Urumqi
Urumqi (Wulumuqi),
situated on the northern slope of
the Tianshan Mountains is most famous
for being the furthest city in the
world from the ocean. A relatively
new city (founded in 1763), the most
land locked area in the world is essentially
a modern and drab place, resembling
a Russian industrial town in many
ways, with few sights of interest
but a lively resident population who
sustain enough intrigue to hold you
here for a day or two. This is also
a compulsory stop in terms of transportation
(and has been since the Silk Road
opened) throughout Xinjiang, and the
spectacular Heaven's lake, a day trip
from the city, justifies a visit to
this area in itself.
Previously known as Dihua,
meaning "Enlightening and Civilizing",
the Chinese renamed the city in 1884
to its present day tag, Wulumuqi.
Although the feeling and atmosphere
here is predominantly Uigur, in fact,
80% of the population are Han Chinese.
Long an important trading center,
the Han Chinese population today dominate
the industrial and commercial side
of the city, with huge department
stores and factories ruling the skyline
here. An exploration of the older
streets and the Uigur area known as
Erdaoqiao provides a more interesting
look at the different nationalities
living in the city.
One thing to bear in mind
here is the time! Although officialy
run according to Beijing time, residents
actually live life two hours behind
Beijing. This does not however, affect
train, plane and bus times, so make
sure you are absolutely sure when
you are supposed to leave and which
time zone is being used!
|
