| In these over-publicized times of China's new railroad | | | | Labuleng, contributing to the colorfulactivity that |
| to Tibet, one might be better off avoiding the tourist | | | | gives Xiahe its attractive allure. A three-kilometer |
| circus than rnning away with it. Indeed, unless the | | | | kora (spiritual walking circuit) halos the area and is |
| reader has a certain fondness for overbooked hotels | | | | heavy with foot traffic from dawn to dusk, whereby |
| and intrusive, red hat-wearing tour groups, Lhasa is | | | | crimson-robed monks and natively dressed Amdo |
| hardly the Tibetan delight that travel agencies | | | | pilgrims spinning hand-held mani wheels orbit the |
| continue to bill it as. | | | | monastery while breathlessly prostrating themselves |
| Fortunately, lesser-traveled Gansu province in | | | | and chanting. |
| northwest China offers the cultural charm of Tibet | | | | In between turning 1,200 vibrantly painted wooden |
| without the crowds. Sharing borders with six other | | | | prayer wheels, the resplendently ornamented nomads |
| provinces except Tibet, it is physically unobvious that | | | | rest beneath stupas to chat and sip yak butter tea, |
| Gansu would be home to any kind of Tibetan | | | | a veritable portrait of Tibetan culture. |
| population. This, coupled with the great shadows cast | | | | Visiting the holy capital city of Lhasa on the roof of |
| by the ever-popular neighboring Sichuan and Shaanxi, | | | | the world may sound thrilling, but increasing |
| results in Gansu being one of China's well-kept travel | | | | occupation and rampant tourism has rapidly diluted it |
| secrets.The narrowly arching province makes it | | | | from the serene getaway it once was. Xiahe, known |
| somewhat inconvenient to traverse, yet it is due to | | | | as Little Lhasa, in the Gansu highlands is a more |
| this shapely fact that the northern and southern | | | | intimate, and conveniently closer, alternative for |
| regions offer dramatically different topography, | | | | those desiring a secluded retreat of unadulterated |
| climate and culture, lending to Gansu's uniquely | | | | Tibetan culture. |
| varying harm. | | | | Transportation |
| Situated adjacent to both Xinjiang and Qinghai | | | | 1. Flights from Beijing to Dunhuang Airport, daily at |
| provinces, the small city of Dunhuang in Gansu's Hexi | | | | 7:30am (3 hours, 1,880 yuan) |
| corridor is famed for its mountain-sized sand dunes | | | | 2. From Langzhou to Xiahe, busses leave the North |
| and ancient Buddhist grotto cave art. A tree-trimmed | | | | Bus Station at 7am, 8:30am and 2pm (5 hours, 25 |
| oasis emmed by a limitless expanse of sand, | | | | yuan). |
| Dunhuang, once an important outpost along the Silk | | | | Accommodation |
| Road, is now a travel destination as hot as the | | | | 1. In Dunhuang, the Feitian Binguan located on |
| outlying deserts. | | | | Mingshan Lu directly across the street from the bus |
| On the theoretically and geographically opposite end | | | | terminal is a popular backpacker hangout, offering |
| of the province, the mountainous terrain of Xiahe | | | | dorm rooms and hot-water showers for only 20 |
| provides a cool, quiet respite from both the | | | | yuan. |
| sweltering sands and disorderly tour groups of | | | | 2. There are a number small inns of varying standards |
| Dunhuang. After threading through verdant grasslands | | | | along Renmin Jie in Xiahe, though the Tara and |
| grazing with yak, golden fields of wheat and | | | | Overseas youth hostels on the west end of town |
| undulating hills of the contiguous Qinghai-Tibetan | | | | seem to be the preferred choice (25 yuan for a |
| plateau, Xiahe suddenly appears beneath the surreal | | | | dorm bed). |
| blue sky like a monastic vision. | | | | Regional cuisine |
| Of the Gannon Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, | | | | Hand-pulled noodles and thinner beef-noodle soup |
| Xiahe is in fact no more than a simple slat-wood | | | | (saozi lamian) are provincial favorites. Hui-Muslim |
| settlement along the Daxia River physically and | | | | influences to the north include heavily seasoned |
| socially orbiting the impressive Labuleng, mainland | | | | mutton/lamb kabob (yangrou chuan), fresh baked |
| China's largest Tibetan monastery. Hugged up against | | | | bread (nang) and bushels of fragrant peaches and |
| the surrounding mountainside, the picturesque state | | | | watermelon. Tibetan fare is simpler, including the |
| known also as the Labrang Lamma monastery was | | | | notorious yak butter tea (po cha), a pungent, thick, |
| built in 1710 and accommodates six Buddhist | | | | salty beverage that Tibetans consume habitually, and |
| seminaries and over 500 monks of the Yellow Hat | | | | Tsampa, a nomadic staple of barley flour kneaded |
| sect. | | | | with butter tea to form an edible, nourishing dough. |
| Buddhists from across the region come to worship at | | | | |