What can you do in Turpan??

What can you do in Turpan?

Well there are things to do, that is, besides going to the bazaar, eating lamb, and watching all the people.

We went to four of Turpan's tourist spots.

The first was The Flaming Mountains.  They are large sandstone mountains which, at certain times of day, with the sun shining on them at just the right angle, look as if they are on fire. Sadly we did not see them "on fire", but other things grabbed our attention when we were there.

Flaming Mountain, but sadly, not aflame! And the area is so very dry, and dusty.

Strapping in a tourist.

As we drove into the huge car park, an ultralight came down over our heads, and onto the road! Yes, down on  the road! What on earth was going on? We soon discovered that ultralight flights up to the mountain face was activity de rigueur for intrepid tourists, and the huge car park was not really for cars but for take-off and landing of the ultralights.

What a surprise.

And when we looked at the aircraft (can the be called that?) they were made in Australia ...... a second surprise.

None of our family was interested in flying around the mountain, but our granddaughters were interested in trying the alternative tourist offer....a ride on a Bactrian camel.

A young Chinese tourist mounts a ladder to reach the camel's saddle.

We also visited a village nearby. Some houses were occupied, others looked deserted, but all were built from mud bricks. 

 

Self-serve of dried fruit, under the young vendor's watchful eye.

And we presume that the vendors scattered about were locals, selling dried fruits, and water, and drinks. 


The Bezeklik Caves  are in a desert gorge, and once the caves stored Buddhist murals. The site was also known as "The Caves of one thousand Buddhas"   The many caves had various interpretations of Buddha painted on the ceilings and walls, but they were in a very poor state.
We were not allowed to take photos in the caves either so I can't show you what they looked like.
But sitting outside  the caves was an elderly Uighur gentleman, playing a traditional instrument.
An American girl joined him, and together they made music.

A Uighur musician,and his keen American pupil!

We had Grape Valley to go on our "tourist" day. The tourist blurbs had waxed lyrical about the Grape Valley, and with a grape grower and wine maker in the family, we were eager to see, and sample, what was offered.

Sadly, it was a huge disappointment. The property was large, and very cool after a hot October day in Turpan, but it was a tourist trap, after the style of our Western tourist traps.

There was a folk dance group, who stood around looking bored, waiting for the music to begin, and the tourists to gather.

Let's start the show.....

There was wine to taste at a winery on the property. We did not  buy any of it. (Read between the lines)   Lime green wine did not appeal to any of our senses, so we  left that. Some of our family tasted the other wines on show, but as I said, none were purchased.

Back to our hotel, and eager to get to the bazaar again.

And back in Turpan we headed to "John's Cafe"....an outdoor cafe, shaded by grape vines, and providing local and Western-like food.....just take your pick!

The vine-shaded walkway to John's Cafe, and the Turpan Hotel.

John's Cafe is written up in several travel guides.....as a cafe, as a place to hire  bikes, and as a laundry. Put your dirty washing in by breakfast, and it is washed and dry by dinner tine. As any traveller would know, having clean clothes every now and then on long trips, is a luxury.
The cafe always had tourists sitting at tables. The early games of the Rugby World Cup were being played when we were in China, and we had "boasting or skiting competitions" with French, Italian, South African and New Zealand travellers, while eating at John's Cafe.
We frequented it when we weren't eating at the Bazaar.

Yes, there is plenty to do and see in Turpan.