Jiayuguan (pop 250,000)
Gansu Province
China
September 16, 2016
How can I describe the Great Wall of China? Books have been written.
I recommend The Great Wall: The extraordinary history of China’s wonder of the world by John Man.
For basic information about the reality and the myths, please read the Introduction to the book here.
Rainbow Mountains
Zhangye
Gansu Province
China
September 14, 2016
The Rainbow Mountains is one of the most dramatic geologic formations in China.
For good reason, they are also known as the Painted Mountains.
If you travel to central or western China, be sure to visit this site.
It’s easy to reach here by bus or tour group from Zhangye City in Gansu Province.
Zhangye
Gansu Province
China
September 14, 2016
Two old sites are prominent in Zhangye. One site is measured in hundreds of years. The other is measured in tens of thousands
The Dafo Temple, or Great Buddha Temple, is an ancient Buddhist temple in Zhangye, Gansu, China, notable for its gigantic reclining Buddha statue of around 1100, which is thirty-five meters long (115 ft).
Qinghai Lake
Qinghai Province
China
September 12, 2016
Qinghai Lake is the largest lake in the People's Republic of China.
Located in Qinghai Province on an endorheic* basin, Qinghai Lake is classified as a saline and alkaline lake.
Qinghai Lake has a surface area of 4,317 square kilometers (1,667 sq. mi.); an average depth of 21 meters (69 ft.), and a maximum depth of 25.5 m (84 ft.).
The current Chinese name "Qinghai," the older Mongolian name "Kokonor", and the Tibetan name translate to "Green Sea,” "Blue Lake" and "Teal Sea" respectively.
Qinghai Province
China
September 11, 2016
Kumbum Monastery (Ta’er Si) lies just south of the city of Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province.
The Monastery was built in 1577 at the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism.
Further south, on the road to Qinghai Lake, lies a lovely scenic spot and a Tibetan version of a Petting Zoo. The official name is Sun and Moon Mountain or Sun and Moon Pass.
