Kashgar

After leaving Tibet and taking the train back to Chengdu, I flew to Kashgar in the very western part of China to join an overland trip with a company called Dragoman (they are based in the UK for those that are interested).  This is a 22-day trip traveling from Kashgar to Xian, following the Silk Road. There are 10 of us on the trip, along with a western guide (Gino from Spain), a driver (Jim from the UK), and a Chinese guide (Claire).  It was nice to join the group and have people to do stuff with again, after a long time eating and sightseeing on my own.  Only 3 of us joined the group in Kashgar.  Three have been traveling together all the way from Istanbul, Turkey and the other four people joined in either Tashkent, Uzbekistan or Bishkek, Kyrgystan.

The first thing we did as a group in Kashgar was visit the livestock market.  They sell goats, sheep, donkeys, cows, yaks, and other animals here.

The guy with the red bandanna around his neck is Gino, our guide.

Besides livestock, they also sell lots of fruit and vegetables here.  Watermelon and cantaloupe are the most common in this area.

Our hotel was right next to the former Russian consulate (though the sign is misspelled and says Pussian consulate!).  There was also a travel agency with a most interesting English name translation:  Kashgar City Summer Amorous Feeling Travel Agency.

The hotel was a bit on the old and tired side, but must have been absolutely amazing in its prime.  Here are some pictures of my room.

This was a restaurant we ate at the first night.  The brickwork was pretty amazing.

We  spent the next day exploring the city.  First, I visited the Id Kah Mosque, which is the largest mosque in China and can hold 20,000 people.  Most of it is outside spaces, which probably makes sense given how hot it can get here.

The red bit in the photo is a pile of carpets that get laid down on the ground for worshippers.

Next I visited the Abakh Hoja Tomb.  He was a 17th century Sufi and political leader (according to Lonely Planet at least - I'd never heard of the guy).

Brendan taking a picture because the sign said it was the 'take pictures place.'

My first camel sighting of the trip.

Be sure to taste the rice farmers here!

Last but not least, my construction photos from Kashgar.  Next stop on the trip, Urumqi.