Back of Beyond

Just getting here is difficult, nothing direct and even after discussing with the information centre at the station for over an hour we were no closer to getting here. Finally had to stay overnight and catch a bus at 7.30am. This province (Ningxia) is mostly agriculture and really feels different to the east coast, nobody speaks English (which we are used to by now) and their Mandarin is less than complete (people cannot read our phrase book). In fact it doesn't look like many foreigners make it this far since we are drawing stares from everybody, often with their mouths open and their necks at 180 degrees. Being so far from the government influence and laws it's quite poor and there are many prostitutes around.

Going to Yinchuan

The province is supposedly set aside for the Hui culture which is not really a culture but a religion, however there are not many Muslims until reaching the south of this small province, here there are plenty of mosques. Several minibus drivers tried to rip us off which kind of supports our previous guest house's version of the Hui, but we walked away from trouble. On the other hand we had a meal in one restaurant where the owner was so curious it overcame the language barrier and he must not have worked for over an hour.

Yinchuan Drum Tower

We took a taxi out into the countryside north of Yinchuan, hardly anybody lives here and the taxi driver was not to sure of her way either. The Helian Shan mountain range peaks at 3500mCthere are some rock carvings supposedly dating from between 3000-10000 years ago, some are barely visible and those which are are not necessarily ancient (va savoir). We passed a couple of old 18th century pagodas are standing in the middle of nowhere before arriving at Gunzhongkou where it's possible to walk in the hills and enjoy the view. Just before returning we were intercepted by a man and wife who offered us some tea and "communicated" that they run a guest house here which is nothing more than three bamboo cabins in the mountain, shame we'd already got a return taxi.

Le Bonheur

Our trip to Sanying (Xumi Shan or "Paradise" in transliteration) and the surrounding buddhist rock carvings started with us being deposited on the side of the highway 6km from town, luckily after walking 15mins a minivan stopped for us and dropped us at a hotel. The carvings dating from the Wei dynasty 1400 years ago are mostly worn away since the rock is soft and calcaire, however those that rest are found within caves protected from the atmosphere and these were worth the visit alone. Dating from the 6th and 7th centuries the carvings of the robes are really detailed.

The local markets offer quite some colour too, and not just the people but the vegetables which are probably GM, the cabbages look like something from a B movie (Killer Tomatoes). Leaving the province is no easier than getting here since there are so few trains and the roads don't go anywhere near our next possible destinations.

Rock Carving Helian Shan

More Rock Carving HS

Twin Pagoda HS

Take a Break HS

Mountaineering HS

Climbing Down HS

Au bord de l'auto-route

Mosque Before Xumi

Xumi Shan

Yuanguan Buddha

Xumi Shan Sculptures

Market Life

GM Cabbage