Day 10 - Hami to Dunhuang

Just a light breakfast today. We have a seven hour drive to Dunhuang. More of the Gobi desert. Dulkun entertained us by reading from his list of English sayings. He keeps a 3-ring binder in which he has collected over 400 sayings. ex.. "Don't cry over the spilt milk". When we reach Dunhuang and depart for lunch Dulkun remains on the bus and will return all of the way to Urumqi with the driver and his fiance who they will pick up in Hami. The lunch is fantastic. It includes a meat dish that is finished at the table by stirring the meat in hot rocks. Dunhuang is a town of 180,00 people. They only receive 40mm of rain fall a year, that's about 1.5 inches. Our room is hugh and very nice. Back on the bus we visit the Mogao Grottoes. They gathered up all of our large cameras and put them in a box, again no pictures. The grotto caves were beautiful. The first contained a 35 foot carved statue of budda. The second contained a sleeping budda that was lying down. He was maybe 50 feet long and surrounded with about 50 statues of worshiping citizens. Very impressive. We were led to the "art gallery" which turned out to be a gift shop. Back in the parking lot were the vehicles of the Amsterdam to Beijing group. Next we drove to the Mingsha (sighing) Sand Dune. We rode camels and climbed the dunes. Some of us rode down the dunes in wooden sleds. Peter and Scott took ulralite rides. Cyd and I opted out of dinner. We walked into town and used the ATM as well as shop for cold water and a few sweets. Three girls at the store enjoyed helping us.