Area is Ili/Yili named for the river, Yinning is the county/city

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From Kashi to Yili

Our new travel arrangements did not work well. We arrived at Yinning airport with a new agent and driver organised and deposit paid. No driver to meet us. Several frantic phone calls to agent and driver. We waited. We waited. One of our group who speaks Chinese wandered over to the nearby Government Tourist Agency. I don't know what discussions were had but ultimately it was decided to drop our current agent and the Government Agency would put a package together for us with car and driver and accommodation and entry to several parks and attractions. We agreed and the wheels were put in motion. The original driver turned up and we kept our mouths shut as we dropped our bags at the Hotel and then went out on an afternoon tour to the Russian Quarter.

Russian Quarter

The day was hot, a dry heat. The Russian area was quaint. Buildings repainted in whites and blues. Vine covered trellises could be seen in open doorways and the streets providing relief from the sun. Vendors in the streets sold lovely fresh fruits. Horse and cart rides could be had to view the town. Shops sold daily essentials and tourist orientated goods. We wandered the streets. At one stage we poked our head into a restaurant to survey their menu. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. Later in the day we went back there for an early dinner/late lunch. It was a very good choice. Lovely tender lamb shasliks and fresh salads. Even more important some cold beers. The owners talked with us for a while, they were proud of their restaurant and very happy to be serving foreign tourists. It was a nice afternoon.

That night we spent in our hotel and informed the original tour operator that they were dumped. Of course we didn't get our deposit back and they did not chase us for extra money, that I know of. I do feel bad about that as while they were a bad supplier I don't think that we were good customers. My guess is that the deposit did not cover costs of our hotel that night and the use of a driver for the afternoon. We should in my view have squared our account.

Plaza Entertainment

Behind our hotel was an open Plaza area. It turned out his was a night market focused on food and some light entertainment. A large building behind housed a MicroBrewery. I was honestly too full of food and drink to even be remotely interested in sampling some beer. Put that one into the history books.

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