TheBludger

Dali and Surrounds I honestly would like to go back to Dali and have a longer opportunity to look around. Our day started with an opportunity to photograph "the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple". This was done at a distance, time did not allow us to visit the temple. Some vendors were selling objects and nick nacks primarily made from the local stone. The patterns within the stone were fascinating. We then proceeded to a village market place. I never got the name of the village. Here I had a small bit of Covid-19 unpleasantness. Many people were maskless, however as the only foreigner a security guard at the market entrance insisted that I wore a mask, I stopped to watch, I was the only person told to wear a mask in the short time that ... read more

Hemu Hem was a relatively short drive from the Lake Kanas National Park. We arrived in the early evening after leaving the Park. As we drove towards the village it looked like there were two locations. The larger habitat was a little bit lower down the valley. We ended up at the smaller and higher of the two. We were picked up and taken to our accommodation. By this time it was getting late and after dumping our bags we congregated in the nearest restaurant for an evening meal. Shortly after to bed. The next morning I arose early and walked around the town. It was fairly small and there was a lot of construction going on. This place is being developed at an amazing rate, Breakfast was simple local fare back at the same restaurant ... read more

Devil City or Ghost City Well it isn't even a real city. Today was a long drive again. We left the hotel and hit the road. The City is an arid dry hot area of strange landforms. The land has been sculpted by the wind and eroded by the dust blown in the wind. Strange forms and shapes resemble "animals" and have been given names. When the wind blows it creates noises and sounds that the local inhabitants described as the cries of the dead, hence the name. Displays have been set up to serve as attractions for tourists. One can get camel rides, there are displays of horsemen and even (fake) dinosaur bones. To get between the different displays and activity areas there is a hop on hop off "train" to ferry people around. Beyond ... read more

Lalati Grasslands Different publications have different translations of the name. This is a huge valley bounded by mountains. The grasslands are inhabited by Kazakh people. There was a longish drive to get to the grasslands. Once again we were treated to hot sunny weather with cloudless blue skies. The air was fresh and clear. To get into the valley proper we needed to descend from the higher ground. A steep winding road with many hairpin bends (switchbacks) led down into the valley, later of course we had to ascend once more. It is once again stunning scenery that awes the senses at the enormity ang the huge expanse. A lovely fertile river valley with the snow capped mountains making for postcard type pictures. The are caters for tourists and the people that make it their home. ... read more

Sayram Lake In the morning we were picked up by our new driver and agency. We had a long drive ahead of us as we drove out to Sayram Lake. Covid tests and police checks continued to be a dampener on the enjoyment. We travelled a road that used to be closed in the depths of winter due to snow drifts and storms. It now has a new elevated bridge that to my eyes was more exposed to the weather but we were told keeps the highway open most of the year. The highway leads to Pakistan. It was a huge structure. The views from the vehicle do not really show the perspective. Sayram Lake was our destination. The day was sunny, the weather hot, a cloudless blue sky and clear air allowed us to see ... read more