Time for some photos, I think. Here’s a whirlwind look through my route so far – from Lanzhou to Khotan. Enjoy!
Spinning prayer wheels on the evening kora, Labrang Monastery, Xiahe, Gansu
Snow on the lakeshore at dusk, Lake Qinghai – definitely what I would call ‘brisk weather’
My first (and very welcome) sight of Mt Kongtong, a holy taoist mountain in Gansu – lots of steps…
Glamourous nomads, Gartse
Dust storm at dusk, Zagunluk Tombs, Cherchen
Run rabbit, run! Bird Island
Carpet making/Gossip-while-you-weave, Khotan
Bazaar 2, Khotan, Xinjiang
A dusty heavenly king, Qutan Monastery
Bazaar, Khotan, Xinjiang
Caterpilar Fungus, anyone? Hezuo, Gansu
A rather stinky Cormorant Rock, Qinghai Lake
Checking for flaws, Khotan Carpet Factory
A Dharmapala Chapel, Qutan Monastery (the images are meant to scare you into being nice)
Taoists in the Mist, Mt Kongtong, Gansu
A laughing policeman, Maijishan, Gansu
Maybe time for a few more photos before the rain… Qinghai Lake
Metalworks, Kumbum Monastery
Ghetto Blaster in situ, Ma Bufang’s old house, Xining
A private prayer spot, Labrang Monastery, Xiahe, Gansu
Wutun Thangka Painting Monastery, Tongren
Monks washing their trumpets in the Danxia River. They’d both been playing since their early teens and had calluses on their lips (!) from their practise
Don’t Look Down! Maijishan, Gansu
On the road to Sangke Grasslands (quite possibly, the only grasslands in the world where you can ride a horse and then do karaoke), Gansu
Yellow River (of Rubbish), Lanzhou. This was taken from a pier where you can sit and drink beer (when it’s not raining) – the poor inhabitants of Lanzhou must be really stuck for drinking spots…
What’s left of Melikewat Ancient City, with the Kunlun Mountains as a backdrop
An elderly gentlemen takes a turn around Rongwo Monastery, Tongren
A ginormous thangka, Tongren
And the storm breaks… Qinghai Lake
Cloudgazing, Qutan Monastery
Kunlun jade for sale in Golmud – with the dirt still on it…
Making silk in Khotan. Somehow, this lady made untangling this little lot took easy…
Storm clouds gathering near Bird Island, Qinghai Lake
Brown-headed Gulls, looking for their next meal, Qinghai Lake
great photos…. enjoying your blog – Bill
Thanks, Bill! Did you and Ruth ever make it out to the far west? It’s totally worth a visit, if you can stand ultra-long car/bus journeys and dust 🙂
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