2018 Tibet Xinjiang Self-Drive Day 35: Magnificent Jiayuguan and Brilliant Hu Forest
Day 35 (October 12, 1018): Dunhuang – Jiayuguan – Jinta County – Jiuquan City 480km
We set off early, just because we were afraid that the tickets for the Mogao Caves wouldn't be easy to buy, so we had to head to the scenic area ticket office early to take a chance. Not long after leaving the city, the rising sun had already begun to climb.
We passed a Dunhuang landmark archway and soon arrived at the entrance of the scenic area. This scenic area ticket office is also newly built in recent years. I've visited the Mogao Caves twice before, and both times we could drive directly to the entrance of the caves. Here, it's still twenty kilometers away from the caves, and we have to buy tickets and take the sightseeing bus to enter. This is the current routine of many scenic areas – buying tickets first, then taking the bus. If we want to walk to the scenic area to visit, it's basically impossible. Although we got up early this morning, it's still the moment the sun is coming out, but the entrance to the scenic area is already crowded, and a long line has formed at the entrance. After carefully inquiring at the ticket office, we learned that there were no tickets left for this morning, and the earliest we could buy was for the afternoon. Since our itinerary is a little tight, we had to give up visiting the Mogao Caves. I've already been there twice, while Liang Ge and Zhang Jie Zhu Jie remained with regrets.
Regretfully leaving Dunhuang, we boarded the G3011 Liu Ge highway and took a short rest at the Guazhou service area, with a self-heating face and mushroom rice breakfast.
On the right side of Guazhou highway is a large area of small-scale badlands, which is also a miniature version of the Devil's City. It's quite impressive in scale. After passing through Guazhou, it was another vast expanse of the Gobi Desert.
At noon, we exited the Jiayuguan toll station and immediately headed to Jiayuguan Long Wall. At the entrance of the scenic area, we still encountered many tourists, and after buying tickets, we stopped at a fragrant roasted sweet potato stall and ate four roasted sweet potatoes. We sat and enjoyed a satisfying meal at the entrance of the scenic area.
Jiayuguan is located in the center of the narrowest valley of the Silk Road Middle Route. The walls on both sides of the city pass through the desert and the Gobi, connecting north to the black mountain cliff long wall and south to the first, which is the westernmost gate of the Great Wall of China. It was once called the Hexiqiao, the key to the throat of the Hexi area, and was known as a strategic pass with impressive architecture. It was one of the three wonders of the Chinese Great Wall (along with Shanhaigu and Zhenbeitai). It was once known as the 'Key to the Throat of the West' and was a vital transportation hub along the Silk Road. It was also one of the three great wonders of the Chinese Great Wall.
It's my third time visiting Jiayuguan Long Wall. Besides the further improvements made at the entrance to the scenic area, the rest is exactly the same.
Walking along the Jiayuguan Long Wall both inside and outside, even though I've been here three times, I'm still amazed and proud. These ancient city walls are full of historical vicissitudes, freezing the long years; these city towers stand on the city walls, deterring those within the pass; these city gates are paved with blue stone, with deep shadows, making you feel like you're traveling through time. The former Jiayuguan was a vital strategic pass that could prevent a million soldiers from entering, and it continued to be intact for thousands of years. During the peaceful period, merchants gathered, camel bells rang, which was an important relay station for trade between the inner and outer passes. Today, in the peaceful era, it has become a historical monument, standing there for people to admire.
Leaving Jiayuguan, we directly headed to Jinta County, which is known as a famous aerospace city with Xichang comparable, and stayed in Jiuquan City.
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