Gansu, China: Oops it’s Not a Painting!

Nope, that’s not a painting; although it certainly looks like one.

We’re prone to thinking that those weird works of beauty exists only in the mind, shared to the world by those notable art masters – turns out, we’re thinking wrong. Reality got the real deal-breakers.

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Want to some for proof? Ready your passports, because we’re going to go backpacking to Gansu, China.

LOCATION

Let’s see, where Gansu is first. Gansu is a slender, narrow, province of China located at the Northwest up the reaches of Huanghe River or more famously known as the Yellow River. It is the seventh largest province of China with a land area of 175,290 square miles – no wonder it is the abode of various landscapes like mountainous region, plain, river valley, and desert.

Gansu edges on Shaanxi in the east, Xinjiang in the west, Inner Mongolia and the People’s Republic of Mongolia in the north, and Sichuan, Qinghai in the south. It cradles the ancient Silk Road where commerce once flowed out from China to Central Asia, which upshot to building of beacon of arts that we now consider as the spectators of history and relics of cultures.

CLIMATE

Gansu’s hottest month happens in July, while the coldest in January. The absolute maximum temperature throughout the year ranges from 12°C at the start of January, reaching its peak in July at 40°C then dropping again to 12°C in December.

The average maximum ranges from -2°C to 27°C. The average minimum on the other hand falls in the range of -18°C to 14°C. The lowest recorded absolute minimum temperature ranges around -30°C in January and around 6°C in July.

The highest monthly precipitation happens in July with 18 mm and zero precipitation mostly in months of January, February, April, and November. Longest rainy days are in July with an average number of 10 and the snow days usually start in the month of October with an average number of one that eventually goes up in March with an average number of four and then stops between April and May.

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation by air is available at Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport (ZGC) that is 43.5 miles from downtown area. There are more than 30 airlines available that will bring you to Lanzhou, which is Gansu’s capital city. It will take about an hour to reach one of the hotels at Lanzhou from ZGC using the airport shuttle bus, which will cost 30 Yuan per person while a taxi will cost about 140 Yuan.

Transportation by train is also available as there are 45 daily departures at Lanzhou Railway station in the downtown of the city. To be safe, tickets are better bought from ticket center at the railway station.

Coach is available in touring the Gansu province that is available in the city, which is marked with numbers for their destined places.

Taxis are also available in the city. Fares can be fixed or the common 7 Yuan for the first 1.84 miles and another 1.4 Yuan for every 0.62 miles.

Bus is a public transport in Lanzhou that swathes every nook and cranny of the city. The fare is 0.5 Yuan for every five or less stops.

Travelling by water is available through the Yellow River in which rafts are your main boarding vehicle.

ATTRACTIONS

Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang

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The Mogao Grottoes has been the home for a thousand years worth of Buddhist paintings and statues scattered through 492 cells and cave sanctuaries.

Located in Dunhuang of Gansu, China, one can relive here the history the history during the time when it still serve as the oasis of commerce as a part of the famous Silk Route lays here.

The authenticity of relics, design, location, architecture, materials, and over-all impression of the caves will let you easily pin-point certain periods in history.

Jiayuguan Great Wall

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Also known as the Jiayu Pass, this ancient walled, road was located in the Jiayuguan of the province of Gansu. It was created during the Ming dynasty at around 1368 to 1644. It covers an area of eight acres with tree concentric layers.

The inner city was built as the central area containing the main buildings of the pass. The outer city on the other hand contains watch towers, turrets, and high-terrace pavilions. The last part of the pass is the moat which is built for defense. This ancient mud-brick military fortress is a testament on how great the minds of human since then.

Bingling Thousand Buddha Caves

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In the Tibetan language, Bingling means “ten thousand Buddhas.” So if you think about it, the name of the place would mean “ten thousands Buddha thousand Buddha Caves” – very redundant. However, there is nothing redundant in this cave.

It’s been home for different Buddha characters in different postures, expressing different emotions and donned in different robes. The cave, located in west of Lanzhou City, was first carved during the Western jin Dynasty, which dates back at around 265 to 316.

Mingsha Sand Dune

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It seems Dunhuang is never lacking in terms of scenery. Mingsha Sand Dune was also dubbed as the Echoing-Sand Mountain. Winding about three miles away from the city, the sands of Mingsha ranges from red to yellow, black to white, and green.

When one went sliding down the slope, you will hear echoing sound that ranges from a mere whisper to roaring sound depending on your speed.

Nestled also in the Mingsha Sand dune is the Crescent Spring which is thousands of years old miniature oasis in this desert. It boasts clear and sweet water that ripples in the undulating breeze of the desert.

Activities here include sand therapy, sand sliding, para-sailing and riding camels.

Zhangye Danxia Landform

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These rainbow-colored mountains in Danxia were the product of centuries of land formations. These red sand tones are – hands down – one of the most stunning and surreal view you will ever see.

The photos speak for themselves, so there is nothing more for me to say – except of course, go in here.

http://laurenceourac.com/gansu-china-oops-its-not-a-painting/

Images:
(1) http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1274369/thumbs/o-RAINBOW-MOUNTAINS-900.jpg?2
(2) http://www.gansu.gov.cn/picture/-1/1309280922471589047.jpg
(3) http://beijing-great-wall.com/st_data/uploads/2011/11/Jiayuguan-Great-Wall.jpg
(4) http://img.cits.net/images/2012/5/10/131313137284cbf1-e.jpg
(5) http://tourguide.kazeo.com/sites/fr/photos/403/photo-4039174-XL.jpg
(6) http://www.robotspacebrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/China-Danxia-4.jpg