ReidaBlog

After getting rejected by the Chinese army and visiting stone city we met up with one of Abdul’s friends, a Tajik truck driver and had dinner at his house. After dinner we walked around town for a bit, stayed at a really crappy hotel and hit the road early the next morning.

What is odd about this scene is that I’ve seen it repeated all over rural China.

Scenery shot early in the morning on our drive back down the Karakorum highway.

See the pointy hill in the middle? I’ll be climbing that in about 30 minutes.

Ralph stopped the car to get a picture of the sky and these little houses. Never was sure exactly what they were.

Driving by the day before I thought they were some kind of tomb but up close they were open to the outside and empty.

Anyway…while Ralph was taking pictures I figured in honor of being so close to K2 I’d tackle a Reid sized mountain.

Was a bit bigger (and steeper) than it looked. Add to that one out of shape American and thin air and you get a sloooow climb.

But I made it.

While my compatriots wait for me to climb down Ralph starts taking yak pictures. Doesn’t seem like the fence is working correctly.

Another speed differential problem.

This picture either juxtaposes the solar powered cell tower and camel (modern and ancient)…or just highlights that I like camel pictures.

Which probably comes from my obviously Egyptian background.

May I present Muztagh Ata from Karakul Lake…how much would you bid for that?

Showing a 3600.5 meter vertical leap.

How’d that get in the picture?

The first and only Chinese campers I’ve seen on my travels. They picked a good location though.

Karakul lake in May…not warm.

Other side of the lake…good shot of Tian Shan mountains. Although since “shan” means mountains I guess that in English these are the “Heaven Mountains mountains”.

One very laid back yak.

And the clouds finally cleared giving us a pretty good shot of Muztagh Ata.

The river running off the glaciers. Source of water for Kashgar and surrounding area.

One thing that makes you nervous is when you pass a big rockslide that you don’t remember from the day before.

Army post from the other side. It is still pretty early so we are the only ones there.

And finally back to the city.

Ralph and I have the rest of the day to check out Kashgar and then we fly out tomorrow morning. First stop is a mosque to Abdul can do Friday prayers. He takes us a to a small one where we get typical “what are these white guys doing hanging outside our place of worship” looks. Then it is off to the biggest mosque in China, Id Kah Mosque.

Friday prayers just ended so we decide to see a bit of the old town and let the crowds disperse a bit before heading to the mosque.

Outside the mosque an outdoor market has sprung up.

1st of many actual working markets we’d see on this trip.

I ask how much and am told “1″ so I give the guy 1 yuan. Then the old guy next to the vendor laughs and I realize he meant 1 mao. Kind of like paying a dollar when it costs a dime. I just got out bargained on the silk road. That’s pretty cool!

In this part of China the signs are in 3 languages.

I was told this is the Uyghur language and not Arabic. Looked similar to me.

I think these rugs are being “antiqued”.

Old town back alley. I was told later that the “old town” was built in early 20th century. Still it looked cool and a bit creepy.

Wiring reminiscent of Thailand (this pic is for Eric).

Well this has been a long one…so I think you guys deserve some…drumroll…Chinese Signs! Kashgar version.

This actually kind of makes sense.

“Oops I did it again” is not something you want to hear from the lady cutting your hair…that was pretty witty huh?

Tea house (turkish style). Lots of old dudes with beards drinking tea.

Kashgar was FILLED with these little dentist shops. Think peddle powered drills and cringe.

When I asked Abdul about it he told me that Uyghurs don’t like to brush their teeth. You’d think hearing the screams coming from the shops everyday would be motivation enough.

Just kidding about the screams.

Lots of craft stores at the market.

When this girl saw us heading her way she quickly put on her veil. So of course Ralph saw that as an invitation to take her picture. I felt it meant she wanted her picture posted on the internet.

After walking around town waiting for the post prayer crowd to dissipate we went back the main square to see what the mosque looked like.

Not so impressive.

I’ve noticed that mosques around the world tend to be a lot less fancy than churches. And they tend to smell like feet. However in this part of the world each one was pretty peaceful, open to the outside and filled with trees. Nice places. But smelled like feet.

I think I made the picture too small.

Interesting parts say: 1) mosque was built in 1442, 2)blah blah blah…and then…”All of this shows that Chinese government always pays special attentions to the another and historical cultures of the ethnic groups, and that all ethnic groups warmly welcome Part’s religious policy. it also shows that different ethnic groups have set up a close relationship of equality, unity and helps to each other, and freedom of beliefs is protected. All ethnic groups live friendly together here. They cooperate to build a beautiful homeland, support heartily the unity of different ethnic groups and the unity of our country, and oppose the ethnic separatism and illegal religious activities.”

Make of that what you will. I am not going to make any comments because I always “follow social moralities”…got to love rules:

Yet another site being renovated for the Olympics. Somehow I doubt many visitors made it out this far.

One of largest Mao statues left in China. Or so says wikipedia. Who doubts them?

Before leaving this part of the country we tell Abdul we want to go see the Taklamakan desert.

After driving out of Kashgar proper we still have a couple of hours of driving through the oasis and reclaimed farmland.

Kind of feel like I’m heading towards a country club or something.

Then we arrive at the desert!

WTF??!!?

Not exactly what I was expecting.

Anyone want to ride in the ball?

