What A Contrast

After visiting the most poluted city in the world (which wasn't all that bad because it rained a bit while we were there) we tool a 3 hour bus to Linxia where we were most definitely among the minority. Apparently there are 150 mosques 120 temples and 1 church and almost no reason for westerners to go there (other than to see a place that is so lopsided in the religious department). It's amazing having people stop on the street to turn and stare at you as you walk.

Another 3 hour bus to Xiahe placed us in a whole other world. This is a Tibetan monastery town (one of the biggest outside Tibet) and filled with tourists, Chinese, and monks alike. Seeing monks in full robes talking on cell phones and listening to the latest Chinese hip hop through ear buds is quite something. We also went outside the town to the Sangke grasslands, where we rode some very small Chinese horses and had milk tea and yoghurt. We ended up paying way more than we should have, but once we converted it to cnd$ we realized that it still only cost us about $8 for the taxi, horses, and food...not so bad. We did a little bartering, which was quite fun. I think I managed to work the prices down to the almost-not-getting-ripped-off stage.

Next it's back to Lanzhou for a little shopping with someone who knows how not to get scammed and an overnight train to Xian.

I've posted all my pics up to today on the old flickr account so nimen kan kan (have a look).