When photos fall short: The emotional pull of Xinjiang

After that, we were invited to create our own mini moss biomes. Presented with a spread of different kinds of moss, stones, and plant life, as well as sand and plates to build on, we got to choose our components with which we would construct our biomes.

At the last stop of the day, we hiked up Yamalike Mountain (ok, we were shuttled) and learned about how — through a 20-year ecological restoration project — the area was transformed from a dry, barren wasteland into a thriving eco-park. The restoration project has profoundly benefited the local community, from reducing the amount of dust and pollution in the air to helping regulate the city's heat island effect.

Besides all of that important stuff, Yamalike Mountain is an absolute killer spot to watch the sunset over the fair city of Urumqi, which is what we were there to do. At the top, the platform was crowded with locals enjoying the panoramic views and taking photos. Before the sun had fully set, the moon peeked up over the mountains to the east, painting the sky and hillsides cool, blush tones of purple and blue. Meanwhile, on the opposite side, the sky was on fire with intense shades of orange, yellow, and red, the mountains and hills below appearing pink, blue, and purple under the sun's fading light.