Eda`s Travel

Urumqi first chapter

I know everybody is dying to read my post. But com’on this is the Silk Road, I don’t want to ruin my own stories with rush. I was planning to go Urumqi, Turfan and Kashgar but there is only two and half day around those beautiful cities. So I leave Kashgar to next year.  We had left our crazy schedule behind and take the flight from Pekin to Urumqi. It takes 4, 5-5 hours. The good thing Urumqi is 3 hours ahead of Beijing but using Beijing time. So you will gain time almost 3 hours. If you travel with endless options and limited time, count every minute you have in your pocket.  

                    

I don’t want to bore you with all classic details; if you want to know more about the country you may check different websites around the net.  Before we land, we got great welcome with Bogda Mountains, it was marvelous view. Many passengers are taking picture of the mountains with snowy peak. It was end of May, but the snows are still fresh on top of it. Urumqi looks pretty big city from the top; it is also very rich in culture and natural preserves. Urumqi is the capital of Xinjiang province. It is rated 7^th big city in China.

We scheduled our trip very fun but tight. I want to share it with you, you might steal it:

1st day: 14:50 arrive to Urumqi and meet our travel agency Silk Road Adventures
15:30 lunch at Uighur restaurant and visit Heavenly Lake (it takes 3 hours to get and climb)
20:30 dinner at another Uighur restaurant in Urumqi.
22:00 come back hotel and rest for tomorrow

 2^nd day: 10 o’clock leave hotel and go to city tour including

Erdaqiao market, city mosques, shopping centers and traditional Urumqi houses
afternoon we got to Turfan. The same day: Visit wind tools, Buddha caves, Karez underwater system, grape valley, Gaochang ancient city, Jiohe ancient city, Emin minaret and arrive hotel

3^rd day:

 Tuyuq valley, turpan tour and came back to Urumqi to take our flight to og back to Shanghai

     

Heavenly Lake

Xinjiang province is old Turkestan until 1962. China has declared to own the area and occupied it officially. Majority of population are Turkish nations such as Uighurs (Uyghurs), Kazakhs, Tajiks, Kirghiz, Mongols, Uzbek, Tatar and Chinese. Heavenly lake is a lake on Bogda Mountains and deserves its name, you feel in heaven.  This area is actually Kazakhs populated, Kazakhs come here for summer. They stayed in “yurt” (it is very protective tent keeps warm in winter and cold in summer). Now, Heavenly Lake is national park, yurts are using a kind of hotels. You may rent yurts, it is about 200-300RMB including meal. Next time, I will stay in those yurts at least 2 days and hiking in Bogda Mountains. Isn’t amazing to walk though snow even at the end of May?

                           

I had one weird habit, actually it is a kind of instinct when I see water, and I got thirsty terribly. When I come here and walk little, I have tested delicious water from the lake. Yummy and fresh! Feeling of my blood filled with clean water and minerals plus oxygen.

                    

It was still sunny and shiny when we arrived the lake; we have missed the electric car to mountains, so took shuttle up there. I missed great chance of green valley view. It is very hard to take pics from the bus, shaking and pictures comes in blur.

    

With the beauty of nature, I felt dizzy. Not sure it was emotional or physical, but it shakes me well.  I came to myself when I see Chinese tourist took my picture. They thought I am local Uyghur woman because we have the same style hijab/scarf covering. We burst into laughs when other people try to speak to me in Chinese or Uyghur. I could understand Uyghur because my language is Turkish and Uyghur has the same roots and 60% similar. It comes to me when I went to Bosnia last year; Bosnian has many Turkish words in their language. Now I see we don’t have any borders although thousands of miles, same language, same traditions and same heart.

      
                                  Urumqi general

You may choice taking horseback tours with Kazakhs; I did not have time for that. But, I have enjoyed going inside roads in the mountains and taking pictures of cascading waterfalls. My mom picked some fresh thyme for food, smells very fresh. I live semi-déjà as if I came here before, I might be confused with its incredible resemblance to my hometown in black sea region.  Even we have the same twisty road next to the river in Uzungol.

 The park is almost closing for daily visitors, NOOOO I am not coming! Unfortunately, we are leaving the lake, but we have pinky cheeks and pure oxygen-filled lungs.

 

Urumqi second chapter

                 

The next day, we got up very easily. I guess our long walk in Heavenly Lake give us good affect and keep us awake both mentally and physically. Our tour guide Mir Alim came to take us to city tour. We decide to see local towns and people. I try not to take people picture although I love to do. I have my own reason, to respect my nations people  especially woman is just one of them. We enjoyed to meet people and how similar we are. They watch Turkish shows and movies, so we laugh at the same things, our clothing style is similar and food is also very similar. But here is more delicious.

