The Center of Asia
Posted by robs | Filed under Total Solar Eclipse: Live from China
In looking over the map of Xinjiang I saw an intriguing notation about 40 km south west of Urumqi listed as the Geographic Center of Asia. It turns out that Chinese scientists has calculated that this spot was the exact center of Asia. A tourist attraction if there ever was one. Wow this had to be great. Expecting crowds, we trundled off to see it.
What we found was this isolated monument partially built on the edge of a nondescript plain. We were joined by two other tourists that day (where are the crowds?). You really had to use your imagination to realize what an amazing spot this was. Situated half way between Istanbul on the west and Tokyo to the east and Siberia to the north and the tip of India and Malaysia to the south this spot was truly an amazing cultural marker.
Now off to the spot 100 km north of here that is the farthest you can get form the ocean in the world.
