The main thing which interested me to visit Jiayuguan was an image I saw on google of an ancient guard tower on the edge of a fort surrounded by an arid, empty desert landscape, to even fly to this part of china was a spur of the moment decision and I didn't really know what I might find. The next morning after recovering from a flight and train ride I asked my hotel about visiting some of these ancient attractions and they were able to pair me with a driver for 180 rmb to take me to the three most popular ones on the west of town; The Overhanging Great Wall (Xuán Bì Cháng Xhéng), The Great Walls First Abutment(Cháng Chéng Dìyī Dūn), and The First Pass of the Great Wall (Jiāyù Guān).
After a car ride followed by a short golf cart ride, I was at the museum for the First Abutment. Inside there isn't too much to see except a couple old photos of the wall, and a group of belligerent tourists taking pictures of one another laying on the glass floor of a balcony looking over the Taolai River. This balcony would have a nice view, but with the commotion created by this glass floor, it is impossible to get a photo or even think for that matter; I did find an alternative viewing platform however inside the hallway leading to the mens bathroom. After I popped through the green plastic strips hanging from the door top, there was a wide and empty balcony from which the view was quite the same.
After a car ride followed by a short golf cart ride, I was at the museum for the First Abutment. Inside there isn't too much to see except a couple old photos of the wall, and a group of belligerent tourists taking pictures of one another laying on the glass floor of a balcony looking over the Taolai River. This balcony would have a nice view, but with the commotion created by this glass floor, it is impossible to get a photo or even think for that matter; I did find an alternative viewing platform however inside the hallway leading to the mens bathroom. After I popped through the green plastic strips hanging from the door top, there was a wide and empty balcony from which the view was quite the same.
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| View from the bathroom |
