Kashgar Bazaar

Journey so far: .. Taiwan > Hong Kong > Beijing > Harbin > Yanji > Songjianghe >Changbai Mountain > Dandong > Dalian > Dandong > Chengde > Beijing > Datong > Hohhot > Huitengxile > Hohhot > Taiyuan > Zhengzhou > Xi'an > Lanzhou > Zhangye > Jiaugyuan > Jingtieshan > Jiaugyuan > Dunhuang > Urumuqi > Kanas Lake > Urumuqi > Kashgar ....

So after Urumuqi we decided it was time to get further west, in fact to the border with Pakistan.

But first we have stopped in Kashgar, an amazing and dusty city, full of Uighurs (native to this area before China claimed it) and many others from neighbouring countries. All totally different in look to the Han-Chinese. So strange I don't even know what language to speak!

Our hotel is cheap and teaming with tourists, our dorm is Y20 for a bed. Basic but adaquate for our meager needs. We live paltry lives, making ends meet by starving ourselves and using public transport.

Today we went to the Sunday Market, where lots of locals meet foreigners and exchange goods for money. In fact it's a local market that's become famous. We bargain at one point when we find some nice things to buy our families. (Not saying what that might be). We work hard, Kate plays hardball and I look uninterested in the wares. We struggle.... taunt and shake the seller... we see his weak spot for Kate's smile and pounce like wild tigers on him.... suddenly we've hacked the price down and everyone is happy, grinning and jolly. What fun, what fun!

We wander some more, maybe 5 hours, take pictures of some old men and donkeys. The place is chaos, full of Uighur women, children and B.O scented men. Finally we head back to the Seman Hotel for a rest.

A lot of women cover their face in this brown cloth


Local man sells stuff like a pro


If you play silly games, these people will cut you up


As we have limited time and no visa we are taking the scenic ride to the Pakistan-China border, staying the night in the town Tashkurgan and then heading back down the way we came. The mountains reach over 4km into the sky, making the journey very memorable. Finally on the way down we hope to stop at the famous Karakul Lake, staying for one night before heading back to Kashgar.


MC