The first day.

Sunny. I got up at 4:30 a.m., set off at 5 a.m., and took a taxi straight to the airport. We are going to Urumqi! It’s been a while since I went on a trip, so I’m still a little excited! Of course, some of the small rules are a bit vague. I brought a bottle of latte coffee and a box of milk, but I had to deal with them quickly before the security check! There was also a bottle of mineral water that I couldn’t drink anymore, so I had to drink a few sips and throw them away. This scene and emotion are like the wonderful scene in the movie "Thailand", and it's quite hilarious! The plane was on time, not bad. I transferred to Luoyang and had a nice journey! Arrive early at 1:30 pm!

Xinjiang is rich in fruits. How can we not eat fruits in Xinjiang? After taking a short break at the hotel, we ordered a large bag of fruit for takeout, including a 20-pound watermelon, a cantaloupe, peaches, grapes, etc. We ate together and became happy melon-eating people, four of us. Finally managed to kill half a big watermelon.

After 5 o'clock, we went to the nearby Wanda to have dinner. Sure enough, the sun was as strong as noon. It was the World Cup, and there were many cartoon bears wearing jerseys from different countries at the entrance of the mall. They were very cute and cute, and we all happily patted them. I specially chose a local specialty restaurant "Big Bazaar". My mother, who has always refused to eat mutton, ate mutton finger rice and cumin lamb chops for the first time. She was able to eat them and said they tasted good!

The time difference is really different. It’s already 9:30 in the evening, and the sun is still shining. It’s past 10 o’clock, and the sky is still bright, so I have to close the curtains, otherwise I always feel like I go to bed too early!

The next day.

Sunny. I woke up at 4 o'clock in the morning and was not sleepy. Book your accommodation in Yining and book your return flight for Saturday, then take a shower, pack your luggage, and set off to the high-speed rail station at 6 a.m. Today we are going to the beautiful Ili!

As the saying goes: If you don’t visit Xinjiang, you won’t know how big China is. If you don’t come to Ili, you won’t know the beauty of Xinjiang. The most beautiful season of the year in Yili is summer. Yining is the capital city of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture and a garden city on the western border.

We took the green train to Yining at 8:32 and bought sleeper berths, one lower berth, two middle berths, and one upper berth. My son insisted that I sleep in the middle bunk because he wanted to see a joke about me not being able to climb up. He didn’t expect that my sword was still young and my skills were still there, so he climbed up in no time! Old Liu said, I am a flexible fat man!

We were excited to watch the changes in the scenery along the way, looking forward to the new journey that was about to begin! The train travels all the way west, from meadows, farmland, Gobi, to mountains, and deserts. The scenery is beautiful, and the bright prospects make the trip worthwhile!

The train will arrive in Yining at noon. In the afternoon we went to Yining city for a walk. A must-see is the Ili River. The Ili River can be said to be the mother river of the Ili people. It originates from Khan Tengri Peak, flows through snow-capped mountains, grasslands, and valleys, winding and twisting, and finally merges into Lake Balkhash in Kazakhstan. The area around the Ili River is rich in water, grass, and trees, giving it a vibrant Jiangnan scene. No wonder Yili has been called "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall" since ancient times. Even Yili is often mentioned in martial arts novels!

The third day.

Sunny. "Around Sailim Lake, I ate a Russian salmon stocked in the lake for lunch, worth nearly 500 yuan, one fish and two. In the afternoon, I went to the border with Kazakhstan and stayed overnight in Qapqar County. Super 8 chain store.” (Pictured from Mom’s WeChat account)

Salim Lake is the highest, largest and most beautiful mountain lake in Xinjiang. It is also the last place visited by warm and humid air from the Atlantic Ocean. Hence the saying “the last tear of the Atlantic Ocean”. Sailimu Lake is like a bright "sapphire" inlaid in the Western Tianshan Basin. The lake is surrounded by mountains and the sky and water reflect each other. It is known as the "Tianshan Holy Lake". It is a place worth visiting. Take a deep breath, be in a daze, and enjoy the distance. Hope, everything is fine.

On the way to Sailimu Lake, we also passed the Guozigou Bridge. As the first cable-stayed bridge and the first high bridge in Xinjiang, the Guozigou Bridge is the largest and most important bridge in Xinjiang and a major breakthrough in the history of highway construction in Xinjiang. No matter from a distance, close up, looking up or down, it is very spectacular, integrating with the beautiful scenery of Guozigou, and is a perfect combination of natural landscape and modern engineering technology.

After walking around the lake, we set off to Horgos Port. Horgos Port is the leading port in Xinjiang. Horgos means "the place where wealth is accumulated" in Kazakh language. In 60 BC, the Han Dynasty established the direct jurisdiction over the Western Regions - the Protectorate of the Western Regions; during the Tang Dynasty, Horgos became an important post station on the northern route of the middle section of the Silk Road. In the Qing Dynasty, it served as a Chinese garrison post during the Qianlong period; during the Tongzhi period, after the demarcation of the border between China and Russia, it became a border checkpoint; in 1851, Horgos was designated as one of the Sino-Russian trade routes. At the Horgos Port, we viewed the first national gate boundary monument in the west, No. 324 (1), and the Qing Dynasty Stone Monument No. 18, and climbed to the viewing platform to see Kazakhstan on the opposite side.

