked by heavy snow, so it is very suitable for travel. However, the local temperature also shocked me, basically around minus 20 degrees. Although there are times when Beijing is more than ten degrees below zero in the past few days, twenty degrees below zero is really an experience I have never experienced before! Later, during the journey, I found that the temperature on the mountain was below minus thirty degrees.
Facing such extremely cold temperatures, it is necessary to prepare some special equipment. Ordinary daily clothing is not enough to keep warm. After checking various information and asking friends, I compiled a list for your reference:
1. Tops
If you go to an extremely cold place, you must pack it "three layers inside and three layers outside". From the inside to the outside, it includes thermal underwear, sweater, fleece jacket, light down jacket, and ski suit.
There are also some tricks in choosing clothes for each layer. For example, try to choose thermal underwear that is quick-drying and sweat-wicking. Although the outdoor temperature is very low, the indoor temperature generally exceeds 20 degrees. If the body is sweaty, the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor can easily cause a cold.
The outermost ski suit is also a must. Compared with ordinary down jackets, it has more waterproof and windproof functions, which is very useful outdoors in winter. And it is recommended to buy the outermost ski suit looser so that so many other clothes can be worn inside.
2. Pants
In addition to clothes, pants also need several pairs to keep warm. For adults, at least warm pants, wool pants, and a pair of ski pants should be prepared.
For children, you can wear more. I have prepared four layers for my cousin, which are thermal pants, wool pants, fleece jeans and ski pants. Ski pants are generally only waterproof and windproof but not too thick. Generally, there are two types of ski pants for children. One is the upper and lower body one-piece, which is guaranteed to keep warm, but the obvious disadvantage is that it is very inconvenient to go to the toilet, especially outdoors.
If it is just ski pants, those who are over 6 years old will be bigger. I decided for a long time and finally chose a relatively large separate ski pants. After I go home, I can sew the legs of the pants and it will be ready to use.
3. Shoes and socks
Keeping your feet warm is also important, because people who are far away from the heart are usually the first to feel cold. It is necessary to buy ski boots that can withstand the low temperature of -20 degrees. Because the local snow is very thick, try to buy high-top ski boots, which must have waterproof and non-slip functions.
But the disadvantage is that the practicality is relatively poor, and you can't wear it in normal weather. Everyone can buy according to their own situation. My husband bought a mid-cut one, so there are more chances to wear it in normal times.
For socks, it is recommended to buy a few more pairs of ski socks. The longer ones can be stuffed with thermal pants to keep warm. And when it is particularly cold, you can set a few more pairs of socks.
4. Other accessories
In addition to the above clothes, there are also some necessary accessories, such as hats, gloves, scarves or neck covers, warm stickers, snow covers, snow goggles, etc., as far as possible, it is very useful to equip them.
Be sure to buy a hat that can cover your ears; gloves that are waterproof and fleece; scarves and neck collars are preferred, and can cover the mouth and nose; warm stickers are more prepared; if you don’t buy ski pants, you can buy snow Snow goggles are necessary to avoid snow blindness, and the anti-fog function is simply a magic tool for people who wear glasses. Once the glasses are below minus 20 degrees, there will be breathing fog on the glasses. Will frost quickly.
5. Drugs
I mainly need some medicine for colds. Hemu is relatively remote and the temperature is very low, so it is easy to catch a cold. In addition, antipyretics are also necessary. There are also some medicines for treating diarrhea that are necessary for travel. In short, the more the better, prepare more children's medicines just in case.
6. Food and thermos
Xinjiang's food is very famous, but it may not be suitable for children's taste. Because the temperature is low, the local meals are all spicy, and my cousin said that he can't eat spicy food.
In addition to the taste, the ingredients in Xinjiang in winter are also very limited. You can eat mutton and beef casually, but vegetables and fruits are extravagant. You can bring some vitamin supplements, effervescent tablets or vitamin tablets.
Moreover, Xinjiang has a vast territory, and the distance between each town is hundreds of kilometers. It is necessary to prepare more high-energy snacks to avoid starvation on the road.
Compared with going to the tropics, you need to prepare a lot more things to go to the extremely cold place, but don't be too troublesome, the subsequent trips will prove that all the prepared things will be used! Properly, especially reliable, can completely resist the cold temperature! As for the security issue in Xinjiang, I don’t think there is any need to worry about it. My dear police uncle is by my side. As long as you are not a bad person, this is definitely one of the safest places. But you must remember to bring your ID card, so you will be safe!
Travel articles
Where is Burqin? Just at the "cocktail" of China's territory, it borders the three countries and is the only location of the Arctic Ocean water system in China. In addition to these, there are also beautiful scenery here, the famous Kanas Lake and Hemu Village are all here. Don't be scared by the low temperature of minus 20 degrees, this is definitely a fairy tale world in the eyes of children!
