We trekked across the dunes on Bactrian Camels to a hidden oasis. Spring water trickles up into a depression between huge sand dunes, forming a small, crescent-shaped pond. These dunes rise nearly 1000 ft above the desert. Later, we traveled a short distance to the Mogao Grottoes. The Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, also known as the 0ne-Thousand-Buddha Grottoes, are located on the eastern, rocky side of Singing Sand Mountain. According to historical records, the carving of them was started in 366 AD and continued for about l,000 years. Now, there are 492 grottoes in existence, with some 45,000 square meters of murals and frescos and 2,4l5 painted statues. The grottoes in the Mogao Caves are the world's largest and oldest treasure house of Buddhist sculptures and paintings with thousands of cultural relics, priceless manuscripts, documents, and Buddhist instruments containing ancient records and pictures of the region's social and political life.
Finally, we stopped at a silk rug factory.