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 officially 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!
