Go West, Young Man

The Gansu Province (Administrative Region #14) is a decidedly different place from the China which I have hitherto come to know. Its surfeit of Buddhist relics and the presence of its very own (often neglected) Great Wall segment might lead one to believe that Gansu, at a mere 25 million people, is simply China lite. To the tourist, however, it is a peculiar mecca where the scenery is diverse and Central Asia begins its protracted collision with East Asia. Below, some breathtaking sand dunes outside of Dunhuang, the Great Wall in Jiayuguan, a peculiar monastery built into the side of a mountain near Zhangye, and a ceremony performed by Tibetan Buddhist monks at the Labrang Monastery in Xiahe. Our trip was also marked by frequent consumption of pulled noodles, the food for which the provincial capital, Lanzhou, is famous. Alas, I forgot to snap a picture every time.