Yueyaquan

Desert oasis

Yueyaquan, which literally translates into Crescent Lake, is a natural oasis in the middle of the Gobi desert in Dunhuang, Gansu province and was named crescent moon because its shape resembles a moon crescent.  Over the past decade, the oasis has shrunk by half in size and has been gradually stable in size with the local government’s efforts in expanding it.  Closer to the centre of the oasis, water could be seen seeping out from the central pond as the sand is much wetter.  There’s nothing like dune surfing from the sand peaks in the Echoing Sand Dunes mountains surrounding the oasis and camel riding is a must, especially to view the spectacular views of the hills and hills of rolling, golden sand dunes.  If you scoop up a handful of sand, you’ll see that the sand isn’t just yellow in colour but has a mix of colours-red, green, yellow, black and whites.  It is with the mix of colours and the rays of sunlight refracting from the sand that the array of colours can be seen from the distance.  As we were leaving the desert, we caught a glimpse of the moon hanging in the middle of the sky.  From afar, across the peaks of the sand dunes, it almost felt as though we were walking closer and closer to the moon…

Silk Road naturally

Gifts of the gods

It’s no joke when it comes to extreme climates on the Silk Road.  In Turpan, where the mountains are aptly named the Flaming Mountains, temperatures can shoot way up to 55 degrees in the summer!  This is the hottest spot in all of China. There’s even a blown up version of a thermometer to measure how hot it is.  Inspired by the story of the monk Xuanzang who spread Buddhist wisdom by getting Buddhist manuscripts from India, the Flaming Mountains was the source of inspiration for the author Wu Cheng’en to create the stories of Monkey King and Xuanzang crossing the “wall of flames” in their journey.  It’s hot in Xinjiang but Tianchi or Heaven Lake is a true gift from the gods.  Known as the lake in the skies, this is the perfect place to enjoy the natural waterfalls, hop on a boat ride and the view of the snow capped peaks in the horizon just takes your breath away.  It’s the perfect way to hide from the heat.  Weather might be extreme in Xinjiang but it’s also the fruit bowl of China.  Be sure to sink your teeth into the sugar sweet and lip smackingly juicy Xinjiang melons and grapes, especially during harvest season in July and August.  That’s a even better way to quench thirst.  

Silk Road-China

A historic journey

For a taste of the route Silk Road traders took during the heyday of trading trekking across deserts and treacherous peaks, there’s nothing like experiencing the Silk Road.  Of course, with the advance of better roads, improved sanitary conditions and high-speed train connections between some of the cities on the Silk Road, traveling is much easier today.  From the Terracotta warriors in Xian to the extreme heat at the Flaming Mountains in Xinjiang province, journeying on the Silk Road in China was an experience like no other.  The best time to go is definitely June, just before it gets too warm and the weather is still a bit chilly in the mornings and evenings in some cities.

Extending over 6000km, the series of trade routes stretching across China and India to Africa and Europe was fundamental in promoting trade between the West and East at the beginning of the Han dynasty, around 206 BC.  In China, the Northern Silk Road covers the Xinjiang, Gansu and Shanxi provinces and further splits into three routes, two going to the north and south of the Takiamakan Desert and another going through the north of Tian Shan mountains before rejoining at Kashgar.  From this route, traders traveled between modern day Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.  While known as the silk road, silk was only one of the valuable goods that merchants sought, other goods like nuts, dates, saffron, sandalwood and porcelain were popular at the time.

Objects weren’t the only things being traded, more importantly, cross-cultural ideas and religions spread because of the Silk Road.  While Buddhism originated in India, with the spread of the religion to China, it was become the mainstream religion during the past and present, as evidenced by remarkable caves carved by monks at sites such as the Mogao Caves and the Luoyang Grottoes.

Watch for more to come on my journey on the Silk Road!

Gaudi's Barcelona

A mythological fairytale

Barcelona is well known for football, food and of course Gaudi.  I was in awe when I came across Gaudi’s works as the features in his architecture are just so surreal and out of the ordinary, resembling those out of a fairy tale.  I especially love the details of animals and plants that are interwoven into the building features and the use of colourful tiles, ceramic pieces and stained glass.  Those who like modernistic architecture will be fascinated with the buildings in Barcelona.  The most famous of Gaudi’s works is the Sagrada Familia.  Still under construction, this work was one that Gaudi devoted his entire life to.  Completion of the church is slated for 2026, which marks the centenary of Gaudi’s death.  The church was first created as neo-Gothic church before Gaudi took over as the lead architect in 1883.  Only a small portion was complete when Gaudi died in 1926.  When finished the church will have 18 towers and able to accommodate 13,000 people.  The twelve apostles are represented by four towers on each of the three facades while another four represent the four evangelists.  Another two are dedicated to Jesus Christ while the final one is to the Virgin Mary.  Before his death, Gaudi finished the Nativity Façade which has amazing details of various animals and plants.  The Passion Façade was done after his death and depicts the crucified Jesus Christ.  The final Façade’s construction started in 2002 and pictures life and death.  Inside the church, my favorite feature is the tree-inspired nave, which resembles branches growing from a tree to stretch up to the roof. With light shining through the coloured windows, it was like walking inside a forest at different times of the day.  I can’t wait to revisit Barcelona to see the completed Sagrada Familia in a decade’s time!

