After Lanzhou and a glimpse of Tibet in Xiahe, the trip continued through the Hexi Corridor: historically, the strategic passage to get into China from central Asia. In Jiayuguan I visited the renovated fort that once was one of the main outposts of the eastern part of the Great Wall. Then, with a detour to Dunhuang, I got a look at the Taklimakan Desert and visited the famous Mogao Caves with yet again numerous carved and painted buddhas.

After visiting Beijing and its surroundings, I started heading west and experienced the first of a long series of travels by train which characterized the whole trip. Traveling by train in China is horrible and at the same time fascinating. It all begins entering a wonderfully crowded station in which about one thousand men, women and children of all kinds and with all sort of luggage want to get on the train… your train!

This summer I traveled along the entire Chinese section of the Silk Road. My interest started some years ago after reading Michael Yamashita’s amazing “Marco Polo: A Photographer’s Journey” (published by White Star). In the book, the famous National Geographic’s photographer brings to life the legendary expedition of the 13th-century Venetian merchant to Cathay (China), first crossing central Asia and than back through the South-East and India.