Things to do in Minhe

The scenery at Tianti Mountain is delightful, with the Huangyang Reservoir's shimmering blue waters sparkling in the sunset. The view of the Buddha statue from the sky bridge is excellent; the setting sun casts its shadow on the Buddha, creating unique photographic opportunities. The overall tour route is short, making it easy for seniors and children to hike.

Lanzhou Old Street is quite close to the Yellow River Tower. We walked there after visiting the Yellow River Tower. The old street area isn't small, and it feels like a newly built commercial district. In the afternoon during the off-season, there were very few people. I wonder if it will be more crowded at night? The shops are mainly restaurants, plus souvenir shops. If you're passing by, you can check it out!

The Liujiaxia Reservoir is a large-scale hydroelectric power station built independently during the First Five-Year Plan. The green Yellow River and the earthy yellow mountain valleys complement each other beautifully, and the scenery along the bridge is also stunning. It's definitely worth a visit!

Before coming to Lanzhou, I had no idea what this bridge was like. I arrived around 3 PM; the sun was still blazing, and the iron railings on the bridge felt hot to the touch. This iron bridge, built in 1909, spans the Yellow River, looking sturdy yet silent. Standing on the bridge, the Yellow River surged beneath my feet, carrying the scent of silt. Speedboats darted out from under the arches, splashing up waves, and children on the bank screamed excitedly—their jubilation was unstoppable. I didn't rush up the mountain; instead, I found a seat at a teahouse under the bridge. I ordered a cup of "Sanpaotai" (a type of local tea), 15 yuan, with refills. The bamboo chair was a bit old, but just the right amount of comfortable. Several local old men around me were cracking sunflower seeds and playing chess, occasionally glancing up at the river and saying, "The water's risen again." That relaxed feeling is rare in tourist spots. You absolutely must try the Sanpaotai at the teahouse. Don't rush; sit for at least half an hour, just gazing at the river and daydreaming—that's the real deal. The cruise ticket is only a few dozen yuan, not expensive at all, and worth experiencing the view from under the bridge. Speedboats and sheepskin rafts are available on the shore; thrill-seekers can give them a try. Regarding photography: the "Zhongshan Bridge" stone monument on the south side of the bridge is a classic spot for photos. Take your time; although the sun is strong 🌞, the river breeze is very pleasant.

I took the 7:30 train, and only saw the Zhongshan Bridge lights come on during the last few hours. However, since Lanzhou is still very bright at this time, it looked almost like daytime. I recommend taking a later train if you want to see the night view.

The Tengger Desert is one of the famous scenic spots in Zhongwei, Ningxia. It is very close to Shapotou and has beautiful and charming scenery. It is very suitable for family travel. Riding a camel in the desert feels very comfortable and is many times better than the experience of gravel roads. The thrilling desert assault car and the fun of sliding down the sand on a plastic board from the slope are also very enjoyable. Overall, the desert play experience is still good. Pay attention to sun protection and safety, stay with your children all the time, capture the beautiful and happy moments, and embrace nature.

I was so happy to see pandas 🐼 and raccoons 🐻! The park is so big 😎 with two areas! Both driving 🚗 and walking 🚶🏻‍♀️ are so much fun 😆! In the drive-through area, you can interact with the animals 😏! Just turn around and there are adorable ❤️ animals walking right up to your car 😃! It was my first time getting so close to large animals! So exciting 💗! Even I, a kid, was thrilled! The walking area is very user-friendly 🙂 with escalators and sightseeing vehicles. A well-planned tour of the entire area 😎! You can see all sorts of animals you've seen on TV 📺 🦬

It's changed a lot; I haven't been here for ten years, but the scenery is still beautiful. The reservoir is azure, the Danxia landforms are magnificent, and the peaks stand tall. There are now man-made walking trails, which adds to the fun, and shuttle buses and escalators have been installed, making things much more convenient. Overall, it's quite good, and it's still the scenery I love!

As the first stop in Gannan from Linxia, ​​it's a pretty good tourist attraction, with all three viewing platforms worth taking photos at. However, even during the off-season holidays, the shuttle buses are hard to find, so I can only imagine how ridiculous the queues will be during the summer peak season.

In the mountains 20 kilometers south of Ledu City, an ordinary Lama temple on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau won the favor of Zhu Yuanzhang. Compared with the Taer Temple, which was established earlier, spontaneously planned and built by believers, and had no influence in the Ming Dynasty, the Qutan Temple is particularly prominent.        During the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, the country had been settled, but there were occasional riots on the border. The abbot of the temple, Sanluo Zang, came forward to persuade the various tribes in the area to submit to the Ming Dynasty and was granted by the emperor: Sanluo Zang was the chief of the Xining Seng Gang, in charge of 13 tribes, and was granted a golden plaque of Qutan (Qutan, meaning Gautama in Tibetan). Since then, successive emperors of the Ming Dynasty have been rewarded, and the temple has become more prosperous.        The temple basically adopts the Han-style temple system, and the stele pavilion, bell and drum tower and treasure hall constitute a typical official building complex in the early Ming Dynasty. Although it is located in the mountains, the landscape is excellent - it is backed by Luohan Mountain and faces the Qutan River. The Han-style central axis is symmetrically arranged, which is rare in Tibetan Buddhism. Based on the royal bloodline, the overall pattern is calm and majestic, imitating the royal architectural style and main pattern, which is a great gift and status symbol in the class-strict imperial society.        Today, the temple presents the ancient building as its original appearance, with a strong sense of time. The two wings are arched upwards and connected with the unique corridors. The treasure is the huge colorful murals - 2,300 square meters of Ming and Qing murals with rich and gorgeous colors, delicate and vivid brushwork, clear and natural layers, and a strong sense of realism, which is extremely precious.