Dunhuang

Site of the Mogao Grottoes

Mogao Grottoes

Jeff demonstrating how not to get off a camel ..........

Dunhuang Night Market

A Wind Farm

The magnificent sand dunes

Marie (Ambassador from Kamakura, Japan) discovering the easiest way to get back down

On Wednesday morning we had a very long bus ride to Dunhuang. In ancient times, Dunhuang was the center of trade between China and neighbours in the west. At that time, it was the most westerly frontier military garrison in China. Today Dunhuang is most famous for the Mogao Grottoes, which are considered to be the richest treasure house of Buddhist art in the world. The work that went into constructing the Grottoes spans more than a thousand years and the site was justifiably listed as a World Heritage Site in 1987. While in Dunhuang we also visited the beautiful Mingsha Mountains and the Crescent Moon Spring. Despite being surrounded by towering sand dunes the Spring has never been submerged by sand. After climbing to the top of the sand dunes for a breathtaking view, most of us elected to take the easy way back to the bus, by camel.