Sunday in Kashgar

For two thousand years the Northern and Southern routes of the SR have converged here at Kashgar on the Western edge of the Taklamakan Desert. Traders from Europe, China and Central Asia unloaded horses or camels and sold saffron, lutes, silk, jade, dried fruit and porcelain. This was a frontier for Imperial Russia and the British Empire - as they played out the Great Game
This city still has the feel of frontier. It the heartland of the Moslem Uighurs. Beijing is trying, Tibet style to homogenise it. Most of the ancient city walls have been demolished, the moat made into a ring road and medieval homes and mosques along narrow streets and alleys are being bulldozed to make way for bland apartment blocks At first I was heartsick and dismayed and wished I had been able to come sooner but todays
Visit to two Sunday markets were a glimpse back in time. Shaggy Bactrian Camels, braying donkeys of every hue, goats with newborn white kids, rows of black and white central Asian fat tailed sheep, cattle bulls, mothers with calves and horses were in a huge gravel area surrounded by the ubiquitous poplar trees in the edge of the city. Gold teethed Uighurs in traditional caps argued, bartered, inspected animals, demonstrated trotting horses and drove sheep. I cannot do justice to the plethora of sounds, sights, aroma and confusion here. Later when I am out of China and can once again use conventional email. But this market must be one of the most fascinating photo ops for the traveler. Today we went back in time. This scene has played out for centuries. It was an experience I shall never forget. Ttfn

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