A typical Chinese desert scene…waiting for our meal next to the lake.

So where is the desert you ask?

Here it is.

What is there to do in the desert? (notice the tracks? that is foreshadowing)

1) Dunebuggy-ing

2) Pose for desert pictures

3) Pose for more desert pictures

4) Pose for some desert pictures with an adventure theme

AND

5) Ride camels.

Reid swallowed by the desert at sunset.

Body surfing…Kashgar style

Well it was a long day so time to ride off into the sunset.

But before I wrap up just one more picture.

Red Camel

In April and May I spent about 6 weeks traveling in Asia. I started in Beijing of course but got an email from Ralph saying that he had planned a trip to Xinjiang and did I want to come along? Xinjiang is the large province in Northwest China known for the Taklamakan desert, silk road oasis towns, separatists, and lots of sand. So of course the answer was “I’m in!”.

Being a good German, Ralph had a detailed plan that revolved around heading up the Karakoram highway to see one of the highest passes at 5000m (or something like that, take all my numbers with a grain of salt as I’m working from memories based on rumors) and then head to Tulufan to see the lowest part of China at like 50 meters below see level. No danger of flooding of course as you’ll soon see. Anyway as can be expected when traveling with a schedule based on making all your flight connections our plan fell apart pretty quickly. More on that below.

Leaving Beijing through the new terminal (biggest in the world).

Looking back at the entrance. For those interested the first Burger King I’ve seen in China is located on the upper floor.

Everything went very smooth. Landed in Urumuqi late at night and left the next morning before dawn to fly to Kashgar.

The airport in Kashgar was not quite as advanced.

After arriving in Kashgar we link up with a guy from the travel agency that helped plan the trip. Driving into town he mentions something about how Kashgar is building an industrial park so it will soon be the next Hong Kong or New York. Ralph and I nod an amused agreement.

We then meet our driver and guide Abdul Geiny (I have no idea how to spell it but is sounds like Abdule GayNee) who immediately makes the joke “Abdul gei ni taxi!” It took me some time before I got it…this is the second Chinese joke I’ve ever understood so I’m pretty partial to it.

Our faithful steed for the remainder of the trip.

We make a stop at the Seman* hotel to drop off the travel agent guy. This place was the Russian consolate in the days of “The Great Game”

At this point Ralph and I decide we don’t need a translator and the three of us take off up the Karakoram highway.

5 legged donkey

Kashgar is an oasis town but the landscape soon becomes a bit more desolate.

Try farming here

We saw tons of these “marginal” farms and later hear first hand that this expansion of population (government importing Han farmers into an already marginal environment) is one of the main bones of contention between Beijing and the Uyghur.

All of a sudden the moutains just appear out of the blowing sand and we are on the legendary Karakoram highway!

A skid that couldn’t have ended well

The area to the left of the road is a river…it had a little water but apparently in July and August it is full of melt water. Doesn’t bode well for Kashgar that the glaciers are melting.

I’m convinced highway speed differentials are what make 3rd world roads so dangerous…this guy is passing us on the right at about 100kph

1st army checkpoint

Everyone gets checked. First of many army checkpoints we passed through in Xinjiang. I should also note that the airport security is highest (and most annoying) I’ve ever been through. Only other place I’ve ever had to pass through a checkpoint in China was on my Yunnan trip.

Ralph and I stop for a picture

There was a lot of wetlands up in the mountains, not really lakes but not dry either.

Mud hut with electricity…the cutting edge green kind. We’d see these solar panel all over…everyone needs their TV

Yaks

and horses…we’re getting higher

Me at Karakul lake, 7500 meter peak behind me and K2 about 150km away

When I got out of the car at Karakul I had my first taste of the altitude…we were getting high

Kid tries to sell camel ride to Chinese tourist

And succeeds!

Camel complains

1st appearance of Abdul

It was windy

And the road keeps going…we get higher

Road approaching Tashkurgan, the last stop in China and where we hope to get army approval to head up to the pass

The army post were we are rejected. No foreigners allowed until September 18…why?…well the Olympics of course

We tried to argue…for a really long time. I offered to take a soldier with us, I offered to pay, but apparently an event months in the future and thousands of miles away requires that two foreigners are not allowed to approach the border. I’m sure it makes sense to someone.

The first of my many travel problems on this trip. Later I’d find out that all land borders into and out of China are closed until after the Olympics with a few limited exceptions. When I’m in Bangkok trying to get a new visa (foreshadowing) I met some people who tried to cross from Laos into China and got rejected. Anyway…

We are told that there is an old fort in town.

looks a bit disappointing as we approach

But turns out that is just the outer gate.

Stone City

Reid can breach any wall

After climbing the fort (pretty sure this would not be allowed in the west) see the view of the valley

Later Abdul told us a story about a battle that took place here between India and Afghanistan. Indian troops lured away the Afghani defenders and captured the fort including the women and children. The Afghani soldiers returned and lay siege but couldn’t take the place. Then one night the Afghani women poisoned the well. The Indian soldiers got sick and the women slit their throats in the night. Maybe someone should have told the Russians in 79…would have saved us all a lot of problems.

I found it more difficult to breach this wall

Two handsome men

Didn’t think it was really called stone city did you?

To be continued…

*due to reader sensibilities I’ve refrained from make a joke here