The term ``Silk Road'' conjures up images of ancient traders, with their caravans, peddling wares in remote outposts, running across Asia and Europe. Even now, when one traverses this historic path, the same quaint feeling of going back in time -- a time when the terrain was rugged, the road not so well-developed; a time when traders bartered their goods and ideas; and a time when for the first time literally the East met the West.

Of course things and times have changed. The prosperity that was the Silk Road may be missing in most of the towns and cities along its path but they are still there, a mute and visible testimony to a bygone era.

The ancient trade route started in the old capitals of Luoyang and Xi'an (Chang'an of yore) in Shaanxi Province, reached the Yellow River at Lanzhou in Gansu Province, then skirted westward along deserts and mountains before dividing into three routes at the oasis of Dunhuang, also in Gansu. The greater part of the Silk Road then threaded its way through the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

But we traveled in the opposite direction, moving from Urumqi and Turfan in Xinjiang; getting into Dunhuang and Jiayuguan; finally finishing the trip in the Gansu capital of Lanzhou. The Silk Road tour was not only an exercise in exertion but also a vivid lesson in history. The many bus-and-train journeys during the six-day trip brought to the fore a vast expanse of land, most of it uninhabited, barren and deserted.

The omnipresent Gobi Desert makes its presence felt in the sands of time and the remnants of the ancient Gaochang City or Old Ghost Town in Turfan and the Echoing-Sand Mountain, or Mingsha Shan, in Dunhuang. Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, is a curious mix of old and new; highrises jostle with ancient minarets; Holiday Inn vies with Kunlun Guest House. With its well laid-out streets and topography and despite an unprepossessing exterior, Urumqi, meaning ``beautiful pastures'' in Mongolian, still retains an old-world charm, which is missing in much of China's modern cities.

But Urumqi's actual charm lies outside the city, mainly Tianchi (Heavenly Lake). Nestling in the Tianshan Mountain (Heavenly Mountain) range, 115 kilometers northeast of Urumqi, Tianchi, used to be called Yaochi (Jade Lake). Hemmed in by majestic snow-crowned peaks (in the winter) west of the Bogda Mountains and nourished by the waters coming from the glaciers, the azure lake, with its crystal-clear water, lies 1,980 meters above sea level. Locals sell their wares, including renting out traditional dresses for tourists to be photographed in. The excursion to this scenic spot is made all the more spectacular by the cable cars, which fly in the air at a stunning height, revealing a breath-taking aerial view.

The troupe then moves gingerly in the opposite direction, to the Nanshan Pasture Resort, with its many valleys and lush green surroundings. Riding horses amid mountain valleys and endless pastures is an experience in itself. Hordes of junior and elderly ``jockeys'' wait for tourists to arrive, so that they can take them on a trek to the waterfalls, or simply on a ride on horseback.

Turfan, east of Urumqi, is called the Land of Fire because of the scorching summer here when the temperature sometimes soars to 45 degrees Celsius; the highest on record is 47.5 degrees. The ground surface temperature can reach 70 degrees. The reason for this roasting climate is not far to seek. The city lies in a depression, which is characterized by high temperatures and rare perspiration, meaning it is hot but not wet.

The basin is nourished by water from the surrounding mountains and underflow, thanks to a unique irrigation system developed by local people called ``karez'' by which water is introduced to the agricultural oasis surrounded by the Gobi Desert.

In fact, a museum in the city bares the workings of this water system, a tribute to local acumen and farsightedness. Though the Grape Valley, with its vineyards, is a must-see, the main attraction of Turfan is the Ancient City of Gaochang.

About 46 kilometers southeast of Turfan, near the Flaming Mountains, are situated the impressive ruins of this ancient city. Built in the first century B.C. and called Gaochangbi, it used to be a garrison town and later became a key point along the ancient Silk Road. By the 7th century it controlled 21 other towns.

The practice of Buddhism led to the establishment of many monasteries and temples here. In the 9th century, the Uygur established the Kharakhoja Kingdom here and Islam flourished. The city was burnt down around the 14th century, during a period of warfare lasting 40 years.

Today the city, in a dust cloud, is a vast and unending area reeking of history, pain and decay. The structures within, many of them tombs and Buddhist temples, still retain their majestic aura. The donkey carts pulling tourists from the entry to the center of the town throw up a cloud of dust that obscures much of what remains. Local children, in their ethnic attire and an ever-smiling countenance, sell trinkets and the like and willingly pose for photographs in the vain hope that the tourist will be kind enough to send them a copy.

The people and the kids are polite and inquisitive but never pesky. One leaves the place with haunting memories of not only the ruins and erstwhile prosperity but also with visions of the smiling girls and their benevolence and cheerfulness.

The Xinjiang leg of our tour -- covering an exhausting three days -- finally over, we headed by train for the Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province. But that part of the modern Silk Road travelogue will have to be left for a rainy day. Dunhuang, Jiayuguan and Lanzhou along with Urumqi and Turfan have been reduced to a speck of nagging memory but the majestic Silk Road still beckons. Another tryst, this time south to Kashgar (in Xinjiang), may well be in order.

(eastday.com November 8, 2002)