It’s lunch time now for wonderful Lanzhou cuisines (presented beautifully!!) here at a pretty Chinese Restaurant after visiting White Pagoda Hill Park, Lanzhou Waterwheel Park & Yellow River (Huanghe) Mother Sculpture in the morning :

Real dirty-looking & muddy Yellow River (Huanghe)………….

Heheh, we’ve just got a pretty delightful Yellow River (Huanghe) Cruise here in Lanzhou – Still missing the Sheepskin Rafting though, but this’s the best & it’s the closest we could get to the famous much-talked-about River in China!!

Hahah it’s only been one night sleeping aboard the Deluxe Oriental Express Train travelling last night from Xi’an to Lanzhou (arriving this morning!), yet there’re complains about NOT being able to bathe in the Train cos there isn’t any warm or HOT water at all, except freezing COLD water!!

As for myself, I’m pretty ok cos weather’s been pretty cold since this morning, & remembering my uni days back in Australia where I never bathed for a couple of days in a row, cos weather was simply too cold during Winter hahahha!! And really I still smelt sososoo good heheheh!!!

Nevertheless, cos of the complains & requests from Tour members, our Chinese Tour Guide decided to let us check into Lanzhou Ying Bin Hotel - well, for an additional charge (to ourselves!) at 200RMB for a Room, which I shared with my brother-in-law Ah Hia!!

Not too bad, though just for 2 hours, our whole Tour group has a good resting time having an amazing bath (well, actually just a Shower!!) in the huge Bathroom, & sleeping for a while on the comfortable bed (no Train bed for now!!) at the Hotel………….

We’re now inside this Chinese Restaurant (after checking out of Lanzhou Ying Bin Hotel) for our Dinner of wonderful Lanzhou Cuisines – seen standing here below is our new Chinese Tour Guide (Xiao Chen who’s replaced our Xi’an Tour Guide) who’s travelled with us on the Deluxe Oriental Express Train from Xi’an last night :

Hey there’s even Chinese Roast Duck!! heheh dreaming of China’s Peking Duck right now……….but these’re equally delicious!!

See our most sumptous spread of wonderful yummy yummy Lanzhou Cuisines – it’s really one good dinner we’re having right here!!

But to our surprise, we’re served yet another last Dish – hahah not quite expecting the ingredients though………ahmmm………..may be they’re the left-overs from cooking our Dinner Cuisines………… 

And of course how can we move on, out of Lanzhou, back to our Deluxe Oriental Express Train tonight  to continue on our way along the Silk Road without grabbing some beautiful Lanzhou Souvenirs huh!??!?

Love these beautiful Chinese Embroidered Ornaments………….

Well, it’s been a most enjoyable whole day of sightseeing & yummy yummy Lanzhou Cuisines here in the Capital of Gansu intersected by the Silk Road at Northwestern China – now it’s time to bid Lanzhou Goodbye as we reboard the Deluxe Oriental Express Train back inside our Cabin (same as last night’s) to continue on our mysterious Silk Road journey…………….

Built in 1994 & located on the West side of Binhe Road in Lanzhou City, the Capital of Gansu in Northwestern China - Lanzhou Waterwheel Park covers an area of 1.45 hectares…………

Right inside Lanzhou Waterwheel Park is a Sketch Map & Briefing of the famous Park :

Here’s Me standing infront of the 2 largest Waterwheels inside Lanzhou Waterwheel Park (still drizzling now)………..

At 16.5 metres in diameter, these Waterwheels are Ancient Irrigation Devices that use flowing or falling water to create power by means of a set of Paddles mounted around a Wheel. The force of the water moves the Paddles, & the consequent rotation of the Wheel is transmitted into Machinery via the Shaft of the Wheel.

There were many Irrigation Machines in Lanzhou, which is the only City through which the Yellow River (Huanghe) flows, & the Waterwheel is the oldest one – invented by an Imperial Official named Duan Xu during the Ming Dynasty.

Beautiful snapshots of the Yellow River (Huanghe) beside Lanzhou Waterwheel Park – though looking real muddy this tranquil scene of the Yellow River amidst the local Chinese Sleeping Willow Trees does look very gorgeous to Me :

No wonder Lanzhou was once called “The City of Waterwheels“…………..

HEY what are those down below there at the Park beside the Yellow River (Huanghe)?!?! Looking like Piglets to Me ahhaha!!

OH WHAT!?!? These are Sheepskin Rafts!! Oh DEAR!!!

I’ve NEVER seen anything like these unique Sheepskin Rafts!!! Have you!??!

Called the Sheepskin Rafts of the Yellow River (Huanghe) & most popularly seen along the banks of the Yellow River – these Rafts were firstly used as Water Transportation Ferries in Troops during the Han Dynasty, then later used to carry people across the Yellow River! 

The following are descriptions of Lanzhou Sheepskin Rafts :

Poor Poor Sheeps – now that I’m having much closer looks at them & touching them…………they feel very tough & hard & kinda eerie to me :

But they really seem more like whole Pigs (rather than just Pig Skins) than Sheepskins to me!!

