Beryl in Xinjiang - May 2011
So, every May myself and Beryl celebrate May Day by jumping on a plane and going on a 5 day holiday. In ’09 we went to Luoyang, In ’10 we went to Qingdao and last year we headed to Urumiqi in Xinjiang province. Xinjiang is the most north-westerly province in China. It borders lots of countries including Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. 45% of the population are also Uyghur. A minority of Turkish-speaking Chinese who are mostly Sunni Muslims. The whole area is a totally different side of China. Here are some photos from our holiday…

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
One of our reasons for choosing Xinjiang and Urumiqi as our destination: Beryl has family there. Here’s Beryl with her brother. I just realised he doesn’t have an English name. Will have to get on that. Suggestions in the comments. (His Chinese nickname is Mao Mao)

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Grrr!

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Some…stuff.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
There are lots of rich people in Xinjiang’s capital of Urumiqi. The vehicle of choice seems to be the Hummer.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
A shot of an Uyghur family.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
The city of Urumiqi is surrounded by mountains and the Gobi desert.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
A snap of the aforementioned mountains I snapped from the back seat of Beryl’s uncle’s car.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

So, B’s uncle works at a snazzy restaurant. This means we got to eat there for free. They had some western food. I indulged.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Nom nom nom!

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
B and her brother.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
B enjoying the live music in the lobby of the 5 star hotel.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

The next morning we headed to a small mountain park for some exploring.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
B was snapping away too.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Some nice flowers.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Snapping away.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Lots of signs were in Chinese and Arabic.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Beauty!

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
A brilliant view from the top.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
The sky… so blue. Honestly bluer than England on an average day.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
This guy had the right idea. Doing Tai Chi looking down on the city.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Click to make bigger.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Room with a View - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
A great backdrop.

Blue Sky Thinking - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
China is so vast and different. Never ceases to blow my mind.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
What a cloud.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Beryl snapping…

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
…this photo.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Then wearing it.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Some interesting terrain.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
B pole-posing.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Me pole-posing.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Chillin’

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Road goes down, I go up - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
After that, we headed to Mos Eisley. Oh, no. It’s not the famous star wars location. It’s the Gobi Desert. We went to a hot-spring resort in the middle of the desert.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
B, her bro and her uncle.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Interesting hotel design.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Interesting.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Desert, desert, desert… snow-tipped mountains!

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

That water was HOT!

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Looking out over the desert.

Water? - May 2011
We had an impromptu photoshoot.

Relaxing in the Desert - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Wagon Wheels - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Beryl in  Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
This huge swimming pool was full of hot-spring water. I swam in it at midnight. Quite an experience. Although it tasted DISGUSTING!

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

We were right on the border of inner Mongolia, you can see the tent-thing that shows that. It has a name. I’ve forgotten it. Oops.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Then we headed to a place called “Heavenly Mountain.” Wow, what a road!

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Again; China has every kind of landscape imaginable.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Just…wow.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Stairway to heaven?

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
“Heavenly Lake.”

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011
Taken from the plane.

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011 Trip to Xinjiang - May 2011

When you’re 1.55meters tall, these bulkhead seats are like first class.

It was a great, great trip.Lots, lots more pics, here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/akira2506/sets/72157628831912889/

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