Leaving the port, we headed south along the border. The sunshine is good, the air is good, and the mood is good. Along the way are the agricultural bases of the Construction Corps. The farmland and water conservancy are in order and neatly arranged. The poplar trees on both sides of the road have become green. Moreover, the crops of each regiment are slightly different, showing different characteristics. , I really admire the hard work of the frontier builders! Sigh for the great contributions of generations!

I originally planned to return to Yining late, but with such a beautiful scenery and good weather, I decided to go with it! We collectively decided to drive wherever we wanted, and by chance, we came to Qapchar.

Qapqal is the only multi-ethnic autonomous county in the country inhabited by the Xibo ethnic group. It is located on the south bank of the Ili River and the western end of the Zhongtian Mountains. "Qapqal" means "granary" in Xibe language. The Xibo people are originally from Shenyang, Liaoning Province. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, the Xibo people were transferred to Xinjiang to guard the border, forming the current Qapqal County. It can be said that this large-scale westward migration of thousands of miles was an unprecedented feat of "landing and guarding the border". At sunset, we happened to drive by the ancient city of Qapqal Xibo. At first glance, we saw the long city wall, which was gray and earthy. It was very immersive and reminded people of that distant historical memory.

The fourth day.

Sunny. Depart from Chapqar in the morning to Xiata and Zhaosu.

I thought it would take an hour or two, but I didn’t expect it to take more than half a day. That’s because the scenery along the way is so beautiful!

The Yizhao Highway is a shortcut from Yining to Zhaosu. It is a section of the "Gongyue Road" of the ancient Silk Road. Along the way, you have to cross the Wusun Mountain. The road is steep and winding, and there are deep cliffs on both sides. It seems to be traveling above the white clouds. But the scenery along the way is wonderful. You can see clouds and mist everywhere, herds of cattle and sheep, and wooden houses and yurts. The vegetation on the hillside is as green and hairy as if it were spread out. There are neat and orderly trees on the mountainside. The top of the mountain is covered with rocks and white snow, which are clearly layered and hazy. It’s graceful, like walking into the foothills of the Alps on the postcard. We stopped and walked, being attracted by the beautiful scenery from time to time, and kept taking pictures. We really wanted to take in all the beauty. We wanted to go directly to Xiata Scenic Area at noon, but my son said we should go to Zhaosu first, so we went directly to Zhaosu.

Zhaosu is located between the Tianshan Mountains and is the hometown of Tianma. The famous sweat-blooded horse comes from here. Zhaosu was also the seat of the ancient Wusun Kingdom of the Han Dynasty. We booked Zhaosu Hotel online and thought it was really good. We had dinner at the hotel at noon. Although it was past dinner time and there were only a few of us dining, the hotel service was still satisfactory. We ordered the Xinjiang Chicken Plate, which was a big plate full and gave us a good meal.

After taking a short rest in the afternoon, we went to walk around. The first stop was to go to the military horse farm. There were large green grasslands and trees on both sides of the road. The eyes were full of green and the clear blue sky. Such pleasant scenery was an unexpected surprise.

As said, Ili in July belongs to Zhaosu. Zhaosu brought me heart-stopping beauty. That day, I was deeply intoxicated by the vast expanse of grassland and the rapeseed flowers that looked like oil paintings painted on the sky. Especially the drizzle on the grassland, where I feel so quiet, so empty, and so vast. I suddenly feel that the world is vast and heaven and man are one. I really want to stay a little longer and let me take a deep breath quietly... and I want to pounce. Fall on the grass and have a long-lasting dream...

Throughout the afternoon, we didn’t want to go anywhere. We just watched the wonderful performance of Pegasus at the military horse farm, drove around in the grassland, and walked around in Wanwan. We patted acres of rapeseed fields and reluctantly returned until eight o'clock in the evening.

Continue to eat and eat at night. I didn’t expect that a small border town could still have unexpected delicacies. Especially the plate of mutton fried with chicken and mushrooms, the taste is extraordinary!

The fifth day.

Sunny. Depart from Zhaosu in the morning and go to Xiata Scenic Area. Xiata Scenic Area is located in Xiata Kirgiz National Township, Zhaosu County, at the northern foot of the main mountain range of the Tianshan Mountains.

We first drove to the gate of the scenic spot, then transferred to a shuttle bus, and then took an electric car. The traffic was a little more complicated, but the beautiful scenery along the way was so beautiful! It is said that Xuanzang of the Tang Dynasty passed through here when he went to the West to seek Buddhist scriptures. You can see large areas of primeval forests, grassland flowers, and clear flowing water everywhere. You can also overlook the second highest peak of the Tianshan Mountains - Hanteng, 6995 meters above sea level. The majestic appearance of Griffith Peak. It can be said that changing scenery every step of the way is like walking in a beautiful picture scroll.

