Urumqi to Korla

Wind turbine

After short rest in Urumqi, it's time to explore the Southern Xinjiang. Xinjiang Locals always said that if you never went to southern Xinjiang, that means you never came to Xinjiang.  As long as you go south, you would meet more and more Uyghur people. Uyghur is a Turkic ethic group who lives in eastern and central Asia.80% of Uyghur people live in Xinjiang, China.  

Korla Sunset

My next stop was the entrance city to the southern Xinjiang--- Korla. Korla has the second largest population in Xinjiang, which is also the capital city of Bayin'gholin Mongol Autonomous Preference. If we talk about the geographical size, Bayin'gholin is even larger than the entire France. 

I took a travel bus from Urumqi to Korla, like Greyhound in the US. Although it was like 200 miles, I spent like more than 8 hours. Since it was a travel bus and most areas were mountain road, 8 hours seemed fair to me. 

I chose a youth hostel in Korla to settle down. The owner, Lao Li, that's what we called him. He is a really kind-hearted man. He can speak fluent Uyghur language, because he works for the government, which he has to deal a lot of business with local Uyghur people. Like he told us and who I seen, Uyghur people are fairly kind, not like others said. Before I left home, almost every relative warned me that: " kid, you should be care of Uyghur people, because they did all the bad staff." 

Well I have to say that most of my relatives they never came to Xinjiang before. What they warned me was just affected by the rumors and central media. You can see all the bad staff Uyghur people did on TV, yet you cannot really experience how great to meet, talk and communicate with them. 

Qi Gexing

Followed by Lao Li's suggestion, some backpackers in his hostel decided to go to Qi Gexing, which was a unopened historical site right now. Qi Gexing Village, because of the Silk Road became prosperous around 2nd century BC to 5 century AD. Local government was trying to rebuilt it and open to the public. Guess what we found there...

So, to those foreigners who wants to travel in China, my suggestions are "Do not just follow what guide book tells you, Go explore China by your heart. Meet the Local, especially the minority people. They are way better than your imagine before. I promise.

What inside those holes?

Qi Gexing historical site

    

Still can see amazing fresco, 4th AD