Quietly Summer---Part2 

Buddha’s Troubles

We had a very good rest in the comfortable hotel in Yinchuan, and got up at 7 o’clock. After the check off, we went to Nanmen Coach Station to take a bus to Qingtongxia. It seemed that there was so less bus go to the town Qingtongxia, and we had to take a bus to Xiaoba first, the downtown of the city Qingtongxia.

The bus was large and comfortable, from Yinchuan to Xiaoba, 8.5yuan, 1.5 hours. We had our simple breakfast on the bus, and view the scenery at the two sides. More and more mosques came into our sights, we all saw many small rivers and the flat field. It was really a rich area in the poor northwest.

We arrived the flourishing Xiaoba nearly 10 o’clock in the morning, and we walked in the downtown and looked for a bus to Qingtongxia 108 towers. The city was so small, maybe only four streets. We got on the bus very easily, it was a poor and narrow one, about 3.5yuan to Qingtongxia. We asked the station near to the 108 towers to the conductor, and a man said he would lead us to there. Thanks very much.

We arrived our destination before the noon, and the man directed a right way to us. Suddenly, Yellow River was in the front of us. Qingtongxia is a power plant, and we can hear roar of an angry lion, very wonderful. We got a round yacht tickets, and flied on the yellow river. There were mountains at the sides. It was a short distance, less than 10 min.

We can see the 108 towers now. For the information: As Buddha said, there were 108 troubles in one’s life, and if you touch all of the 108 towers, and then you have no troubles. So funny. We took pictures from different angles. It was a splendid project built in Xixia Dynasty. The whole figure is an isoceles triangle, from the top to the bottom, the numbers were changed from 1,3,3,5,5,7,9,11,13,15,17,19……It was so amazing that looked up it from the bottom, it was really mysterious when you walked among the tower forest. I have no troubles at present, and I didn’t want to touch them.

We met a group soldiers in here, and no photos for them. There were also three Tao temples on the mountain, we didn’t climb it, you had to pay 3yuan.

Maybe all the persons came to here and threw their troubles to the tower, they walked around the top one, and 108 touching. We just overlooked the yellow river from the top, and enjoyed the brilliant sun……

When we returned to Qingtongxia, and we wait a long time for the yacht, and a responsible tour guide helped all the tourists, he called to the administrant many times, and asked for the yacht for us. Thanks to him very much.

We leaved the 108 towers, and took a taxi to the city Wuzhong, then changed a bus to our next destination Zhongwei. The drive was kindly, and ran around of the city. We just had a glimpse of that city, full of mosques, and seemed a big one, and crowded.

The taxi driver catched up with a bus to Zhongwei for us, and we got two comfortable seats. We were excited to there because we’d like to stay a night in the desert. From Wuzhong to Zhongwei, the road was different, and the yellow river ran with us, the railway accompanied with us. When we closed to Zhongwei, the desert came out, the railway through it.

We arrived Zhongwei nearly five o’clock, and found a hostel easily. After a good rest, we tried to walk around in the small city, and found some interesting places in there.

Shining Zhongwei

We watched a performance in front of a shopping center, and the girls danced well. The city Zhongwei was so simple, even you only need to remember the Drum Tower. In my opinion, it only has four streets, east, south, west and north. You can’t miss in there. We found chairman in there, it seemed chairman has been to every city in China.

The drum tower in Zhongwei was splendid. It was so different from other cities’. I have seen many drum towers in different Chinese cities, but this one is the most beautiful. Its style was complex, mixed with many nationalities’ culture. Especially the eaves. When you saw this drum tower, you will feel the others, like Xi’an and Beijing drum towers were very common.

We found the restaurant was named Laomao Shouzhua in this city, and very happy to have it again. We ordered four dishes, of course with beer, the local one was called Huanghe Beer. That’s our favorite beer in here. I talked so much this time, maybe I drunk a lot, and said too much about the relations of China and Japan. It was a hot topic for ever, I think!

