We drove to Xining and visited the Kumbun or Taer Si monastery. This is the Gelugpa (yellow hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism.  The monastery dates back to 1577 and is the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the sect. We…

Our drive today was to Lanzhou. Setting off at 8.00am from our hotel in Tianshui, we arrived at the Water Curtain Caves which was about 10 kms off the motor way at about 10.00. We were able to get permission…

We started the morning early to visit the monument for the Silk Road as we exited Xian. Photos were taken of the group by the monument and then photos of each car at the entrance. It was a stone carving…

Wandering Xian last night we walked the Muslim Quarter. Many thousands of people had the same idea and what sights there were. The food stalls were making everything from toffee to barbeque lamb. We chose a Muslim restaurant and tried…