Another piece of Gaudi’s work that is well worth a visit is the Casa Mila.  This apartment block was Gaudi’s last piece of work before he focused solely on Sagrada Familia.  The use of pillars, arches and plenty of steel makes this unconventional building a feast to the eyes and imagination.  What’s really neat about the structure of Casa Mila is that its stone façade is entirely self supporting rather than connecting to a load bearing wall and these facades are connected by iron beams.  Walls inside the structure can be changed without affecting the entire structure.  The colourful and irregularly shaped chimneys of Casa Mila make it extraordinary.  It would be awesome to live in this apartment block but I can imagine that privacy would be an issue with loads and loads of tourists taking pictures of the building throughout the year!

Palace in Eden

The Alhambra

A must-visit in Spain is the Calat Alhamra palace in Granada.  Originally built as a small fortress in 889 and converted into a royal palace in 1333 by the Sultan Yusuf I, before portions were added on in 1527 by Charles V.  For centuries, the structure was occupied by squatters after falling into ruins.  Literally meaning the red female, Alhambra’s name comes from the colour of the red clay used in the surroundings of the palace.  The combination of Islamic Moorish architecture and Christian gardens and architectural features has made it an inspiration for movies and songs.  Numerous fountains can be found, with the sound of water flowing through the spaces, supplied via a 8 km conduit, which is also essential for the irrigation system in the vegetated courtyards.  Being the “paradise on earth”, the palace feature rooms that open to spacious central courts, reflecting pools that sit at the centre of courtyards, grand marble columns and plenty of sunlight flowing into the rooms.  Attention to detail is magnificent in the ceilings and windows, with calligraphy and arabesque decorations.  One of my favorite parts of the palace is the Court of the Lions which has in its centre, a basin held by twelve white marble lions.  Engraved at the edge of the fountain describing the sheer beauty and power of the palace and the ingenious water technologies used.  Taking a walk in the palace and its surroundings brings about a sense of calm, especially with light flowing inside the spaces, reflective ponds and cooling sounds of water flowing through the edifice.  The striking beauty of this place is truly paradise on earth.

Spanish gastronomy

Iberico ham, suckling pigs and more!

It’s hard to resist when it comes to eating pork in Spain and with stores dedicated to selling hams found everywhere in Barcelona and Madrid, I was down with pork overload by the end of my trip in Spain!  But one of the must-haves is the roasted suckling pig that has made the town of Segovia so famous.  The narrow stonepaths in Segovia are dotted with restaurant menus showcasing the famous roasted suckling pig, or Chochinillo Asado, but the most well known of the restaurants is the Meson De Candido in the centre of the town square.  The owner proudly wears his medallion and shows off his famous dish by cutting the pig with a plate before shattering it onto the floor.  Not surprisingly, lineups are continuous from morning to night, especially during lunch hour, for a taste of the simple, crispy goodness.  I was tempted to buy a whole leg of Iberico ham to bring home with me but my suitcases were overweight already.  The famed Iberico ham originates from acorn fed black pigs that eat up to 10 kilos of acorns each day.  The fat is evenly layered in the ham, with an intense flavour, especially those cured for over two years which have a golden hue glistening from the fat.  A taste of the nutty and salty flavour of the ham is the ultimate gastronomic experience.  For those with a sweet tooth like me, walking into a traditional nougat shop in Spain packed with assorted colours of nougat is heaven.  The simple mix of honey, egg whites and sugar with pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts and dried fruits in this confection makes it a long time tradition.  While nougat is great, of course, nothing beats a side of fresh fried churros dipped in warm chocolate on a rainy day in Spain.

Cordoba

Great Mosque/Cathedral of Cordoba

Populated with Catholics, churches can be found everywhere in Spain but one of my favorites lie in Cordoba.  The city was under Islamic rule in the 8th century and was one of the most populated cities in the world in the 10th century before it fell into decline like many great cities did.  One of the most interesting architectural landmarks in the city is The Great Mosque/Cathedral of Cordoba.  Built as an Islamic mosque, it was later converted into a Catholic church in the 13th century.  Incorporating ivory, gold, silver and countless dazzling ornaments into the mosque decorations with majestic Roman marble columns, the architectural details of the structure are breathtaking.  A spot of marvelous detail is the prayer mihrab which has geometric designs inspired by plants and dotted with colourful mosaics.  Christian features were gradually added to the mosque until the 18th century along with alterations such as turning the minaret into a bell tower. The red and white horseshoe arches in the main prayer hall are especially well-known. Coloured glass windows that allow sunlight to shine in add a sense of awakening to the cool and dark interiors.