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!
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