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Home  >  China • Traveling  >  Kashgar (the Far, Far West of China)
Posted inChina Traveling

Kashgar (the Far, Far West of China)

Posted By Becky Ances Posted on September 2, 2015
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Well, my travels are winding down. I ended my trip in Kashgar, one of the farthest west cities in all of China. Here Han Chinese were few and far between, and most travelers were using this as a gateway to or from Pakistan. Kashgar was amazing. By this point I had a whole band or merry wanders that I was used to and knew well, so everyday was filled with chatting and hanging out. I think I’ll let the pictures tell of my experience.

Artisans line the streets of the old town, banging away on coppers and metals making their wares.
Artisans line the streets of the old town, banging away on coppers and metals making their wares.
The Mosque was the center of activity in the old town. I didn’t go in, but ti;s surrounded by markets and the square out front was filled with women chatting, kids playing and families having fun. During the hot days it was almost empty, but filled with activities at night.
My favorite place was the 100-year-old traditional tea house. No seats or tables, but rather kang-style platforms you would sit on and drink tea. We ordered “kashgar power tea” (Their translation) which was black tea with some chai-like seasonings. I spent many a afternoon here.
The teahouse, not a tourist place, but more a place for locals, had instruments hanging on the wall. We had the incredible luck to be there at the same time as a group of men who sat and played for hours. They sang, chanted, and played the many unique local instruments (of which I never learned the names). I felt very lucky to be there at that time.
One more of the teahouse, cause it was so damn cool
Shave and a haircut, two bits!
Shave and a haircut, two bits!
Couldn't stop laughing at this sign.
Couldn’t stop laughing at this sign.
The air was clean and the sunsets gorgeous.

I’ll admit I didn’t do much in Kashgar, and maybe I’ll regret it in the future. I was supposed to join a car of people going to Shipton’s arch, the tallest natural arch in the world. It was discovered to the world in the 40’s and then lost for decades until 2000, when a National Geographic expedition finally found the location and made it known to the public (about 60km’s away from the city). But the night before I was up and in the toilet and while I was a bit better come morning I thought a hot car ride, followed by a even hotter hike, was not such a good idea.

But I had such a good time in the city, wandering the meandering maze of the old city street, going to the bazaar and the livestock market, and chatting with fellow travelers, I don’t mind being lazy. (Also, in all honesty, the heat was really getting to me at that point. I was only eating two meals a day, breakfast and dinner–because my body just didn’t have it in me to digest food. It was too busy trying not to overheat. And no place had air conditioning, ensuring I sweated through each and everyday.)

Kashgar was the perfect place for me to end my trip. It was one of the furthest spots in China, and so unlike anything I have seen before. I feel like I went to another country, even though I technically never left the borders of China. Xinjiang doesn’t get as much attention as other parts of China (even though it is the largest part in China) but it is a place of astounding beauty, amazing food, and unique culture. If you get the chance: go, go, GO!

Tags: border city food kashgar Tea tradions Traveling Western China xinjiang
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2 Comments

  1. Autumn
    September 9, 2015 at 9:04 am

    I am sad your travels are over. I got to enjoy checking out new places without all the sweating and intestinal distress!
    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Becky
    September 10, 2015 at 10:20 pm

    I’m sad my summer travels are over even with the sweltering and the intestinal distress. Because now I’m still sweltering in Xiamen without all the new excitement of traveling. Only 16 more weeks till I can take off again. 😉

    Reply

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I’m an American who has been living in China for more than a decade! This is my blog where I muse about all things China. Please also check out my YouTube channel “Badminton Becky” and my other badminton blog at www.badmintonbecky.com

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