Let's take a look at the beautiful scenery here!
Most people will choose to visit here in autumn. In fact, Burqin in winter is also beautiful, just like a white fairy tale world. The only thing is that it is really cold. Minus 20 degrees is commonplace. This time I want to have a visit with Lao Gao. My cousin challenged the extreme cold weather together and encountered the fairy tale Burqin!
DAY1
Xinjiang is really big. The first day’s itinerary was basically on the road. I took a plane from Beijing to Urumqi in the morning and arrived at the destination at noon. It was followed by an 8-hour off-road vehicle drive, which was indeed a difficult journey for the children, but for the little cousin who hadn’t seen snow all winter, the excitement completely replaced the exhaustion. The white world outside the window is full of surprises. The driver of the off-road vehicle smiled and said, this little bit of snow is nothing at all, and it is called a snow scene when we get to Hemu.
All the way out of Urumqi, there are farmlands covered with snow, and there are many "kowtow machines" on the Karamay farmland, which are oil extraction machines, and the land is a little more industrial. Going further north, there are more large windmills on the side of the road, standing on the white land with a bit of fantasy.
It was eleven o'clock in the evening when we arrived in Burqin, but the high latitude of Xinjiang is actually equivalent to around nine o'clock in the evening in Beijing. At this time, my cousin was already very sleepy, and it was too late to appreciate the night view of Burqin, so I took the time to wash up and sleep, looking forward to tomorrow's itinerary.
DAY2
At 9 o'clock in the morning, the sun has not yet risen here. By this time we were all up, I don't know if it was early or late. For the locals, it must be an early rise, but for Beijing time, it is definitely a lazy sleep.
Start the real ice and snow journey with the morning light. The car soon entered the mountainous area, and the snow on both sides of the driveway became thicker and thicker, ranging from tens of centimeters to the height of a person, and the whole world was covered in snow! The winding mountain road bends one after another, and patches of white forest pass by the car continuously.
I can't help but find a safe place to stop the car, and let's play with the snow first!
Looking at the scenery on the side of the road, the time passed quickly, and the 5-hour drive passed in a while, and the sign of Hemu Village appeared beside the road. After turning a corner on a mountain road, a mahogany village appeared on the snow-white land in the distance.
After going around a few more bends, we finally came to the entrance of the village. The first thing that caught our eyes was the entrance of the village made of snow. The four big characters of "ink and wash wood" are embedded on the snow sculpture.
The hotel I stayed in is in the village, and the rooms are also wooden rooms with local characteristics. Compared with the low temperature of minus 20 degrees outside, the room is like being in Sanya, just wear short sleeves.
After I settled my luggage, I felt hungry. It's time to sit back and enjoy the local delicacies. For dinner, we chose local earthen hot pot.
The copper hot pot tastes the same as the copper stove hot pot. After opening it, I found that there is a hole in it. It turns out that the hot pot has already been filled with various ingredients: fish balls, lamb scorpions, beef balls, etc. My cousin also had a great time eating. The hot pot was paired with pilaf rice, and the rice was full! Full of energy!
In addition to food, the hotel also prepared music, a Kazakh young man performed for us a special performance of musical instruments and songs with ethnic characteristics. It's wonderful to have delicious food accompanied by music.
After dinner, it was completely dark. The moment I walked out of the restaurant, apart from the coolness rushing towards my face, there was also a sky full of stars. There is very little light pollution in Hemu, and it is really beautiful to see the starry sky clearly. Because the temperature is too low. The body is also gradually feeling the power of the low temperature, so let’s take a few photos in a hurry, let’s go back to the house and admire the starry sky through the window.
DAY3
It was another early day, and the three of us were wrapped up tightly, and we wanted to experience the horse-drawn sledge and climb to the top of the mountain to watch the sunrise. Hemu looked even colder in the early morning, and the carriage was already waiting at the entrance of the hotel.
It took a lot of effort for the three of us to sit tightly on the sledge, one next to the other. The little cousin sits at the front and puts on two layers of military coats before setting off.
I have to say that riding a horse-drawn sledge is really exciting. It is like a roller coaster on the snowy road, sometimes fast and sometimes paused. From flat ground to steep slopes, the horses come and go freely. Sitting on the sledge, we only showed a pair of eyes to see the scenery, and the scarves around our mouths and noses were covered with frost. The ten-minute journey seemed much longer in the cold winter, and finally reached the top of the mountain, the sun was about to jump out from the other side of the mountain.
After getting out of the car, I found that my cousin's eyebrows were covered with frost, especially because of the low temperature. My body warmed up when I was active, and my cousin couldn't wait to start playing with the snow. The snow here is like flour, which can't hold snowballs, and we can only rely on sprinkles for snowball fights. It didn't take long for my toes to start to ache from the cold, and I took the horse-drawn sledge roller coaster down the mountain again.