Haha wondering why there’re Muslims here in China!?!? Well, the first major Muslim settlements in China consisted of Arab & Persian Merchants who reached China through the Ancient Silk Road, & these Muslims later married the Chinese people here in China.

Altogether, Chinese Muslims account to 1.5% of China’s population, at a number of 20 million (WHOA there’s alot!!) - scattered throughout China but mostly found in Northwestern China & here in Lanzhou being located in Northwestern China has its large share of Chinese Muslims.

The following’s a huge Poster seen here inside Lanzhou Waterwheel Park that reads in Chinese translated to English – “Welcome Aboard Sheepskin Raft Cruising Over Yellow River (Huanghe)” :

Let’s see a close-up snapshot from the above Poster showing the Chinese riding on a Sheepskin Raft across Yellow River (Huanghe) :

Guess what!??! There’re still Sheepskin Rafts available here in Lanzhou & tourists like myself can ride on one across the vast Yellow River!!

Hahah I’ve done Water Rafting in Cairns Australia before, but never Sheepskin Water Rafting heheh!!

Sounds really cool & most interesting huh, unfortunately there’s no sufficient time for my Tour group (that including Me!!) to take up the Cruise at all (((

Hahah it’s indeed a real cool special way of getting to know what & how the Ancient Chinese people make use in their daily living here along the banks of the massive Yellow River (Huanghe) - pretty hard as it seems, we can only imagine looking at the Waterwheels & Sheepskin Rafts………..

Before I leave Lanzhou Waterwheel Park for my next sightseeing tour – here’s the most extraordinary Lanzhou Souvenir that one can bring back home – but NOT for Me cos I feel kinda yucky just thinking about the many poor poor Sheeps……….

Shortly after leaving Lanzhou Waterwheel Park, we arrive at the site of yet another famous Yellow River highlight - the Yellow River Mother Sculpture.

Referred to as the Mother River (or “Mu He” in Chinese) - the Lanzhou people erected the Yellow River Mother Sculpture here by the side of the River as a tribute to it – here below inscribed on the black Marble Tablet reading “Huanghe Mu Qin” as in “Yellow River Mother” Sculpture :

Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in Western China, the Yellow River (Huanghe) flows through 9 Provinces of China & empties into Bohai Sea. The Yellow River Basin has an East-West extent of 1900km, & a North-South extent of 1100km, with a total Basin area of 742,443km.

Here’s Me standing infront of the Yellow River Mother (or “Huanghe Mu Qin”) Sculpture :

Innitially refered simply as “River” or “He” (in Chinese), the Yellow River (Huanghe) later gets its name cos of its Ochre-Yellow colored muddy water in the lower course of the River – the Yellow color having come from loess suspended in the water. For this muddy water, the Yellow River is sometimes poetically called the “Muddy Flow“!!

Actually, the Yellow River (Huanghe) has another rather sad name to it being called “China’s Sorrow” due to the frequent devastating floodings (almost 1600 times in the last 3000-4000 years!!), cos of the elevated River bed in its lower course from large amount of loess carried by the River & continuously deposited along the bottom of the River’s canal.

Nevertheless, the Yellow River (Huanghe) has nourished generations of the Chinese people here in China & has earned the proud name “China’s Pride“………..

And to the Chinese people, this Yellow River Mother (& Baby) Sculpture represents China (which is the Baby) being nourished & loved by his Mother (which is the Yellow River)…………

Well, I’ll end here with the following interesting Chinese Signboard seen outside the Yellow River Mother Sculpture that reads in direct English Translation as “Love Me Yellow River, Green Me Golden City” literally meaning “Love my Yellow River, Make Green my Golden City” (since Lanzhou used to be called “Golden City“) :

Our Mysterious Silk Road Oriental Express Train’s now approaching Lanzhou Train Station in Northwestern Gasu Province in China :

Here’s a Map of Gansu Province (where Lanzhou is its Capital) Intersected by The Silk Road in Northwestern China :

We travel past Lanzhou University which is the Best University in Northwestern China :

Now arriving at the White Pagoda Hill Park (or “Baita Shan Gong Yuan” in Chinese) - located at the Northern Bank of Yellow River (Huanghe) at Lanzhou – Capital of Gansu – Intersected by The Silk Road in Northwestern China :

Established in 1958, & named after the White Pagoda Temple that crowns the summit of its steeply terraced slopes, the White Pagoda Hill Park occupies an area of more than 8000 square metres : 

Here’s my Addmission Ticket to the White Pagoda Hill Park :

From the main Entrance of the White Pagoda Hill Park we see the muddy Yellow River (Huanghe)  - heheh I finally get to see the famous Yellow River…………

Right infront of the White Pagoda Hill Park across the Yellow River (Huanghe) stands Zhongshan Bridge which was the old crossing point for Travellers & Merchants heading North on the Ancient Silk Road here in China………….

