China: The Adventure Begins!!
July 11th was a whirlwind of a day.
In the days leading up to our 28 hours of travel to the other side of the world, we resigned our jobs, packed up and moved our apartment, said our “bon voyages” to family and friends then jumped on a plane to begin this adventure.
By the time we arrived in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China at 12am local time, we were exhausted. Luckily Annie’s cousins picked us up right at the airport. When we groggily arrived to Annie’s childhood home we were greeted by three more smiling faces; Annie’s Mom and Grandparents. Communication was a challenge, but we managed our thank yous and gift giving (Wisconsin ginseng!). They warmly welcomed us with almond milk, V18, and some delicious, beet-red, dragon fruit. Sleep came almost instantly, we were finally comfortable.
The next day was rough, helllllooo jetlag! Even though it pains us to say we weren’t the “go-getters” we normally are (cough: sleeping about 18 hours), we kindly asked our hosts if we could spend the day resting and relaxing. The family had one ask, that we join them for dinner. We were excited, hungry, and nervous.
Our nerves were put at ease, and we were greeted with open arms and a bountiful full table of food. The evening was full of cheer and great cuisine. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly. There was even a moment of song followed by a cheers greeting us. Even though we had a large language barrier we felt greeted at the table like family.
If there is one takeaway from the first night of food culture, it is that you’ll never leave a table hungry or thirsty. The hosts continuously fill your plate and cup with such great abundance.
Experiencing Urumqi
Since we arrived earlier than the rest of the family, we were lucky enough to see some of the cultural and culinary hotspots in Urumqi. One of Annie's childhood friends, Wang, was very kind and showed us the city. Two highlights of Urumqi to the Xinjiang Museum and the Grand Bazaar, and got some amazing street food.
We would have never found the restaurant, in an alleyway two turns off the main road. The food was delicious. We were saying "Měiwèi" and "hao shi" ("Delicious" and "good food") at almost every meal!
We went to a traditional Uighur barbecue restaurant that evening with our friend Wang and had our first serving of skewer kebobs. They came fresh off the grill and were seasoned with a delicious and slightly smoky seasoning.
The next day he also showed us Wanda Plaza an enormous 5 story shopping complex with an entire floor of restaurants. There was a bustle of shoppers and residents as this mall was located in the new area of Urumqi. There were over 20 cranes on the skyline, all building new apartments and condos.
For lunch at the mall, we had another table full of delicious food. Some interesting firsts for us: Sheep's blood soup and Congee soup.
Family Arrives!
Before we knew it the rest of the cousins, family and friends arrived from the United States and the festivities and wedding preparation began.Before everyone got into "full" wedding preparations we were fortunate to have two excursions. The first trip was to one of China's historic National Parks: Nalati Ili Grassland. This park is about 75 miles from the border of Kazakhstan. The terrain and mountains are stunning.
The river valley grasslands have a storied history, especially with it's namesake. Under the Song Dynasty in China, during 1127-1279, Genghis Khan and his armies were marching through the desert, losing numbers rapidly due to dehydration. They crossed a mountain and arrived in these grasslands. With plentiful water and game to hunt, they yelled, "Nalati, Nalati" and the name for the region has remained since.
We all spent two days there, hiking, sightseeing, some of us riding horses taking in the beauty. The rounded plateaus are unlike anything we've ever seen. The Tianshan Mountains were far off, but still visible with snow caps.
In the park were many nomadic Kazakh and Mongolian Yurts. Farmers still rotate animals and work the land, like they have been for generations.
After the incredible journey to Nalati, we all joined Annie's father and other family members and friends to a traditional Yurt experience, complete with dancing. Uncle Jim busted some mad dancing skills with Annie's dad and they definitely created a strong bond before the wedding, which was great to see and be a part of!
We had an amazing time traveling in the Xinjiang region. We ate many delicious meals, saw breathtaking landscapes, and experienced the warmest hospitality from Annie's family and friends. The pre-wedding travel was an experience in itself, but the next few days in China were full of preparation, travel and activities.
:) More to come!
-Linds and Ryan
