Even if we didn’t always know exactly where we were, taking the back roads outta Wuwei was a real treat.  Lush and mostly shady, it was a great few days.

 Here’s a lonely bit of a very weathered beacon tower, and later down the way we found more of the Wall.

                                      
 Although this picture is too dark, you can still make out Ig getting getting directions from a few locals who stopped to check out the lao wei.

Here’s where we stopped to eat.   

 As you can see below, the view from the toilet is quite nice.

 Later that night we stopped for a rest in a little town.  A young woman whose English name is Ann invited us to stay in her home.  We’d not yet taken anyone up on their offer, and although we felt we needed to walk more, Ann was quite persistent and we stayed.  Here’s a photo of Ann and I.

Although we’d already eaten, Ann kept at us until we agreed she’d cook for us, but on one condition; I got to help and learn how to make the noodle dish.  She said I could, but once she got goin’ in the kitchen, she wasn’t stopping to teach me a thang!  Here she is making noodles from scratch.  Ann’s only 18 but has been cooking for ten years, and lemme tell ya; that was the best bowl of noodles either one of us has ever eaten!

The next morning she and her brother walked us out into the community vinyards.  The view of the fields is from the tower in the first photo.

And last but not least, a pic of Ann, her brother and I on the tower.