Blogs from Xinjiang, China, Asia - page 29

Today is the second day of our 16 day tour of China. We flew in from Beijing yesterday and will continue east along the general path of the ancient silk road until we get to Xi'an. After we arrived yesterday, all 60 students in our group from TBC went to the International Bazaar. We shopped for a few hours amid the scarves, jewelry, and other knick-knack items. I did not buy anything yesterday because I wanted to know a good price before I bargained, but I asked around for starting prices for the scarves. In the afternoon, the tour guides had us board the buses, and a few minutes before we were out of town we stopped along the road to pick up some Kazak musicians. We were then driven two hours out to the Heavenly ... read more

While trekking long-lost regions of the world, an intrepid traveler such as yourself frequently ponders what piece of equipment is of utmost importance to your travels, that item of indivisible necessity that you would prefer to give your life for than continue forward on the journey without its help at hand. Indeed, world explorers often find themselves in such a situation, as ferocious lions, fierce bears, and deadly restrooms continuously test your courage and resolve (not to mention the quality of such equipment). So what is that one crucial article for every seasoned global wanderer？ A backpack? A natural choice you may think, as where else will you store that ever-accumulating mass of schwag that spontaneously forms after moving from one UNESCO World Heritage Site to the next. But consider this situation. In preparing for an ... read more

KASHGAR, CHINA - (June 2007) Fri 22nd - Fri 28th June - (Kashgar) After spending three weeks travelling with Hee it was strange to be travelling solo again. It was sad to see him go, unfortunately in the opposite direction to where I was heading. I had really enjoyed travelling with him and he had been really good company and had made the experience, even more fantastic. With Hee gone, I'd now have to do everything myself again without the aid of someone who could speak a bit of Chinese. It would mean that those long journeys through China and beyond would become very boring and tiresome again. From Urumqi to Kashgar (Kashi) was no exception. A 22 hour train journey in a train compartment where no one seemed to speak or understand English or even ... read more

Soon after crossing into Western China from the Torugart Pass it got warm fairly quickly, about and hour or so we arrived in Kashgar, it is for me beautiful, long narrow sidestreets lined with poplar trees, the main roads are wide and made of cement, it has a different feel, not quite Oriental/Eastern scene like what I see in magazines. People I believe are of Tajik background and am sure some other race as well, aside from the typical Chinese looks a lot of the people have Caucasian features, some with blue eyes. We are staying at Seman Hotel, we will stay for 2 nights to get our drivers a chance to sort out their Chinese driver's license. Then off to Taxkorgan via the Karakoram Highway, there was a landslide and we stopped for about ... read more

For English Version please scroll down ! Deutsch Kashgar, Karakol See und der Karakoram Highway Kashgar, gelegen am westlichen Ende der Taklamakan Wueste, war frueher eine wichtige Oase an der Seidenstrasse. Der Kontrast zwischen der modernen "chinesischen Stadt" und der alten "uhigurischen Stadt" ist gross. Die Einwohner sind zum Grossteil muslimische Uhiguren, die mit den Chinesen nur wenig gemeinsam haben... In Kashgar ist jeden Sonntag Markttag, Tausende Menschen aus der Umgebung kommen um Waren und Tiere zu kaufen oder zu verkaufen. Auf dem Tiermarkt gab es Ziegen, Schafe, Kuehe, Kamele und Esel. Eine staubige aber sehr spannende Angelegenheit ! Habe einem Schafhaendler bei einem Deal ueber die Schulter gesehen, er hat 2 Schafe fuer Euro 70,- verkauft. Der Kaeufer hat die Tiere zunaechst genau begutachtet (Gebiss, Muskulatur und keine Ahnung was noch... read more