2. Flew from Kashgar back to Urumqi at night.
3. Ate dinner and drove from Urumqi to Turpan and arrived around 1am.
Kashgar Old City
According to an article in the New York Times, the Uyghurs living in Kashgar Old City are being forced to move out of their homes and into modern apartments while the Old City will be demolished. The China government believes there are a small number of Uyghur separatist associated with Jihadism.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/world/asia/28kashgar.html?pagewanted=all
However, based on our guide, who is a Uyghur, the Old City is not being demolished, but reconstructed with higher safety standards. After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, the China government deemed the Old City as unsafe and provided residents with money to relocate and renovate their homes, changing from mud walls to brick walls, and installing water and gas pipes. Our guide said that the residents still own their plot of land and will be able to return. Our guide was the one who had told me about the NYT article and told me it was incorrect.
Kashgar Old City - A lot of the buildings were in ruins.
Kashgar Old City
Kashgar Old City - Reconstruction. Rebuilding with bricks. The bricks don't seem very earthquake safe, either.
Kashgar Old City - Took this picture to show their utility poles.
Kashgar Old City - Two Uyghur men.
Kashgar Old City - Alleyway
Kashgar Old City - Cooking Naan.
Kashgar Old City - The butcher selling lamb.
Id Kah Mosque
Id Kah Mosque - Largest mosque in China.
Id Kah Mosque - I think the writing is Arabic-based.
Id Kah Mosque - Kite Runner was filmed at this mosque.
Id Kah Mosque - Prayer hall.
Zhiren Street
Zhiren Street - Another filming location of the Kite Runner, according to our guide.
Zhiren Street - A woman selling food. On the left, watermelons and cantaloupe. This year was considered one of the best seasons, producing sweeter fruit than the other years.
Zhiren Street - Wood workshop.
Zhiren Street - Boy baking naan in one of the alleyways. Took this picture from the street.
Zhiren Street - Close-up of the naan baking.
Zhiren Street - Man selling produce and fruit.
Zhiren Street - Butcher selling lamb.
Zhiren Street - Craftsman at work.
Tomb of Abakh Khoja
Tomb of Abakh Khoja - Coffins inside.
Kashgar Bazaar
Kashgar Bazaar - View inside.
Kashgar Bazaar - Rugs.
Kasghar Bazaar
Kashgar Bazaar - Turtle shells.
Kashgar Bazaar
Kashgar Bazaar
Kashgar bazaar - Color dyes.
Kashgar Bazaar
Flew back to Urumqi. Arrived there at night. Ate dinner. Then drove from Urumqi to Turpan. It is desert between the two cities. The highway is pitch black with lighting only from headlights and brake lights of the cars. Powerful winds blow sand across the roads, decreasing visibility and swaying the car. The two-lane highway is crowded with huge trucks, signs of the rapidly developing China.
Without warning, there will be trucks broken down in the lane, in the pitch black, windy, sandy conditions, and we would have to swerve the car out of the way. There were even trucks driving in the wrong direction, and you would see headlights heading straight for you. This was the only time I felt it was necessary to put on a seatbelt throughout my 3 weeks in China. I don't think the seatbelt would have been enough to save my life.
Anyways, we arrived in Turpan safely.
