The Mogao Caves
on Jan 2, 2009 in China Top Picks Dunhuang mogao caves silk road Our visit to the Mogao Caves was our most expensive tourist attraction in China at 160 RMB / person ($23 USD). It was pretty neat though as we got an English-speaking guide who took us around the caves that protected some of the finest ancient Buddh...

Photo of the Day: Camel on-the-go
on Dec 31, 2008 in China Countries Photo of the Day camel dessert Dunhuang We arrived in the dessert oasis town of Dunhuang, China and hung out with a lively camel: Technorati Tags: camel, China, dessert, Dunhuang...

Turpan’s Grape Valley and Emin Minaret
on Dec 26, 2008 in China Top Picks emin minaret grape drying grapes raisins turpan vineyard Turpan is the place for grapes, raisins, and hot weather in northern China. Turpan is predominately a Muslin city so you’d be hard pressed to find even a shot of alcohol around (though you’d think they would have set up some breweries

Turpan’s Ancient City of Jiaohe
on Dec 25, 2008 in China Top Picks ancient city ancient ruins Jiaohe silk road turpan Merry Christmas! As we worked our way west to east along the Silk Road in China, we arriveed in Turpan. When in Turpan, visit the Ancient City of Jiaohe with ruins dating back to the 4th and 5th centuries. The Stupa Forest contains 101 stupas. I...

Dish of the Day: Personal Hot Pot & Pei Pa Koa
on Dec 24, 2008 in China Dish of the Day Dunhuang hot pot hotpot pei pa koa sick xinjiang A bubbling pot filled with only the ingredients you want…that’s personal hot pot. Gabe was feeling a little under the weather during the Silk Road leg of our travels so the personal hot pot was an easy option. It’s uber-fre

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum
on Dec 23, 2008 in China Top Picks uighur uygur xinjiang Located in Urumqi, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum (新疆维吾尔自治区博物馆) is a great visit. This museum was extensively renovated and you’ll notice it as you walk through millions of years of cultural history in some p.

Dish of the Day: Urumqi-style Dapanji
on Dec 22, 2008 in China Dish of the Day dapanji food hot spicy In Urumqi, China we were walking around and trying to find a place to eat. One place that we saw had a ton of people dining in it and they were all eating the same dish - perfect for our current level of Mandarin comprehension! Plus, the dish looke...