We ate two much, and need to walk along in the street, actually, we enjoyed the small and shining city. There was a square near our hostel, and most persons came here in the night for relax. A big fountain in the front of the train station, and many kids ran around it. We listened the popular music and shared the happiness with native. I like this shining Zhongwei.

Fantastic Gaomiao

Gaomiao was a temple mixed with Tao, Buddha and Confucianism. It was besides our hostel, and we got up earlier in the morning, even there was no tourist when we visited the temple.

I had to say this was the most beautiful temple that I have seen. It wasn’t big, but was very compact and exquisite, especially the eaves. The roof was complex and made from earth. It was also has drum tower and bell tower, some interesting pictures on the gates, and talked many funny or allegoric stories. There was many kinds of Buddha lived in it, like sakyamuni, kwan-yin……Also including some Tao Gods. I don’t know them.

The special place in this temple is the hell, LOL~~~~~~It was a dark place, and terrible! They made many fearful scene about so many kinds of punishment if you were in the hell. I think we only stay in there a few mins, and wanted to out for the heaven.

A room was full of Buddha, long-legs, flying one, poor Jigong, big eyes……we stayed in the small temple more than one hour, and saw some doves in the front of this temple, you can buy some food to them.

I am here, Tenggeri!

We will go to the desert today, and plan to stay one night in the desert, so excited. When we finished the visiting of Gaomao, and we got on a min bus easily near the temple. It was 4yuan to the desert and yellow river named Shapotou.

Most tourists traveled in Ningxia would come here, it was a special place that yellow river with desert together. We bought scarf to protect the sand, and I chose a scarf with the picture of US national flag, LOL~~~~~~It was so amazing that the desert at the side of Yellow River. And we took off our shoes and socks, enjoyed the lovely sands. We jumped and ran in the sands, and easily to reach to the shore of Yellow River. It was the second time that we met the yellow river, but very different. In Qingtongxia, the yellow river cut the mountain, and through it like a dragon. And in here, it was flat and quietly, through the desert slowly.

We took a very old boat called Sheepskin raft for drift in the river, and there was no fence to protect, only like a slab of wood. It was made by 14 sheepskin, and about four persons on one. I can’t swim and a little fear when the yacht passed besides of us. Our raft would be shocked heavily, and I had chance to drop down to the river, I can’t image of this, only wanted to finished it as soon as possible. In fact, it was comfortable, and took a half hour.

The difficult thing was happened at that moment, and we had to climb up to the top and then went to Tenggeri desert. It was easy to get down from the top in the sands, but so difficult to climb up. The sand was too hot, and we had to wear our shoes. When I started a step, I felt that I only moved towards 1cm. I took my bag on my back and perspired heavily, I thought I spent more than a half hour to arrive the top. Then, clean my shoes and socks. We had our simple lunch in a small restaurant, and went to Tenggeri in the afternoon.

We tried to find camels and guide to take us thru the desert, but they stopped this project in the May Holiday, because so many persons wanted to do that. We felt a little disappointed, and only took a short distance in the desert by camel. But this, was made us excited and happy enough. I only wanted to cry: I am here, Tenggeri!

As a part of Mongolian, I have special feeling to the desert and grassland, and in Mongolian, Tenggeri’s meaning is Heaven. When we were in it, I though I returned my home. The Mongolian worship heaven, and they think they will return the heaven when they are dead. I felt so chickenshit, and the life was easy to take away by the sands……

We spent much time in there and took many amazing photos. Then we visited a small exhibition of protect sands, returned Zhongwei by the min bus nearly five o’clock.

Our whole bodies were filled with sands, and we took a shower, and then to eat our supper. We found a new restaurant, and ate a dishes made from pumpkin and potato, so delicious, and also with Huanghe Beer.

Enjoyed our last night in the city Zhongwei, and enjoyed the fountain and happy native, enjoyed the Xixia Beer in AA Fast Food Restaurant……