From Urumchi, I headed north to enjoy the pure air of Tianshan Mountains, part of the Altay Mountains chain which borders Mongolia and Russia to the north. This plateau, which was in the past called East-Tajikistan, is now controlled by China naming it the province of Xinjiang. Its five million people originate from Turkey, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Russia consisting mainly of Uyghur, Kazak, Mongolian and Russian nationalities maintaining their language, traditions,, culture and Buddhist beliefs. I discovered very hospitable and kind people living off the land mainly from raising cows, goats and sheep and cultivating wheat and barley. Surviving harsh winters and short summers by hard work, they enjoy the valuable compensations of pure unpolluted air, peaceful lifestyle, caring community-minded people and the closeness to nature.