Photographic Evidence, Days 1-18

Time for some photos, I think. Here’s a whirlwind look through my route so far – from Lanzhou to Khotan. Enjoy!

A ginormous thangka, Tongren

Ghetto Blaster in situ, Ma Bufang’s old house, Xining

Caterpilar Fungus, anyone? Hezuo, Gansu

A Dharmapala Chapel, Qutan Monastery (the images are meant to scare you into being nice)

Checking for flaws, Khotan Carpet Factory

My first (and very welcome) sight of Mt Kongtong, a holy taoist mountain in Gansu – lots of steps…

An elderly gentlemen takes a turn around Rongwo Monastery, Tongren

Making silk in Khotan. Somehow, this lady made untangling this little lot took easy…

Kunlun jade for sale in Golmud – with the dirt still on it…

Bazaar, Khotan, Xinjiang

Carpet making/Gossip-while-you-weave, Khotan

A rather stinky Cormorant Rock, Qinghai Lake

Spinning prayer wheels on the evening kora, Labrang Monastery, Xiahe, Gansu

A laughing policeman, Maijishan, Gansu

Cloudgazing, Qutan Monastery

Lakeshore and snow at dusk, Lake Qinghai

Snow on the lakeshore at dusk, Lake Qinghai – definitely what I would call ‘brisk weather’

Dust storm at dusk, Zagunluk Tombs, Cherchen

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

Metalworks, Kumbum Monastery

Wutun Thangka Painting Monastery, Tongren

Don’t Look Down! Maijishan, 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…

Maybe time for a few more photos before the rain… Qinghai Lake

And the storm breaks… Qinghai Lake

What’s left of Melikewat Ancient City, with the Kunlun Mountains as a backdrop

A private prayer spot, Labrang Monastery, Xiahe, Gansu

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