                  

ERDAQIAO MARKET

In spite of the fact that this shopping center is newly built, you felt you have to come here. Inside the market you may find dried fruit as a tradition of Silk Road, souvenirs especially pashminas and shawls, some small gifts for your family. There is Xinjiang market in the other side of the road. This area is very rich to see local people and their daily life.

                   

                         The best things to buy from URUMQI

                     

                Teapots

                    

                     Carpets

             

                                            Vases, knives, local people toys

           

              Unique Uyghur instruments, you should listen to Uyghur music to feel love, nostalgiaga and 
          and deep sorrow

                            UYGUR PEOPLE, very lovely, kind and respectful

                  

                   Old man in the market

 

                     

                            Uyghur kids

HUANGSHAN Mountain

Huangshan Mountain, the moments my endless energy has ended

       a beautiful scene on the way to Huangshan

Everybody admires of my love for travelling. Some people even became jeaolus of my endless energy. Otherwise, how can I take 10 hours flights, meetings after jetlagged nights, travelling in dragon-size country and more. Little being spoiled myself, I love my type of travels. Isnt it everyone has some moments to hate herself? I have experienced that very deeply this time. I found a friends who is just like me, loves travel and jump into any words contain "going or travelling". We took the highway to Huangshan mountaion and got lost on the way. After losing 3 hours in finding the true way, we arrived to hotel around 8 oclock. Tomorow, the big day we climb to the mountain, there are many cable cars to the mountains. so I felt very comfortable.

We all got dressed in suitable clothes for climbing (not real climbing but good for heavy walking). You can see the excitement to see the most picturesque mountain of China. we first park the car and take the bus to the mountain, then we walk little, and we finally take the cable car. Everything looks very normal until now.

Because for three years of my China trips, I was dying to come here, I walked very willingly. In the cable car (10 minutes), We barely look down. It is going up and up and up, I start enjoy the view gradually. We got off the cable car and walk up and down around the mountain and take pictures.

Cable car to the mountain, not to the peak just to some points.

Because we have guide friend of my friend from Huangshan come with us. She insistingly dont tell us how much left for walking. We thought we almost came to peak after 3 hours walking. She says we did not even reach the half, I did not translate those sentences to my mother at the moment she was about to cry because of her leg aches. At that moment, I had a fight in my inside and I hate myself!!! I wish I could know We have to wlak another 2 hours.

                  Welcoming tree!

Trees blowed out of rocks look amazing.  We are taking pictures around steep rocks with a fear of high, I try not to look around just focus on the objective. Mom is teasing me because I cant look down, she is very brave to climb and pose us on the crag. Amazing!

Chinese love imagining and creating somethings accordingly. Wherever they looks, they resembles those trees to something. altough trees shaped by strong wind, they thought trees are welcoming the guests. May they just say, not believe actually.

This is another supersitition, Love locks.

Lock the lock and together forever!.

After 5 hours climbing, we found nothing but a peak. Also, the view in the first half was so much better than that. I can`t believe I let many people come with me, walked 5 hours and there are more to go back. My mom was sending me sharp looks after she got through that pain. While we thought it would be easier to go down, heavy rain started. It was not a summer drizzling but raining cats and dogs.

Another 3 hours to the cable car to go back down, we almost melted like a sugar.  There was no place just a coffee house to stay in. We took a choclate drinks and stay a bit. Sweat, rain, long walk made me not to move a while, I had a terrible neck pain and leg pain whole week. 

In the rain, cable car was not working. We had to wait many people in the line. Imagine Chinese size line, I guess there is no place without people in this country.

Huangshan Mountaion worth to be seen, just you dont have to be in the peak.

How to gothere?

Huangshan is close to Hangzhou, so I can tell you the best way from Hangzhou. Even you stay around city, you have to take a cab to the mountaion entrance. There are buses to the entrance up in the mountaion. Please note that buses, entrance, cable car all have some cost. One person has to pay around 180-200 Yuan. Please bring your water and food otherwise you will have very limited food with expensive prices.

There is airport in Huangshan and everyday flights to Shanghai. Also, there are buses from Shanghai, Huangshan, Hangzhou and Ningbo. I recommend you to stay in Huangshan Golf hotel and try to get deals from www.ctrip.com

Enjoy the view of Huangshan!

WUZHEN, another Venice in China! part 1

 

More than 3000 years old ancient water town WUZHENis located in Zhejiang province in Tongxiang area. This is so much better than Venice although I have not been there yet! 

 

Wuzhen is canal city  is surrounded with wooden carved houses and stone bridges. I personally love the stone pathways, none of them look the same but very unique.

 

With bridges, wooden houses, magnifient and unique window frames, stone pathways, chrysanthemum tea and bags and soveneirs of unique blue fabric of Wuzhen, you will fall in love with this town like me.

