huoyanshan, tuyugo, gaochang ancient city, putougao

rented car for the day: 200+90 (toll fees)+142 (gas)+50 (tips). arranged thru xiaoshen; driver was gao shifu.
set off at 9, finally something at a decent hour. 1st stop was火焰山, aka friggin flaming mountain, (entry 20), notable chiefly for the heat and the world’s largest thermometer.
next stop was tuyugo, which our driver admitted he had not been. love the doors with the colourful motifs and the gorgeous tiled mosques. spotted a watermelon seller and bought one for 2.40. a little girl cut up the rinds to feed to the goats. she didn’t understand Chinese, not all the uighurs do. urumqi is still predominantly han Chinese.
chief attraction in tuyugo was the old uighur residential quarters, mosque (mecca of the east), graves and thousand buddha cave (older than the mogao caves, but very badly preserved). place was mercifully peaceful and quiet, then again, it was the hottest part of the day. photo exhibition of chappie who lived there for 2 years and recorded the sights and customs of the place, including bride-roasting (she’s wrapped in a rug and then tossed over a fire). bliss was ice cold drinks at the end of the walkabout.
stopped at roadside stall for烤包子 (baked buns stuffed with fatty mutton and onions at 0.5 each) and naan (1).
to prove that it was possible, 高昌was even hotter. a fierce heat that stings the skin and stuns the senses. sat on donkey drawn cart while feet blazed away. 1500 years of history, crusades, Buddhist temple, whatnot, everything lost in the haze of the heat.
some shopping after in the adjoining lot for the women.
last stop was葡萄沟since we had to do some grape-related activity. the entire area in吐鲁番turfan is now monopolized by a corporation. access to the village is controlled and separate theme parks have been built.
bought some off-the-vine grapes for 10. no chemicals promised the farmer.
moved on to the putaogou amusement park. friendly uighur chap gave us a quick tour of the grape museum and sold us fresh grape juice at 10 a cup. he’d graduated from environmental studies and this was his first job. groused about pollution of the area and china’s inefficient use of resources. worked from 10am to 8pm (or 8 to 6 Xinjiang time) for a 600rmb salary. told us our grapes were sprayed with chemicals.
decided not to buy the raisins which were at any rate, last year’s stock.
gao shifu had been affable and patient the entire day, even suggesting squeezing in another attraction. but the brochure for the well looked tacky.
according to gao, urumqi has really taken off over the past 10 years. feels like a prosperous city with a certain 气派 and vibrancy. got back to hostel at 10 plus just when it’s getting dark.ate at restaurant next to hostel. 爆炒山鸡, 2 veggies and 10 skewers of mutton from the restaurant further down. now this was tender.