Due to time constraints, there was no time to savor many of the scenery. After finally arriving at the core scenic spot, the passengers in the same car walked towards the snow-capped mountains to have a closer look. "The mountain is right there!" In fact, it has its own flavor when viewed from a distance or up close. And the mountain looks very close to us, but there is actually quite a lot of walking to get there. But for us, what we see in front of us is enough. Stand at one point, turn around and shoot 360 degrees at will, and you will get a picturesque view.

On the way back, we stopped at the "Tianma Bathing River" to see the flocks of sheep grazing by the river beach, and stopped to admire the rapeseed fields on the roadside. There was no one around. We seemed to be tourists who accidentally wandered into this natural beauty. We were a little excited and a little lucky. Have a hearty meal of freshly baked naan on the roadside at noon, then head all the way to Turks and stay in Bagua City in the evening.

Turks County is the largest and most complete Bagua city in the world. It is famous for the layout of the streets in the county. Bagua City is radially circular, with streets laid out like a magical maze, with connected roads and connected streets. Tekes Bagua City first appeared in the Southern Song Dynasty. It is said that Qiu Chuji, one of the Seven Sons of Quanzhen Taoism and the leader of the Longmen Sect, "Changchun Master" built the original prototype of Tekes Bagua City. We walked to the core of Bagua City, which is a large disc and connects streets in eight directions. It feels like "all roads lead to Rome". It is a small county town. I almost got lost while driving and navigating to find a hotel to stay in. It took a lot of effort to find my way out. It was like experiencing a Bagua maze!

The sixth day.

Sunny. In the morning, Turks set out for the Kalajun Prairie. Kalajun Prairie is the transition zone from the Western Tianshan Mountains to the Ili River Valley.

Kalajun is a Kazakh language, meaning "black wilderness". Because of the flowers blooming in five colors, it was named "the world's five-color flower alpine meadow grassland" by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

The mountains of Kalajun Grassland are undulating, and at the end of the green grassland are the snow-capped mountains. The broad view is refreshing. The sightseeing car is speeding in the vast grassland, and it feels like it is moving forward without end. People also jump with the ups and downs of the road, as if they are flying through life, but they don't know the east, west, north, and south. I occasionally see backpackers walking all the way! Envying like-minded people, partners, or close comrades-in-arms, or meeting by chance, going on a journey, or accompanying someone for a journey is also an opportunity.

After all, we just go with the flow and follow the sightseeing bus to stop and go, which can be regarded as visiting (attractions). But the random photos of the grasslands can be used as screensavers on computers and mobile phones. That grassland is the same as Microsoft’s screensaver. I also searched on Baidu for comparison. The scenery is good, or I deal with computers every day, but I am not as excited as I was on the Zhaosu grassland. Perhaps facing the prairie, I thought I could turn on the big computer in one go!

At noon, while dining on the grassland, I tasted mare’s milk for the first time. I didn’t realize the smell at once, it’s hard to describe in words! Mom drank it all in one gulp. At around 2:30 in the afternoon, we headed back. By this time, the sun was already very strong. Then we went straight to Yining. On the way down the mountain, there were clear streams and fruit bases popping up from time to time. It was a smooth journey, and we arrived in Yining at around 7 o'clock. We talked in the car and felt that Urumqi's itinerary was a bit lacking, so I said it would be fine to catch up tonight. Then I just did what I said and acted quickly. I returned the car, checked out, refunded the ticket, bought the ticket, took the taxi, and rushed all the way to Yining Railway Station to catch the 9:46 train to Urumqi. It was the first time for my mother to sit in the soft sleeper, and she thought it was pretty good.

The seventh day.

Sunny. There are no special arrangements in Urumqi today. In the morning, we took a taxi to go shopping in the city. The driver suggested that we could have fun in Shuimogou Park, so we went to the park for a walk, wandered to lunch time, and then found a random restaurant on the street to eat. After dinner, I felt sleepy and the sun was strong at noon, so I went back to the hotel to take a nap. When you want to sleep, you happen to fall asleep again. When you wake up, you feel like the sun is shining after the rain, and you are full of energy again. So we set off to visit Wanda again. I wanted to have a Xinjiang meal, but since it was still early, I went to Wanda’s supermarket first. There was a dazzling array of things in the supermarket, especially food. I bought a basket full of fruits, milk, etc. at once, so I simply bought some staple food and cold dishes and took them back to the hotel for dinner.

The eighth day.

Sunny. Depart from the hotel early in the morning and go straight to the airport. Everything was on time, we set off smoothly and arrived in Shanghai smoothly! China Southern Airlines’ in-flight meals are good. I also watched the movie "Midnight Sun", which was beautiful and touching.

After arriving in Shanghai, everything is easy! I bought a high-speed rail ticket and headed straight to Ningbo! Happy trip!