Things to do in Shihezi

Day 5 of Journey to the West Today's itinerary Shihezi-Bole, 360 kilometers Depart at 10 o'clock. The oil price in Shihezi is 8.93 yuan, and the fuel cost is 318.89 yuan. The wind here is relatively small. Walking on the road with less crosswind, the fuel consumption of the car should be slightly reduced. In Shihezi, you must go to the Xinjiang Corps Military Reclamation Museum, which opens at 10:30. In the square at the main entrance of the museum is a huge sculpture of General Wang Zhen, the former commander of the First Column of the Northwest Field Army. The general next to the warhorse holds a telescope in his right hand and his left palm down, as if caressing this beautiful land. The general's signature smile conveys the optimistic spirit of the communist revolutionaries. The old man gave Xinjiang infinite hope and selfless and fearless dedication. The sculpture in the square opposite the museum is the first plow of the military reclamation. It was this first plow that opened up a new world. How many people have paid their youth and lives for it, so that there are green fields and happy lives in the Gobi Desert today. People who visited the museum lined up at the door early. After the visit, I realized that not only Shihezi, but also many people in the vast northern Xinjiang have dedicated their youth to the Gobi Desert like Shihezi. I was listening to the song "Why are the flowers so red" all the way. It sings: "... Why are the flowers so fresh? Why are they so fresh? Hey, they are so fresh that people can't bear to leave. It is watered with the blood of youth." From the barren Gobi Desert in the past to the beautiful Shihezi today, it is the Gobi rose watered with the blood of youth. There are tall and straight poplars and elms with dense branches and leaves on both sides of the road. The endless green fields come into view. Who would think that this was once a Gobi Desert with no grass? Every piece of land and every oasis is sprinkled with the efforts and blood of the Corps. The Corps people planted not only oases here, but also endless hope, which is a Chinese miracle!

A place worth revisiting. Worth watching. Worth everyone's appreciation

Tianshan Golden Phoenix, Jade Manas. Selenium-rich valley, ecological gallery, charming Xiaohaizi Village, is located in Guangdongdi Township, Manas County, Changji Prefecture, Xinjiang. Xiaohaizi Village is adjacent to Manas National Wetland Park, and Tiaoyu Island Scenic Area is located in it. It is rich in tourism resources, has obvious location advantages, and convenient transportation conditions. Relying on its resource advantages, Xiaohaizi Village has successfully created the brand positioning of "bridge waterfront, happy fishing village, and charming Xiaohaizi". Looking down at the whole village, the green trees are thick, the clear water is surrounded, and the criss-crossing ridges of the fields are shaded, just like the beautiful scenery of the Jiangnan water town. Walking into Xiaohaizi Village, the white-walled and black-tiled Hui-style buildings are scattered in an orderly manner. In front of every household, there are lush vegetation and colorful flowers. Here you can see the mountains, the water, and remember the homesickness. The unique farmhouses and fishing houses are filled with laughter from time to time, and the aroma of delicacies in the air hits people's taste buds. In order to meet the personalized and diversified needs of tourists, tourists can enjoy the beautiful scenery and delicious food while feeling the local stories and receiving red education. Here, the fish and rice water town, the bridge waterfront, the happy fishing village, and the charming small lake in the Western Region can be seen, tasted, experienced, and taken away by tourists. They can eat to their heart's content, stay comfortably, play happily, travel to their heart's content, and shop to their satisfaction, creating an immersive cultural tourism consumption scene in all aspects.

I rode to the Big Buddha Temple yesterday and took a look inside. It is quite large and square in layout. The main hall is in the middle. I paid homage to the open-air Sakyamuni Buddha! You can burn incense but not paper. It is a free attraction!

Have you seen the musical fountain? In the evening, the Musical Fountain Square is crowded with people. The fountain dances up and down to the rhythm of the music, sometimes soothing, sometimes rushing, sometimes jumping, and sometimes shaking, forming beautiful waves.

We arrived at the scenic area gate at 9:00 AM. The advantage of arriving early was fewer people; there were no queues at all. On the shuttle bus ride, our guide gave a detailed explanation of the classic tour routes. We chose the cable car and the mountain climb. The view of Tianchi Lake from the observation platform, with the distant Bogda Peak, was fantastic.

Narat Grassland is quite beautiful, especially the aerial grassland, which is stunning. You can drive there; just buy a self-driving ticket. There are also shuttle buses. The area is quite large. Panlong Valley Road, however, was just average, not as beautiful as I expected. The river valley grassland was teeming with cattle and sheep, but since it was nearing autumn, the grass wasn't as green anymore. I happened to be there during a grassland music festival. There were no celebrities, and the audience wasn't large, but the park was very well organized. There were large, clean temporary restrooms, and plenty of police, so everything was orderly. The only downside was that the parking lot was a bit far from the concert venue, as the venue was quite large. Because it's relatively remote, there weren't that many tourists there.

Karamay's World Devil City is a Yardang landform sculpted by wind and sand over millions of years. A ride on the scenic train through the Gobi Desert reveals uniquely shaped rock formations rising from the barren landscape. The wind howls through the ravines, giving the place its name, "Devil City." At sunset, the changing light and shadow bathe the hills in a warm gold, creating a desolate yet breathtaking scene. The area possesses a vast, wild atmosphere, perfect for photography. Remember to bring sun and wind protection; it's a must-see natural wonder on the Northern Xinjiang loop.

石河子军垦第一犁是老一辈人艰苦奋斗的象征。

Bayinbuluke is definitely worth a visit. Besides swans, we also saw Siberian red-billed gulls at the Swan Sanctuary, and the interaction between the lambs and swans was particularly interesting. It's really cold up there, so be sure to dress warmly! The scenic area is much larger than I expected. From the entrance to the main attractions, even with no stops and a speed limit of 60 km/h, it takes about an hour, so be sure to allow plenty of time. The weather was exceptionally good the second time, and I wanted to go back in to watch the sunset. However, when I arrived at the scenic area at 6:30 PM, the staff said the sightseeing bus had already stopped running, so I unfortunately missed it. 🥲 If you want to see the sunset, be sure to check the last sightseeing bus time in advance. Also, if you're driving, after watching the sunset, drive slowly and carefully as it gets dark.