Ray, Silk Road. KASHGAR OR KASHI AS IT IS CALLED HERE June 13, 2011
Arrived by plane from Urumqi…2 hour flight over incredible mountain range to the real Uyger country. They are Turkic in race and Muslim in religion. There is a long history of Muslim/Chinese rebellion going back centuries and continuing today. No sign yet of military but expect to see it as we get out of urban Kashgar on Tue ..We are going to a restricted area for an overnight.
Beautiful older men and women showing all the signs of a rugged life. Good guide who is setting limits on the group re: time…we need it.
Will visit some Mosques and tombs. Sunday we do the Animal and craft market and have a meal with a local family in the old town. On Tue a pagoda about 45 km away and on Tue and Wed we are at Lake Karakul in the mountians (10,000 feet)…a restricted area where the rebellion is active. Will stay in Yurt Wed eve and go to Kyrgyzstan on Thur, rebellion and Russians permitting.
I can see the Pamir’s and black mountains here….unbelievable…white and black…snow and rock but only 50 mile apart approx . This area borders with India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, and I believe Turkmenistan
Yesterday saw the 60 foot statue of Mao on the way in….he is quite revered still in china and pictures of him available everywhere but very few in public places. Visited the Abakh Khoja tomb…the holiest place of Sufi Muslims in Xinjiang (the Sufi’s are a minor sect from N of Iran and believe this life is illusion and all that matters is afterlife therefore discourage invention, the new, changes. The guide says that because of them this area is 50-100 years behind other regions). The tomb was built in mid 1600’s of adobe/brick with a huge double dome….John and Laura the most common name on special tombs inside(72 total) was HOJAM….better speak to John re: his ancestry again he may have made a switch from” a to e” to throw us off re: his heritage. We also saw several very old Mosques however where not allowed in as they are under restoration.
And in keeping with the “babe magnet” theme I was picked up right in the group, by “a nice looking teacher” from up N…finally got away and back to group and she peeled off and went after some other guys.
Then a Uyger meal in a very good restaurant…after several Uyger meals all I can say is interesting, hearty, yogurt is very good….but that is about it. Nothing to write home about. They put pure fat in all the shish kabobs…one of four slices is fat or if you so desire you can get all fat! As this is a very Muslim area no alcohol. Group found some beer source and we will down a few to say goodbye to Camellia and Jeff this eve, a lovely couple from Australia.
Sunday visited the famous animal market…what a zoo! Animals, people, tractors, donkey carts, motorcycle carts all pushing and shoving, honking and braying and my god the dust..Donkeys, sheep, goats, bulls and cows of every kind everywhere. Men and boys chasing goats, sheep and cattle that got loose. Stoves made of brick/adobe or 50 gallon drums cooking soups in bowls the size of our fire pit, shish ka bobs on the fire, veggies and then butchering which is occurring among all this activity which is sold or thrown into the pot. . Wild is all I can say…saw cattle jump out of trucks and be dragged, most of the animals are male with huge testicles…and I mean big(think footballs). Very large sheep and goats…come up to my belly button or higher and some very small white goats about knee high. Everyone is buying …suspect most of the animals will end up in the pot this week. At one point I was harshly pushed aside for some distance by a man...alarmed I turned, only to see a very large bull running at me, he just sideswiped me as they struggled to get control of him. That shove saved me from possible serious injury.
Tom you would go crazy here as they had the knife makers and sellers…beautiful knives and very sharp and we can’t transport them across the border. As with anything around here if you look or touch they will not leave you alone…I swear at one point I had three guys with knives and cleavers chasing me…trying to sell one….looked like something out of Arabian Nights.
Then a walk thru the old town…authentic on outside and beautifully decorated homes on inside… we had a Uyger meal with a family….dried fruit to start, then cold spicy bean noodles, all the flat bread you can eat (tastes like old pizza crust), two courses of wheat noodles with a little sauce, followed by shish kabob (2 each) with the fat of course, then yogurt, followed by fresh tiny apricots that were delicious and finally a bland rice with some melon in it. And tea all the time. All while sitting on the floor. Fun and different.
Then the “Sunday market”….which is like any in the world….a large bazaar with any and all goods from condoms, hardware, polyester silks, hats to fine jade and carpets. Again you look and they will follow you for a ½ block. This was a large covered market like in Cambodia or most other countries. Have to be very careful as most is knock off.
And finally back to our shitty hotel…I moved 3 times yesterday…finally packed everything and went to the desk and insisted on a better room saying I will pay the difference. They put me in a nicer room and the price was the same!! Except no hot water! That was still a major upgrade however.
Tonight a goodbye Turkish meal with Cam and Jeff…sad to see them go as both are great humorists….meal was crap except for the eggplant.
Again keeping with the babe magnet theme the new lady is always finding opportunities to put her hand on my shoulder etc….the married couples are laughing at me and mentioned she had the hots for me and I had better show her a picture of Kathy soon to back her off. Hell she is in such need of a “tune up” it had not occurred to me that I was her target.
Tonight Dragon Lady announces at the party that she wants to read a story from Reader’s Digest to the group…it did not happen…I seem to be the only one to say no. But the others snicker and roll their eyes.
