The Silk Road was a trade route that connected Asia and Europe. It was used to trade silk, gold, ivory, exotic animals, spices, and other goods. Towns along the Silk Road profited as businesses provided services to travelers. Though the Silk Road was in existence even since prehistory, there were periods when it was not used as much. In the 1200s, the Silk Road re-opened when Marco Polo made a trip through Asia to China. While in China, Marco Polo became friends with the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan. Polo traveled around China and documented his travels in a journal. His tales about his travels increased European interest in places in the Far East like China.