https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1 en-us 2022-06-26 00:06:33 UTC 2025-10-12 08:17:52 UTC hello@padlet.com 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230461461 I started here in my hometown of Bukhara, a beautiful city with the nickname 'The shining pearl of the silk road', with horses. I need to go to Quanzhou to trade the horses that I have for silks.]]> 2022-06-26 00:35:57 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230461461 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230462004 I have arrived in Samarkand, which was made capital by Tamerlane at the end of the 14th century. His grandson Ulughbeg also built the greatest observatory in the world here.]]> 2022-06-26 00:39:17 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230462004 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230462412 Kashgar is an Oasis city, making it a major stopping-off point for traders on the Silk Road. It's also where the northern and southern silk roads join up.]]> 2022-06-26 00:41:44 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230462412 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230462846 I travelled through Turpan, called the Land of Fire in ancient times and now I am in Dunhuang, conquered and destroyed by the Mongol Empire in 1227 and later rebuilt by Kublai Khan.]]> 2022-06-26 00:44:12 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230462846 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230463467 Today I learned how the Silk mother discovered silk. She was having tea in the garden when a silk worm cocoon fell into her tea. She pulled on it and it started to unravel, and soon the garden was covered in silk. ]]> 2022-06-26 00:47:18 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230463467 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230464081 I met some traders today. We played a game of dice and I lost 4 coins. However, I also learnt that Xian, home to a famous army made out of terracota, said to have been built for a dead emperor to protect him in the afterlife, at its peak had a population of 1 million.]]> 2022-06-26 00:50:45 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230464081 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230464586 I am nearly at Quanzhou, where I can make my first trade! In the 15th century, Changsha was rebuilt by the Ming Dynasty. The most famous philosopher from Changsha was Zhu Xi, who was also a historian and poet.]]> 2022-06-26 00:53:47 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230464586 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230466220 I finally arrived in Quanzhou, where I traded my horses for silks. I now have 76 coins, and I use 5 coins to ask for advice about where to go next. Fatima al-Fihri advises me to head to Venice to trade my silks for olive oil. I also get more money from Guler Buker when he asks me 'What colour are the flowers on the trees which welcome visitors to Quanzhou?' and I answer 'Red'. Quanzhou is also home to Kaiyuan Temple, possibly the oldest buddhist temple in China.]]> 2022-06-26 01:03:10 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230466220 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230525673 I am on my way to Venice! I have passed through Changsha and Xian but I have a long journey ahead. I also won 20 coins in a game of dice with Bambina Bernardini and friends. Some guy called Dong Ru asked me what kind of city made Kashgar such a major stopping-off point for traders and I told him that the answer to his question was Oasis.]]> 2022-06-26 05:54:52 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230525673 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230528954 I am travelling back through the cities that I passed through on my way to Quanzhou. Lots of people around these parts wanting to know things about cities on the silk road. Since Chengdu, I've been asked a question at every city I pass through. So annoying... at least I get paid when I answer correctly though.]]> 2022-06-26 06:09:54 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230528954 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230529487 I'm back in Bukhara, where my journey began. All the same old cities since Kashgar, but after this there'll be new ones :). ]]> 2022-06-26 06:12:33 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230529487 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230530537 I'm in Merv, described by Al-Muqaddasi as delightful, fine, elegant and brilliant. It's a Muslim city, with large communities of Christians and Buddhists.]]> 2022-06-26 06:18:14 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230530537 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230531060 Isfahan was developed into a multicultural centre by Persian emperor Cyrus the Great. Something else I learnt-did you know that the Safavid empire tried to wipe out 'Sunni' Islam and replace it with 'Shia' Islam?]]> 2022-06-26 06:20:59 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230531060 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230536147 This beautiful city was founded by Darius the Great, King of Kings of the mighty Achaemenid Persian empire. He built a palace here, called Apadana too but Persepolis was burned down by Alexander the Great in 330BC, resulting in the white marks at the base of many of the pillars here.]]> 2022-06-26 06:45:01 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230536147 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230536917 I've arrived in Basra, described by Ibn Battuta(famous explorer) as renowned through the whole world. Chinese porcelain makers were actually inspired by Basra's potters painting their designs Persian Blue, so they did the same.]]> 2022-06-26 06:48:30 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230536917 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230540284 Baghdad, the capital city of mighty empire abbasid and home to the house of Wisdom, housing the largest collection of books in the world. Amazing, like the many people bothering me with questions.]]> 2022-06-26 07:03:05 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230540284 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230541432 Mosul gives its name to Muslin. It was here that Ammar Al-Mawsili, one of Mosul's finest surgeons invented the hypodermic syringe and here that yet another person bothered me with a stupid question.]]> 2022-06-26 07:08:28 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230541432 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230542042 Aleppo was taken control of by the Ayyubid dynasty in the 12th century and its most famous Muslim philosopher was Al-Farabi.]]> 2022-06-26 07:11:27 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230542042 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230557036 There's a great natural harbour here at Istanbul called the Golden horn, because of its shape. Istanbul was also where Emperor Constantine moved his capital city to in 330AD.]]> 2022-06-26 08:14:26 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230557036 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230557938 Emperor Augustus made Ephesus, home to St. Paul, the capital city of the Roman province of Asia Minor in 27BC.]]> 2022-06-26 08:18:16 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230557938 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230558449 I'm almost at Venice! Today, I realised that I had mistakenly been given more goods than I bargained for, worth 20 extra coins! Yippee!]]> 2022-06-26 08:20:51 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230558449 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230565062 I arrived in Venice, an incredible city home to Marco Polo, who wrote a book about his travels on the Silk Road. The leader of Venice is called the Doge, and approaching the edge of Venice, north of the grand canal, you can find a statue. Wow. 