Now as for the cleaner I have got to the point of giving him that nick name in person and his wife the “scout”….sort of fun….They are actually accomplished travelers just eccentric. Everyone is laughing at him because he had a “crying jag” in the past 24 hours. Turns out that jade tea pot that we all waited for him to buy at the museum and he was so proud of as he negotiated such a low price…well as he left, he spotted the same tea pot in another section of the same store for ½ of his negotiated”low” price… Apparently part of being late was caused by the disorientation he experienced when buyer’s remorse set in. That is the way it is here. You have to look a lot and negotiate with real determination and just buy if you love it.
Monday we went to another old Buddhist Stupa S of Kashi in the Taklamakan desert. . WE were stopped by large mounds of dirt in the road and directed onto the desert. After a mile we hit sink holes but avoided getting stuck, suddenly some boys and men appear and direct us back to a village which we meander through…this is in the middle of nowhere…many newly constructed houses. We take two 10-12 year old boys on board as guides and finally end up on the road again arriving at the Mor Stupa. Some adventure. Boys wanted to take pictures with our cameras and catch snakes to scare the women and sheep. One wanted my animal t shirt which I would have gladly given him except I had no other shirt along and we were going for lunch in a restaurant. Too bad. And in the middle of the desert we come upon about 100 green houses under construction creating employment for the local community. Very unusual design which you may be interested in Eleanor or Kin.
By the way Eleanor your strong suggestion I take the scarf from Cambodia was brilliant…I have used it everyday and even store keepers want to know where they can get it!! Thanks.
Then another craft store with Local River jade and mountain jade items and carpets. Carpets a good deal…river jade very costly…$2000 for a small pendulant. River jade is rare and looks like any other rock accept to the trained eye…cut it open and wow…sort of creamy white with brown imperfections that the artist works with to create relief figurines. One rock half the size of a football will support a family for 3 years.
Oh and the traffic and driving in Kashi. Combine Italian speed and daring with people, cars, cycles, huge trucks and buses and donkey carts everywhere, remove all rules and policemen, close your eyes, pray like hell and sure enough they get you there. Some members of the group will not sit in the front of a taxi. And the other day on a major road was a donkey cart ahead of us, trotting along, and the driver was asleep in the back…guess the donkey knew the way home and how to move over when the horns blow.
I then went back Sunday market to do a little damage…now have a minor case of buyer’s remorse...oh well. Next to Kara Kul Lake….very cold and yurts in the Pamir’s. Then back to Kashi Wed eve and off to the border on Thursday.
Will write the next one from Kara Kul and send hopefully Wed eve. Unfortunately the weather is horrible up there…rain, snow, and cold….I may spend a lot of time in the yurt.
Ray
Beautiful older men and women showing all the signs of a rugged life. Good guide who is setting limits on the group re: time…we need it.
Will visit some Mosques and tombs. Sunday we do the Animal and craft market and have a meal with a local family in the old town. On Tue a pagoda about 45 km away and on Tue and Wed we are at Lake Karakul in the mountians (10,000 feet)…a restricted area where the rebellion is active. Will stay in Yurt Wed eve and go to Kyrgyzstan on Thur, rebellion and Russians permitting.
I can see the Pamir’s and black mountains here….unbelievable…white and black…snow and rock but only 50 mile apart approx . This area borders with India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, and I believe Turkmenistan
Yesterday saw the 60 foot statue of Mao on the way in….he is quite revered still in china and pictures of him available everywhere but very few in public places. Visited the Abakh Khoja tomb…the holiest place of Sufi Muslims in Xinjiang (the Sufi’s are a minor sect from N of Iran and believe this life is illusion and all that matters is afterlife therefore discourage invention, the new, changes. The guide says that because of them this area is 50-100 years behind other regions). The tomb was built in mid 1600’s of adobe/brick with a huge double dome….John and Laura the most common name on special tombs inside(72 total) was HOJAM….better speak to John re: his ancestry again he may have made a switch from” a to e” to throw us off re: his heritage. We also saw several very old Mosques however where not allowed in as they are under restoration.
And in keeping with the “babe magnet” theme I was picked up right in the group, by “a nice looking teacher” from up N…finally got away and back to group and she peeled off and went after some other guys.
Then a Uyger meal in a very good restaurant…after several Uyger meals all I can say is interesting, hearty, yogurt is very good….but that is about it. Nothing to write home about. They put pure fat in all the shish kabobs…one of four slices is fat or if you so desire you can get all fat! As this is a very Muslim area no alcohol. Group found some beer source and we will down a few to say goodbye to Camellia and Jeff this eve, a lovely couple from Australia.
