Cleaner Energy in Xinjiang

After Karakul Lake, we returned to Urumqi, then caught a bus east to Turpan. En route to Turpan, we passed by a wind farm. Although Chinese newspapers frequently tout the sundry eco-friendly projects in which the government invests, this was the first time we had been able to see the results of one of those projects. The basin in which Turpan sits is the lowest depression in all of China and much of it is unfarmable scrub and rock. It is heartening to know that the Chinese government is willing to put a few thousand windmills in such a bleak and breezy landscape. Although not particularly scenic, they conveyed a sense of pragmatism that many other Chinese engineering projects (e.g., Three Gorges Dam) seem to lack.
And if the wind farms aren't enough innovation for you, we've got another discovery. After arriving in Turpan, we chartered a private van to cart us around for the day. One of our first stops was at a gas station. A natural gas station, not a petrol station. Check out the photo.
Finally, we wished to share with you evidence of the simplest possible solution to a mechanical problem. Upon getting on our bus to Turpan, we noticed a big ol' rock sitting on the floor off to the side of the aisle. It seemed an odd piece of furniture, and none of the other passengers seemed to lay claim to it. We promptly forgot about it. Halfway to Turpan, however, a floor hatch in the bus blew open, revealing the pavement zipping by beneath the bus. The purpose of the rock suddenly became obvious: it was the replacement for the closing latch on the hatch. Also visible in this photo is a Uighur family, with the little girl offering her grandpa a bite of the bread her mother gave her to keep her busy. At the front of the bus you will note that the television was fully operational. Instead of a bit of Chinese TV or even a movie out of Hong Kong, the film appeared to be straight from Bollywood - yet another indicator that Xinjiang is a long way from Beijing.

Tune in tomorrow, as we take you through the ancient ruins of Gaochang....