The Silk Road
One of the grandest trade routes in the world, the Silk Road has several paths, This list includes sites that are along the land route that starts in Xian, China and continues to Damascus, Syria.
Lintong, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
This picture is a view of Pit #1 at the Terra-Cotta museum in Xian...this is a huge site....and they haven't even touched the actual emperors tomb!
While eating my way through Xian's Muslim Quarter, I stumbled upon this rather surreal display at a market stand. The lamb carcasses hanging in the window, the gritty industrial fan keeping the flies at bay, the bright light bulbs swinging from...
Khodja Nurobobod Str., Buxoro, Uzbekistan
If you wander off the main paths in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, and explore the labyrinth of narrow winding streets, you may be fortunate to find this monument symbolizing world unity. This madrassah or monastery is called Chor Minor, meaning the four...
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
I will say a hundred times over, my experiences in Uzbekistan were less then ideal. I guess the great Silk Road cities had been built up so much in my mind that reality could never be satisfactory. In response to this feeling, I spent a lot of...
Dunhuang, Jiuquan, Gansu, China
About 2km West of the entrance to Singing Sands National park in Dunhuang the fences to the park end but the dunes continue on. From there you can climb the dunes free of charge and, more importantly, free of people. Enjoy the satisfaction of the...
Damascus, Syria
Two of the most moving sites that I've ever experienced were the Mosque of Say'yeda Roqayya and the Umayyad Mosque. Both sites are main attractions in Damascus for locals and tourists. The tomb of Say'yeda Roqayya is a beautiful mosaic of gold...
Dunyue Rd, Dunhuang Shi, Jiuquan Shi, Gansu Sheng, China
Imagine the surprise and delight our group experienced upon arrival to the rooftop terrace of the Silk Road Hotel in Dunhuang, China! This resplendent view of the Singing Sand Dunes at sunset is in the heart of the exotic lands of the ancient Silk...
Naryn, Kyrgyzstan
I decided a few weeks back to head to the city of Naryn, Kyrgyzstan. Unlike the other Silk Road countries, Kyrgyzstan is famous for nomads and nature, meaning it does not share the beautiful Silk Road cities with its neighbour Uzbekistan. With...
It's 10:00 A.M. (China Standard Time) on the banks of the Karakul in China's far western Xinjiang province, but the sun has just barely risen. I watch a Kyrgyz family emerge from their stone houses to feed chickens and collect water in the long...