Sunday visited the famous animal market…what a zoo! Animals, people, tractors, donkey carts, motorcycle carts all pushing and shoving, honking and braying and my god the dust..Donkeys, sheep, goats, bulls and cows of every kind everywhere. Men and boys chasing goats, sheep and cattle that got loose. Stoves made of brick/adobe or 50 gallon drums cooking soups in bowls the size of our fire pit, shish ka bobs on the fire, veggies and then butchering which is occurring among all this activity which is sold or thrown into the pot. . Wild is all I can say…saw cattle jump out of trucks and be dragged, most of the animals are male with huge testicles…and I mean big(think footballs). Very large sheep and goats…come up to my belly button or higher and some very small white goats about knee high. Everyone is buying …suspect most of the animals will end up in the pot this week. At one point I was harshly pushed aside for some distance by a man...alarmed I turned, only to see a very large bull running at me, he just sideswiped me as they struggled to get control of him. That shove saved me from possible serious injury.
Tom you would go crazy here as they had the knife makers and sellers…beautiful knives and very sharp and we can’t transport them across the border. As with anything around here if you look or touch they will not leave you alone…I swear at one point I had three guys with knives and cleavers chasing me…trying to sell one….looked like something out of Arabian Nights.
Then a walk thru the old town…authentic on outside and beautifully decorated homes on inside… we had a Uyger meal with a family….dried fruit to start, then cold spicy bean noodles, all the flat bread you can eat (tastes like old pizza crust), two courses of wheat noodles with a little sauce, followed by shish kabob (2 each) with the fat of course, then yogurt, followed by fresh tiny apricots that were delicious and finally a bland rice with some melon in it. And tea all the time. All while sitting on the floor. Fun and different.
Then the “Sunday market”….which is like any in the world….a large bazaar with any and all goods from condoms, hardware, polyester silks, hats to fine jade and carpets. Again you look and they will follow you for a ½ block. This was a large covered market like in Cambodia or most other countries. Have to be very careful as most is knock off.
And finally back to our shitty hotel…I moved 3 times yesterday…finally packed everything and went to the desk and insisted on a better room saying I will pay the difference. They put me in a nicer room and the price was the same!! Except no hot water! That was still a major upgrade however.
Tonight a goodbye Turkish meal with Cam and Jeff…sad to see them go as both are great humorists….meal was crap except for the eggplant.
Again keeping with the babe magnet theme the new lady is always finding opportunities to put her hand on my shoulder etc….the married couples are laughing at me and mentioned she had the hots for me and I had better show her a picture of Kathy soon to back her off. Hell she is in such need of a “tune up” it had not occurred to me that I was her target.
Tonight Dragon Lady announces at the party that she wants to read a story from Reader’s Digest to the group…it did not happen…I seem to be the only one to say no. But the others snicker and roll their eyes.
Now as for the cleaner I have got to the point of giving him that nick name in person and his wife the “scout”….sort of fun….They are actually accomplished travelers just eccentric. Everyone is laughing at him because he had a “crying jag” in the past 24 hours. Turns out that jade tea pot that we all waited for him to buy at the museum and he was so proud of as he negotiated such a low price…well as he left, he spotted the same tea pot in another section of the same store for ½ of his negotiated”low” price… Apparently part of being late was caused by the disorientation he experienced when buyer’s remorse set in. That is the way it is here. You have to look a lot and negotiate with real determination and just buy if you love it.
Monday we went to another old Buddhist Stupa S of Kashi in the Taklamakan desert. . WE were stopped by large mounds of dirt in the road and directed onto the desert. After a mile we hit sink holes but avoided getting stuck, suddenly some boys and men appear and direct us back to a village which we meander through…this is in the middle of nowhere…many newly constructed houses. We take two 10-12 year old boys on board as guides and finally end up on the road again arriving at the Mor Stupa. Some adventure. Boys wanted to take pictures with our cameras and catch snakes to scare the women and sheep. One wanted my animal t shirt which I would have gladly given him except I had no other shirt along and we were going for lunch in a restaurant. Too bad. And in the middle of the desert we come upon about 100 green houses under construction creating employment for the local community. Very unusual design which you may be interested in Eleanor or Kin.
By the way Eleanor your strong suggestion I take the scarf from Cambodia was brilliant…I have used it everyday and even store keepers want to know where they can get it!! Thanks.
Then another craft store with Local River jade and mountain jade items and carpets. Carpets a good deal…river jade very costly…$2000 for a small pendulant. River jade is rare and looks like any other rock accept to the trained eye…cut it open and wow…sort of creamy white with brown imperfections that the artist works with to create relief figurines. One rock half the size of a football will support a family for 3 years.
Oh and the traffic and driving in Kashi. Combine Italian speed and daring with people, cars, cycles, huge trucks and buses and donkey carts everywhere, remove all rules and policemen, close your eyes, pray like hell and sure enough they get you there. Some members of the group will not sit in the front of a taxi. And the other day on a major road was a donkey cart ahead of us, trotting along, and the driver was asleep in the back…guess the donkey knew the way home and how to move over when the horns blow.
I then went back Sunday market to do a little damage…now have a minor case of buyer’s remorse...oh well. Next to Kara Kul Lake….very cold and yurts in the Pamir’s. Then back to Kashi Wed eve and off to the border on Thursday.
Will write the next one from Kara Kul and send hopefully Wed eve. Unfortunately the weather is horrible up there…rain, snow, and cold….I may spend a lot of time in the yurt.
Ray
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