Before Zhongshan Bridge was built, there were many Floating Bridges over the Yellow River (Huanghe), but only one existed for over 500 years – Zhen Yuan Floating Bridge which was made up of more than 20 Boats, tied up by ropes & chains.

It floated on the River to help people pass over, but it was not solid or safe enough, & almost every year floods destroyed the Bridge killing people. During Winter, when ice built up on the River, the Bridge had to undergo costly process of being disassembled & then rebuilt again in the Spring.

In 1909, during the reign of Emperor Guangxu during Qing Dynasty, the Iron Zhongshan Bridge was built (with materials transported from Germany) in Lanzhou City infront of Jin Cheng Pass (or “Golden City Pass” cos Lanzhou used to be called the Golden City).

Zhongshan Bridge was innitially named “Lanzhou Iron Bridge over Yellow River“, & later renamed “Zhongshan Bridge” in 1942 after the Chinese name of Dr Sun Yat-Sen to commemorate the foremost Pioneer of Republic of China – Father of the Nation.

We’re now inside the tranquil White Pagoda Hill Park which consists of lovely Pavilions & green forests :

And it’s visiting the Ladies Toilet first before we ascend the White Pagoda Hill………….OH MY GOD I’m not quite prepared for what I’m about to be seeing ahahhaha!!!

WHEW!! I did get a shock upon seeing the OPEN Ladies Toilet!! Yeah Yeah I’ve actually heard tons of stories about the Chinese Toilets in China from Mom & Dad but to be actually seeing one such “Toilet” with my own eyes is indeed a true Cultural Shock experience!!

For a far cry from the ugly Toilet scene – here’s a beautiful Chinese Sculpture carved on the wall at the White Pagoda Hill Park :

And below’s a large poster featuring Places of Interests in Lanzhou here at Northwestern China – spread out at the foot of the White Pagoda Hill, lined with beautiful colored fresh flowers………….

And here’s another large poster that reads ”White Pagoda Hill Park Welcomes You“ (which means ”Baita Shan Gong Yuan Huan Ying Ni” in Chinese) with pic of the grand Park located infront of Zhongshan Bridge over the Yellow River (Huanghe) :

Most of our Tour Mates have decided not to climb up the White Pagoda Hill except for a couple of us from the Green A Team of our Mysterious Silk Road with Deluxe Express Train Tour…………

Here’s Me standing on the steep slope leading up the White Pagoda Hill – weather’s pretty cold today here at Lanzhou in Northwestern China……………

Views of Zhongshan Bridge over the very muddy Yellow River (Huanghe) as we climb up the Hill………..

Ahahahah here’s when my height phobia kicks in as I hold on tightly onto the metal railing………….

Hahah I finally reach the “top” of the White Pagoda Hill – well, almost………but not quite cos the highest point is at the peak where the White Pagoda Temple stands – which I’ve decided I shall not visit due to exhaustion…………

Well, the White Pagoda Temple was built in honor of a famous Tibetan Lama, who died from sever illness on his way to meet Genghis Khan who was the Founder & Emperor of Yuan Dynasty at Lanzhou City – here below shows the White Pagoda Temple up at the hilltop :

Here’s Me seated at the White Pagoda Hill Park Pavilion (at the foot of long staircases leading to the White Pagoda Temple at the hilltop) overlooking the real muddy Yellow River (Huanghe) here at Lanzhou in Northwestern China :

There’s also view of the Iron Zhongshan Bridge across the very muddy Yellow River (Huanghe) down at the foot of the Pagoda Hill Park :

And if you’ve noticed, I’m actually sitting far from the Pavilion edge cos due to my fear of heights - I’m feeling so afraid of falling over down the steep & very high Hill from up here!! Aahahah timid timid Me!!!

Back at the foot of the White Pagoda Hill Park, we see a large White Goat Statue leading the Chinese Animal Zodiac, cos the year 2006 is the Goat Year according to the Chinese calender :

Here’re the rest of the Chinese Animal Zodiac Statues :

There’re 12 Animals in the Chinese Zodiac – each Animal representing a Year in a 12-year cycle. Each month has an Animal attributed to it (eg. Dec being the Pig etc), as well as each Hour of the Day.

In these, Chinese Astrology draws on the Position & Interaction of Natural Phenomena which is grouped into 5 Elements : Water, Wood, Fire, Metal & Earth.

Taken together, these factors make for 8640 combinations (5 elements, 12 animals, 12 months, 12 times of day).  

And according to Chinese Astrology, it’s the Position of these 5 Elements & the Zodiac Sign at the time of one’s birth that determines one’s destiny in life…………..

Well, I’ve now come to the end of my Visiting the White Pagoda Hill Park located infront of Zhongshan Bridge at Northern Bank of Yellow River (Huanghe) at Lanzhou – Capital of Gansu – Intersected by The Silk Road in Northwestern China………..

For those travelling to Lanzhou – this’s got to be one cool Place of Interest that you’ve got to check it out!!