Lanzhou: Deserts, Noodles & Mosques...

Lanzhou was not going to be a stopover, I wanted to make this Gansu Province city a whole destination in its own right! After aimlessly scrolling on '点评/Dian Ping', I stumbled upon a few hidden gems and you know I am always up for seeing something new! From those never-ending desert formations, to an authentic bowl of noodles, I even found time to sneak into a mosque! 

A geological wonder? A beautiful mistake? I wanted to know the truth and breakout from the confides of Lanzhou's city limits during the first morning of my only full day in the city! '水墨丹霞?' Those 'Ink Drop' mountains had me mesmerised, before I booked those flights to Lanzhou, I had China Highlights on speed dial! Well, a WeChat message! I was transfixed by those red and orange 'ink dropped' mountains, I needed to see them for myself! Sure as my word, I met my tour guide and driver outside my 'ATOUR Hotel" at the agreed time. I had not eaten any breakfast and had clocked those Northwest baked breads the previous night, I wanted something starchy and soft for my breakfast! Memories of my 2015 visit to 'Xi'an' came flooding back with that Hui Muslim bake in my possession! Get me to those mountains, quick-snap! A 50 minute drive took me out of the built up city to a wondrous golden and yellow oasis. Cheating the system, my guide retrieved my ticket after simply showing my passport number. 问题不在我, L! 

I had vowed to myself that no height would be taken on within China after my 2023 trip to Zhangjiajie, so was I mad visiting Danxia? The first peak, would worry me as much as the buggy ride to the top of the mountain range, that was manageable but hectic all the same! Real talk, I took the views from that first peak like nothing I had ever seen before, unbelievable it was! Shades of orange, red and yellow stayed mad at each other, it was like a mass of ink had been dropped onto that beveled mountain range, it was truly something else! No, I hadn't travelled to Nevada or New Mexico, I was still very much within China and for that reason I am still learning about this gargantuan country after being here since 2015! Something told me that I would need to see this beauty from another vantage point, I was ready! Walking out to a viewpoint in the middle of the huge mountain range had me scared but for no reason, I was fine! Those final views were magical, I knew that Lanzhou had hidden depths but this was beyond! Lunchtime? 

I was mad during that 2017 Lanzhou stopover, I had no time to get eat any '兰州拉面/Lanzhou Noodles' but 2025 had different plans for me! I was sneaky because my half day tour only included the mountain range visit but I wanted a top recommendation for those noodles! I got what I wanted, before I said goodbye to my guide I was ushered down an alley to an unassuming looking noodle restaurant. Ordering a bowl of vegetarian noodles was not part of the plan but I had to go with it, I still had the experience but those pieces of beef were not present. That was my fault because I not said the word '牛肉/Beef' whilst offering in Chinese. I was immersed within that noodle moment, four people were all pouring and stirring things up before I received my piping hot bowl of 'Lanzhou Noodles'. Lanzhou food is good in other places in China but when in 'Rome', you know it's always more authentic in their homeland! How would they taste? I wanted the rumours to be true! Coriander for days, I knew that smell would serve me well! Oh!

Everybody needs to know about such noodles, I slurped discreetly because those noodles deserved the respect! The hot seasoned broth was divine, tasting just right with enough coriander to sink a ship, I was good! Taking a moment to focus myself, those noodles tasted soft and well cooked, I had a fully realised '兰州拉面' moment in real time in their hometown! The mood in the restaurant was local, I was the only foreigner in the place and for the entirety of that trip thus far, I was literally the only '外国人/Foreigner!' Did I leave anything in the bowl, of course I didn't! I had not travelled all that way from Ningbo via that unknown city to leave anything in my bowl, I figuratively licked the bowl clean! The morning had been everything and my lunch had been delicious, I knew that I needed to find some faith because contrary to belief people actually practice the Muslim faith in China, Lanzhou's muslim vibe had me thinking I was back in a place like Birmingham! With no alcohol or pork consumed, it was all ‘清真/Halal!’

Now, I'm not religious but nothing fails because Lanzhou was the one, you'll come to realise in time. Was I lost in space? I did get a thrown a curve ball as I walked from the noodle place to Lanzhou's own '大关清真寺/Daguan Mosque'. I had been to a few mosques in China, I knew the game that I needed to play, I kept my cool and chose my moment. As a white man, I stood out like a sore thumb with possible miss-intentions to look around a place that didn't concern me. A religious house of god should not be off limits to a non-believer or even someone who appears to look different from the norm. Before I took my photos of this impressive city centre located mosque, I gingerly walked underneath the mosques entrance with both eyes on the prize. Stepping back a few paces, I found a shop connected to the front of the mosque that sold prayer mats and hats. I bought a prayer cap, where you blend in you don't get questioned. I hadn't done any research into where the Hui neighbourhood were, a visit to the mosque was a must! 走吧, L!

Blending in, I wore a grey 'Kufis' and walked up the stairs in the main prayer space. I saw two other men pray, that was the moment I had hoped for, to witness people praying honestly. Saying their prayers they did, I kept silent and my phone firmly in my pocket because I wasn't about to cause any unwarranted attention. Dotting my i's and crossing my t's, I left the mosque with a full heart, I had saw what I had set out to. I then didn't realise how a bus interchange would almost scupper my chances of a '小红书' worthy photo for this blog, fear not because I was already in my sleuth era! I did not appreciate those buses whirring past, I refused to board my very own struggle bus! No mam/sir! I clocked a door that lead to a perfect photo opportunity, I snapped away with unbothered caution because at the end of the day I cruised through for a photo, nothing more! Not cooking up anything like 'Nigella', I left that workspace because who am I to overstep the mark? Maybe I did need a drink? Sobriety had got me wild! I needed a rest! 

After staying in my hotel room for a little bit, I wanted to rest and finish up a blog post because I stand to be horrendously behind of schedule. Fresh from my intermission, I headed towards the '黄河/Yellow River' to see what was good as night had fallen early on! My walk from my hotel to the riverside was an interesting one, I was clearly ever sober because everything seemed as if it was in HD vision. I found the riverside with ease, the crowds were the reason I had to take my chances to duck and dive through the human forms of chaos. It was just a bit of water and lights, guys! Was it though! I heard 'Welcome to China' and '老外' many times with curious and prying eyes, no offence was meant, the curiosity became overwhelming. The wild thing was, I put my 'Kufis' on my head and people parted like an ocean during a divine moment. I was shocked but it stopped the fascination, but how crazy was that? I'll leave that extraordinary moment there! Taking it slowly, the early evening sky looked like it was midnight, those lights looked lush! Yes! 

Mind blown, now I know why such an unassuming river bridge caused such a commotion. The founding and first bridge to span the Yellow River, this bridge had once been made up of a make-shift design and became very treacherous for those who dared to cross it. After reading, I have found out that in 1909 the peril ended because a German and Chinese partnership allowed a sturdy iron bridge to make a firm crossing possible, now that's what I call a foreign friend! I personally didn't cross the bridge because it looked more appealing from the riverside walk. I later found out the lit up buildings stood under the ‘白塔山/Baita Mountain', 'White Pagoda Mountain' she better don't! I was hungry, I headed for some Halal food and then called it a night. I almost caught myself walking into a little 'Livehouse' situation but had pledged to myself that Lanzhou would be a sober trip! Lanzhou was cool, it was great to consciously step out and create memories in a place that I had visited by accident for a train ride several years before. OK!

More Than Noodles! 

Desperately Seeking Adventure