Xinjiang: Turpan

While I was in Xinjiang I took a day trip to Turpan. The city is a two hour bus ride from Urumqi, but it is vastly different. Turpan (Chinese pronunciation: Tulufan) is an oasis town in the middle of uninhabitable desert. It is the third deepest depression on earth (behind the Dead Sea and Lake Assal), which makes it the hottest and driest climate in all of China.

The desert as seen from my bus window on the way to Turpan

The deserts of Xinjiang are very windy and thus an excellent source of wind power

The deserts of Xinjiang also contain some of China's largest oil fields

The Flaming Mountain outside Turpan, one of Xinjiang's scenic attractions

TURPAN

Urumqi is dominated by Han Chinese where as Turpan is only starting to feel the Han presence. Turpan has a small town feel to it, which can be hard to find in China.

Vineyards are everywhere in Turpan. Its dry climate and underground aqueducts make it the largest grape producing city in China.

Apartment buildings rise behind vineyards in Turpan will probably house incoming Han residents

A street market in Turpan

Turpan feels like somewhere far from China

JIAOHE

A short ride outside Turpan is the ancient ruins of Jiaohe, an oasis city that flourished over 2500 years ago.

Entrance to Jiaohe

A typical house in Jiaohe

You have no idea how much I was sweating when this picture was taken

Jiaohe is surrouned by fertile valleys which provided defense and food

A buddhist temple in Jiaohe

EMIN TA

Emin Ta is the most impressive mosque in Turpan. Although it is one of the main tourist attractions in the city, it still functions as a mosque for locals on Fridays.

The gates to Emin Ta

The outer walls of the mosque

The prayer hall

I had to duck very low to get through the passages inside the mosque

The minaret of Emin Ta

A cemetery is behind the mosque