大河古城

保持很好的古城，只是地方有点偏，赶了好久的路才到那边，而且附近没一家像样的吃饭的地方。古城有种时间的苍桑之感，很古老，很有味。

We were staying in Barkol during Spring Festival and located this sort of on the GPS. There were the usual odd road signs that helped and then left us at key points. We were very glad of the sign that I took a photo of. We parked nearby and tramped off through the snow - trying to keep on the concrete ridges under the snow as it was very deep. Luckily, this was the only thing that looked likely so we found it. Fabulous snow drifts in this remnant of a Tang garrison. The four sides and some gate details remain. Adds poignancy to the beacon towers all along the Barkol - Mori high valley road. We also enjoyed being in the village that we started out from, going down a lane past all the flocks and herds huddled in for the winter. Donkeys were roaming around eating the red fireworks wrappers and nibbling the gate couplets off the walls. When we got back to the car and broke out the thermos of coffee, we gathered a friendly crowd interested in all details they could get out of us. The giving and refusing of biscuits amused us all. (We visited in Feb, 2013, but it has taken me so long to write this that the date range won't go back that far.)

It's about 2 kms out into the middle of the plains, went in winter so on foot in the snow. All that is left from 1200 years is a high walled enclosure but on a sunny but windswept day in freezing temperatures you an feel the plight of the stationed Tang soldier.