I successfully traded my silks for olive oil, and used 5 coins to get advice for where to go next-Xian. I have 180 coins now.]]> 2022-06-26 08:47:25 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230565062 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230565780 I've passed through Durres and am now in Ephesus, but the caravanserai was full, so I could only stay by paying an extra 10 coins:(]]> 2022-06-26 08:50:49 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230565780 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230569431 I pass through Istanbul, Aleppo and Mosul and help a fellow trader load goods that fell off his camel so he gave me some goods to thank me, worth 6 coins. ]]> 2022-06-26 09:04:08 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230569431 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230572439 I had some spare camels, so I sold them to another trader for 10 coins. Yay!]]> 2022-06-26 09:15:25 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230572439 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230573167 The 'Timurid' style of architecture is beautiful. Its main features are monumental scale, multiple minarets, polychromy tilework, and large bulbous double domes.]]> 2022-06-26 09:18:53 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230573167 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230573496 I've gotten a lot of money just by answering questions now... :D
There are caves here, with Buddhist imagery and statues inside of them.]]> 2022-06-26 09:20:13 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230573496 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230574629 In Xian, I traded my olive oil for porcelain and will now head to Kashgar, where I can trade porcelain for indigo. I now have 267 coins.]]> 2022-06-26 09:25:05 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230574629 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230575566 This is a shorter journey compared to previous ones, but all cities I've visited before.]]> 2022-06-26 09:28:29 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230575566 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230576007 I trade my porcelain for indigo! I now have 359 coins but spend 5 asking for advice on where to go next. I'm advised to head for Istanbul.]]> 2022-06-26 09:30:04 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230576007 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230576789 Loads of money from questions recently... I'm about halfway from Kashgar to Istanbul.]]> 2022-06-26 09:33:13 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230576789 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230577186 I met some traders and we played a game of dice. I won 15 coins!]]> 2022-06-26 09:34:54 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230577186 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230577606 I have arrived in Istanbul! I trade my indigo for incense and my wealth increases to 533. I remember that I can go to Dunhuang to trade my incense for something else.]]> 2022-06-26 09:36:40 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230577606 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230578099 I lost 2 coins in a game of dice:(]]> 2022-06-26 09:38:48 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230578099 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230578495 It's been a long journey...]]> 2022-06-26 09:40:03 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230578495 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230579546 Dunhuang has spices to trade for incense! My wealth increases to 683!]]> 2022-06-26 09:44:09 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230579546 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230579720 I'm making good progress back to Bukhara.]]> 2022-06-26 09:45:01 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230579720 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230580396 I think it is time to return home to Bukhara and take a rest.]]> 2022-06-26 09:46:12 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230580396 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230580592 My camels have fallen ill. I have to spend 5 coins to replace them D:]]> 2022-06-26 09:47:03 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230580592 28mlai https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230581575 Well, thank you for reading. I will rest in Bukhara for a while, but my journey is far from over. One day, I will obtain glass and make a fortune upon return home, but for now I have 670 coins and have made 6 trades, visited 19 cities and learned many things. Farewell, friend. My adventure will continue.]]> 2022-06-26 09:51:36 UTC https://padlet.com/28mlai/wa4a7qc2ywcj6ob1/wish/2230581575