Hi, Our first stop in Xinjiang province was Turpan. Once an important point along the silk road, as the two sites of ruins of old cities that are here can indicate. The city is 54 m below sea level, in the middle of a desert, and it is very hot. The city is also famous for growing grapes and making wine, which is strange considering the climate. The are many vineyards in the surrounding areas, and also some in the city itself. The population here, and actually from here on, is Muslim. The people are Uigur, which are related to Turkish people, and they came here during the time that the silk road was active. This makes this area very special, with a mixture of China and Turkey - languages, street signs, people on the street,
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