Background: For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.
May 10th 2008Asia » China » Xinjiang We received information yesterday from Betchart saying that Tibet is closed to westerners until the end of June (after the Olympic torch passes through Lhasa) and thus visas for the trip cannot be pro ... [full story]
May 5th 2008Asia » China » Xinjiang » Kashgar
May 1, 2008
According to the information in the “Lonely Planet” on China, the border with Pakistan opens on the 15th of April, sometimes later. This year the border opened on the 1st of ... 7 photos[full story]
March 28th 2008Asia » China » Xinjiang » Kashgar Salaam aleykum,
Zoals bekend konden we onze Tibetaanse plannen definitief opbergen na de Chinese invasie in het hoogland. Gelukkig konden we plan B nog uit de kast halen. De weg naar Xinjiang was l ... 25 photos[full story]
July 15th 2007Asia » China » Xinjiang » Kashgar The Silk Road has been connecting people for centuries, bridging spice traders with silk caravans long before backpackers every discovered its trails. It was here, in the most accidental fashion, tha ... 7 photos[full story]
January 7th 2008Asia » China » Xinjiang » Kashgar
I finished my book last night. I couldn't help myself, I had to know what was going to happen. That meant two things, one I was up until very late and two I now don't have a book to keep me company ... [full story]
January 6th 2008Asia » China » Xinjiang » Kashgar
Again functioning on Xinjiang time today I made my way to the markets and arrived at 9am-ish (Xinjiang time) and was amazed to find that the market that supposedly starts filling before dawn, was la ... [full story]
January 5th 2008Asia » China » Xinjiang » Kashgar
From my wanderings and my trip to the international bus station yesterday I found that 'Xinjiang Time' is alive and well here, albeit not entirely officially it still exists. The deal behind Xinjian ... [full story]
January 4th 2008Asia » China » Xinjiang » Kashgar
I caught a taxi from the station to a hostel heavily recommended from the LP and from a few other people I had met in Beijing, and I must say that it is pretty darn good: good price, good rooms, HOT ... [full story]
December 10th 2007Asia » China » Xinjiang En ce moment on se trouve a Turpan. Pendant Kashgar jusquici on a vecu pas mal de choses.
Kashgar est une ville vraiment interessant, les deux cultures, chinois et uighur/arabe developpent une atmosp ... 10 photos[full story]
September 24th 2007Asia » China » Xinjiang
"No pictures," commands a young officer in an olive green uniform and just out of diapers .
"I only want to photograph the mountains, and they're on the Pakistani side anyways."
"No pictures!" ... 46 photos[full story]
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