 

Wuzhen wooden carved houses, more than art like a story of family

Stone pathways of Wuzhen

My favorites "Windows and Doors", I always think windows has some secret tales of the towns/cities, just open ears. Famous poet Mao Dun (Shen Dehong) and novelist is from this town. After communist party revolution, He became the first cultural minister of China. He has house became museum in Wuzhen.

Narrow streets

City tower from the bridge

Wuzhen fabrics are drying. Hand-made and hand dyed in Wuzhen. You may find fabrics, shoes, bags and some tshirts in the stores.

Nights are special here. Taking boat tour with your precious travel-mate, you may listen to quietness of wuzhen, find the peace.

Cafes along the river is providing special food and grren tea specials. Please don't come here in summer time. It would be mostly a nightmare more than a trip. Humid and hot!

It is easy to come here from Shanghai, Suzhou, Ningbo and Hangzhou. There are direct buses from those cities. I recommend you to come here from Hangzhou. From Shanghai to Hanzghou there is fast and clean trains (first class and not expensive at all). You may find more information at those websites TravelchinaGuide and Wuzhen official website.

If you want to know how costy is that trip, I can say Wuzhen entry tickets are starting from 120yuan for foreigners, 70 for Chinese. Also you need to pay for the boats. We spent only for admission and boats around 500 yuan for three pax.

What a romantic scene!

Goynuk, traditional turkish town

I always heard about this town, very peaceful earth on the planet but never been here before. How I came over here is the question, my friend was getting married in a place which is very close here. Anyway, the story hides in the lines.

I prepared my dress and everything, at the last minute the stain was scratching my eyes. Yes, I washed my blouse in the last minute and it did not dry completely. I took it with me (it was sunny day and I have two hours to destination). however it was still wet until 20 km left to the wedding place. here my mom and me use our creative ideas and take my blouse outof car (using natural energy isnt it great), the car was going in normal speed but it was over for my pretty blouse. It was almost in newly laundered, something was hanging down of the skirt, it was falling apart. It dried completely but teared apart because of wind and beaten power. it is the time for searching for thread ad needle to fix my blouse. It was a kidn of luck, the inside part teared apart, outside looks almost the same. We stop by at the gas station where people have picnic in the green area nearby, I run over people and beg for needle and thread. Normally, those combination (sewing kits are mostly available in my bag, car and gas station) are everywhere, but there is no way to find out. We have a couple of people. Finally one ofe them said she had it. When she fetched it, I cannot talk. the color of thread is not black or white which are the most common colors, it was exactly the same colors I look for: LILAC. I dont think it was coincidence, it was definitely destiny.

I went to wedding of my beautiful friend Busra, she was absolutely happy and above the clouds with her husband. I have seen my old friends whom we had great days together in New Jersey. It was very very nice to get together in somewhere else and still feel the same. Fun never stops there, it was worth the pain. As long as I came along this way, I dont want to go back to Istanbul instead of discovering small towns around.

TARAKLI

Today was very weird day, somethings are going on unexplainable. When I was 6-7, We came to small town in Bolu, I was fall in love f Turkish houses. Becaus I was born in apartment/ flat house/ condos, I always dream of living in two apartment houses fully belongs to me and having big yard in the front and back. When I have seen traditional Turkish town TARAKLI, I wat to move here at that time. From time to time, I wait for the way brings me here. Today, We have seen the sign and make a sharp turn to that town. You may call it nostalgia but I names that differently.

   

                            Taraklı houses and street

              

                                               Taraklı

Many years ago we came here and stayed at my father's friends house which I loved very much. while we take some pictures, I was asking my mom which house was the one we stayed. She cannot recall it, neither me. Streets are always change, but houses stay the same. I saw one of the houses, and guess it could be the one. She seems still ignorant, but I had to find out. Suddenly, old lady said hi to us and start locally conversation ( in those conversations tha main questions are wher we come from, where we go, why we came here and etc). After we talked, we made sure it was the house from several years ago. I was not wrong.

         

          Mansion of our friend's house, mychildhood dream

The way brought me here, how i remeberek that house, how we came all the way down here altough I never think about and not in front of any other houses but that house I stopped, I dont know indeed.

                           

                         Aunt Hilmiye, neighbour of our friend

Local people here is very nice and famous with thei hospitality. When we came here years before, I remember neighbours brought home-made food, fresh fruits and yogurt drink. They accepted their friend's guest as their own. I never forget those people. Years never changed it. We are hanging around the town, we shop some fresh fruits, one lade came to say hi. She was asking us to come over their houses to stay at night. when we said thanks but no, she was so upset, she insist on taking us for tea at least. We promised her to come next time, and we left the town.