At the foot of the mountain, the locals gave my cousin the thumbs up. It turned out that the temperature in the morning had dropped to more than minus 30 degrees, which was unbearable for adults. My cousin succeeded in the challenge! My cousin is much braver than me. I just shiver there, and I can’t help but sigh: It’s nice to be young! I turned on the air conditioner in the car down the mountain to warm up my body. After the sun came out, the temperature warmed up a lot, so I continued to snow. project. The next project to challenge is snowmobile. With the experience of horse-drawn sledge in the morning, snowmobile is not a problem. My cousin said it was exciting and fun. The more the cousin played, the happier he was, and he even played snow football with Lao Gao.
The morning trip is coming to an end, we are already hungry, it's time to find a big meal.
Mutton is definitely indispensable when you come to Xinjiang, and this meal will be one lamb and three meals. Before I parked the car, I could smell the smell of mutton skewers. After getting out of the car, my cousin and Lao Gao went straight to the grill. Eating mutton skewers outdoors at minus 30 degrees is really unique, the real taste of Xinjiang in winter!
When we came indoors, the mutton feast officially began. Plates of pilaf, mutton, mutton soup, and fried mutton were served on the table. The family of three didn't care about the table manners, and they ate happily. They were really addicted to mutton. The mutton here has no smell at all, the meat is delicious and soft, and it is easy for children to eat. My cousin’s favorite is hand pilaf because you don’t need any tools. The rich mutton aroma is served with carrots and onions. Not only my little cousin, but also Lao Gao and I salivate.
After tea and dinner, continue to embark on the itinerary and head to Kanas Lake, which is hundreds of kilometers away. It was already evening when we arrived at the residence. The local driver said that if we came here in autumn, it would already be crowded with people. Kanas in winter looks quiet and peaceful.
DAY4
It was another day to get up early and set off to the lakeside of Kanas Lake. Due to the heavy snow, most of the roads have been closed, and there is only one path leading from the square to the lake. After parking the car, we walked along a small snowy road to the lake. The temperature at this time was below minus twenty degrees.
The 500-meter road is quite difficult. After walking for about 20 minutes, you can see the thickness of the snow on the road. When I finally came to the lake, it was like a fairyland. The forest in the distance was covered with a layer of hoarfrost, and the lake was covered with spotless snow. Lao Gao took his "cannon" and shot continuously. The camera didn't stop and kept shooting until the battery was exhausted. The reality of Kanas in winter is much more beautiful than the photos.
Leaving the lake, non-stop to visit the local Tuva tribe.
We were greeted by a pair of grandpas and grandmas. They also brought out Tuva national costumes for us to wear, as well as local snacks and milk tea. The milk tea in Xinjiang is all salty, and it is rich and fragrant with ghee. However, I am used to drinking sweet milk tea, but I am not used to it. Lao Gao actually drank with relish. It seems that the taste is really different.
The grandfather told us that the Tuva people are a branch of the Mongolian people, and Kanas is the only gathering place of the Tuva people in my country. From the layout of the room, we can see the elegant demeanor of the once nomadic clan. Full of furs of various animals, and dirt sleds specially made for the snow.
After lunch in the Tuva tribe, we were about to return. We passed by Chonghuer, where there is the most beautiful rime in the legend. Rime, commonly known as tree hanging, is a milky white ice crystal deposit that directly condenses water vapor in the air at low temperature, or directly freezes supercooled fog droplets on objects. It is a very rare natural wonder. To form rime requires extremely harsh natural environmental conditions.
Full of expectations, riding a horse-drawn sledge, I came to a forest in a short while. The trees were covered with silver and jade, and the branches and trunks were wrapped in crystal clear, which made people marvel at the power of nature. In addition to seeing the beautiful scenery, there are many fun projects for children to play at the Rime Festival. They can make ice lanterns and ice sculptures together, and they can also visit local herdsmen’s homes, which is very interesting.
After dinner, it was still early before going to bed, so I went to the Burqin Grand Theater next to the hotel to watch the performance of the local orchestra with strong Kazakh characteristics, whether it was songs or dances full of exotic customs. After the performance, we were invited to come on stage to interact with the actors.
The fairy tale trip to Burqin came to an end, and I reluctantly returned to Urumqi, and then flew back to Beijing. The travel experience of minus 30 degrees is really special. From the worry about the temperature before going to the surprises brought by the destination, the low temperature can't stop the enthusiasm for travel. As long as you do your homework before the trip, minus 30 degrees is not at all problem, and a rare opportunity to appreciate the beauty of winter.
What Burqin left us is not only white snow, but also unique food and simple folk customs. I will definitely come here again!
