When I packed my bags and prepared to leave for Xinjiang, my friends were puzzled: "Where are you going? Xinjiang is not very peaceful now!"
I smiled and said with confidence: "I'm going to the Ili Valley to see the apricot blossoms!"
"Apricot blossoms?" the friends wondered, "Are there apricot blossoms in Xinjiang?
I explained, "Of course, and it's one of the most beautiful apricot blossoms in the world, and it's the Apricot Blossom Festival from the end of March to the beginning of April every year.
Now my friends finally understood my choice and expressed their envy, asking me to take a lot of beautiful photos and share them.
That's right, I'm here for the apricot blossoms of the Ili River Valley. There is a rare apricot forest in the world, with more than 30,000 acres, which can be described as "the world's first village".
Every year in the apricot blossom season, it is a place where apricot blossom lovers from all over the world come to worship, known as "China's apricot capital". Many photographers and travel experts recommend coming here for filming.
For this 300-mile apricot blossom covenant, I did my homework in advance and learned that the apricot blossoms in the Ili River Valley can be traced back to the Middle Ages.
When the eastern section of the Silk Road was going to cross the Tianshan Mountains, the merchants of the Western Regions were in the mountains for a long time, and some people planted fruit seeds at the foot of the mountain, including apricot trees. Unexpectedly, it has now grown into a dense "apricot forest army", and it is impossible to see the edge at a glance.
Today, the Ili River Valley is famous not only for the apricot forests that stretch for hundreds of miles, but also for the colorful pastoral scenery here, and the natural landscape of "poplar forests, apricot forests, vegetable fields, and canals" also reflects the quaint pastoral scenery of the local Kazakh people.
When I stepped into the Ili River valley in early April, I was struck by the bright apricot color. I saw that the mountains were all over the field, and the dense turns were all colorful apricot blossoms, which were particularly enchanting against the backdrop of green leaves. The breeze blows, bringing a burst of floral fragrance, which makes people drunk and dreaming of death.
The flowers bloom at the right time, and they are extraordinarily gorgeous and moving. Pink and white, rose red, light purple, dripping blood red, everything, in the bright sun looks colorful, so beautiful that people can't extricate themselves.
I couldn't help but slow down and wander all the way through the apricot forest path, using the camera to freeze the beautiful pictures in my eyes: lilac apricot blossoms and emerald green leaves complement each other, brilliant red apricot blossoms are all over the branches, very eye-catching in the green mountains and green waters, and cloud-like white apricot blossoms dotted on the tender yellow branches, gently shaking and falling all over the ground......
Not only are the colors and shapes diverse, but the apricot blossoms I see have single petals, double petals, purple cores, and red cores...... Colorful and breathtaking.
Walking on the apricot grove trail to enjoy the scenery, I also found that it also offers the fun of horseback riding and strolling for apricot blossom lovers. I saw herdsmen wearing national costumes riding on horses, walking through the apricot forest, gradually moving away...... Isn't this a unique sight?
On the way, not only did I see and hear the beauty of apricot blossoms, but also the herdsmen's life here also made me linger. The Ili River Valley is a settlement of Kazakh herders who live a leisurely and idyllic life.
The herdsmen are in groups of threes and fives, rolling bread and baking cakes in the yard, kneading cotton felt at the door, or riding horses and grazing sheep in the fields...... I had a full view of the real life of the customs and customs, and I felt very intimate.
The snow-capped mountains in the distance have not yet fully melted in early spring and April, in stark contrast to the gorgeous apricot groves nearby. The small river in the forest gurgled by, and the reflected blue sky and clouds were so thorough, and I was in this beautiful place for a while, so that I could not extricate myself for a long time in the comfort of a fairyland.
In between cultural and historical attractions such as the Ili Prefecture Museum and the Sofia Valley Tombs, I didn't forget to taste the special food here. Yili's local specialties include Xinjiang grapes, cantaloupe, red dates, and roasted whole sheep.
In particular, the apricot blossom preserves, which are sweet snacks made with carefully made cantaloupe honey and fresh apricot blossoms, are fragrant and delicious, and have an endless aftertaste, which makes me feel beautiful in everything.
As a foreigner, my life in the Ili Valley is not too far away. Many B&Bs provide a comfortable living environment, and will also use local specialties to welcome guests, making them feel warm and at home.
Before leaving, I recalled the wonderful experiences of the past few days on the train: mountains, green water, apricot blossoms, herdsmen...... This beautiful picture and memory will remain in my heart forever, and the promise of the apricot blossoms in the Ili River Valley will continue forever!