Silk Road - Xinjiang Finale

Silk Road will continue, but the journey for Xinjiang has came to an end.

We spent 14 of our 23 days journey in Xinjiang and we were having hard time at the moment we thought of crossing the border to the province of Gansu.  Not that Gansu is any less, Magao Cave is in Gansu, however, we were showered with the kindness of Uyghur for 14 days and we know we will have problem to face the Han Chinese.  Why?  Because we were never once cheated or conned by Uyghur in Xinjiang.  And for all we read, that is not the case heading east.

With a heavy heart, I am to show a summary what I felt about Xinjiang.

The Land

Desert - It was the first time I see desert.  Just like the feeling as I read it, quiet, vast, dry, surprisingly, pleasant to me!  Wierd, no!  Side effect of having 9 siblings and living in a land with lot of rain. I totally appreciate the feel of a desert, mysterious!

Oasis - It is like a place where you see hope.  A 26 hours of bus ride without anything around is a despair feeling.  The scene of an oasis takes all those despair away and gives every bit of hope that things are assure, comfortness!

Grape Trellises - I came to Turfan to see what is in the history, in the legend and in the story book.  The grape trellises tell it all.  I can spend all my time walking up, walking down, sit along the side walk, and have a drink.  I do not mind to be one of those seasonal workers here, enjoying the sense of, romance!

The Culture

Mosque - It should be familiar as there are many back home, but there are completely different.  The mosque here puts more emphasis in the front facade and the minaret, not so much to the dome as back home.  It normally like a piece of art work sitting in the middle of no where.  It might not have many attendants, but calling out far, in faith!

Art - I am not a muslim, but have always interested in the Arabic art.  The grilles,  the ceramic tiles, the carved foliage inscriptions. It looks colourful and I some how see patience in every piece of it.  More over, it's duty, sacred!

Bazaar - Hahaha :-).  Yes, I like this one the most.  The sundry produces, the variety of fruit, and most of all, the textiles.  By just walking along the bazaar and vesting through all the textile stores, I alrady feel, beautiful!




 The People

Kids - Children are amazing here.  Their smiles are never ending! They called you, asked you to take their photos, always with a big smile.  They laugh even more when they see their own photos in the camera.  They are everywhere and decorated their land with the upmost, innocence!

Folks - Most impression of a muslim society is uptight.  Well, mine is they are honest. For the record, I had bought 1kg of grape for RMB1, 2 fat goat milk bagel nun buns for RMB1 and 2 botols of date drink for RMB1.  Negotiating a price to them is a no no. The is what I called, virtue!

Family - Everything has to happen with a family.  Work, especially!  They are so family oriented that it makes a traveller like me feeling shameful of myself. The inclusion does not matter with time, place or us, the strangers.  It puts me in mix feeling to leave their land because it touches the softest part of a human, compassion!


That's it for Xinjiang, writing making me feel like going back again! 

**Note - the 234 photos for Xinjiang are  here (photos 7-240) and the 17 posts for Xinjiang are here.