There's an aquifer in the desert sand, water in the midst of this barren desert. There is some vegetation and a temple. This was the closest I got to it, I couldn't walk since I popped my right knee that morning. I can't believe the desert could be such a delight and could give pleasure to so many visitors. Dunhuang was at the very heart of the ancient Silk road and there are many reminders of it. This desert is a reminder of what the traders have to deal with, a vast tract of desert.
There could have camel caravans of several hundreds camels each time crossing this desert to get to Europe and to get back from Europe. I can't imagine doing it the way they did. For us, the distance was just too great and the time constraints means we need to fly. I'm reading a book on Genghis Khan right now, 'The Mongols, from Genghis Khan to Tamarlane'. They rode horses to get to Europe and to fight there. Today it is called 'insanity'.
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