Xining - Gateway to the Lhasa Train

Trip Start Sep 01, 2007
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Trip End Oct 22, 2007


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Flag of China  ,
Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Our itinerary had us going to the local temple and museum but we decided that, as we were on our way to Tibet and the land of temples, we could give this a miss. Instead we opted to go to the supermarket to buy provisions for the train and then asked to go and see a local market.
 
We were a bit surprised to be taken to the local equivalent of Oxford Street or 5th Avenue for shops but followed our guide dutifully. We did manage a diversion down a side street full of stalls which turned out to all sell shoes!
 
We were then taken to the local Muslim food market which was really interesting. Everything from fruit and nuts to fresh meat and Yak butter  was on sale here. They also love cakes and biscuits so there were lots of bakery stalls. One delicacy that we watched being made starts off as noodles which are cooled, stretched and fried into long thin noodle biscuits. We were given a taste of some other style of biscuits which were delicious. While in the market we also had a local man come up to us and proudly take a photo of us with one of the bakers.
 
We agreed to be taken to a "Native" restaurant for a pre-train supper. Well, after seeing the boiled meat we decided that broccoli and rice was a much better supper. Funnily enough a similar thing happened before our last train journey, this is our last train trip in China.
 
Then it was off to the station to wait for our train. As we were in "Soft Sleeper" class we were entitled to the fancy waiting room with big couches where we lounged around for a couple of hours before boarding the train.
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