9/16/07

Day Two in Kashgar
8am Wakeup
9am Breakfast
10am-12pm Animal Market
12pm-4pm Bazaar
4pm-8pm Siesta
8pm- Dinner and a Show

We started today off at the livestock market. I didn't get as many pictures as I should have. It was so sad. There were so many cows and sheep and donkeys and horses and they all looked so incredibly unhappy. I even saw a cat on a leash. The horses seemed the happiest, albeit malnourished. I suppose that's to be expected - they were the only ones that wouldn't be eaten (probably). They would prance about and wore bells and headresses. The cows and sheep were just so melancholy.


The place was one giant dustbowl. It was so dusty that when we blew our noses it came out black. We started using tissues as masks. There were long rows of metal poles that went on for ages with animals attached to them. Taylor saved me from stepping in the mother of all cow pies, but the poo was pretty much unavoidable.

We were supposed to be speaking with the Uyghers there, asking them questions about what they were selling and etc. but none of them spoke Chinese and none of them were very friendly. Probably because they knew were weren't actually in the market to buy anything. We had to give up that assignment pretty quickly. One little boy even whipped Kang Laoshi's hand!

After the livestock market we went to the Bazaar. Its like the silk market, but outdoors (sorta) and on crack. I can't remember quite how big he said it was, but we walked around for 4 hours and barely saw 1/4 of it. It was absolutely crazy.


The first thing we did when we got off the bus was to try that merengue thing. It'sso sweet and think and wonderful. We were incredibly wrong about the cornbread part. It's like a yellow cake. So good.

First we went to a pashmina dealer. Next, a knife place. After thart we wandered a bit, ate some figs and naan (requisite) and marveled at all the things for sale and all the colors! You could get everything imaginable, and in every color, at this market.






We hopped back on the bus to drive back to the hotel for our afternoon nap. On our way the tour guide and I got off early and went to the post office so I could mail home the oriental rug I got for my mom. Thank goodness he took me, because Chinese post offices - especially in Kashgar - are incredibly intimidating, and there's no way I would be able to figure it out on my own. There were three options for shipping overseas: fast (15 days), medium (30-40 days) and slow (5-6 months). Gotta love China. I hope my rug makes it home.



Dinner was pretty crazy. We went to the "Apple Garden FouristSite," (I <3 Chinglish)- which is actually an outdoor pavillion covered in grape vines and not an apple in sight. All the tables surrounded a dance floor. During the meal there were several dance and tightrope performances. Apparently dancing with stacks of bowls filled with water on your head, and tightrope, are longstanding uygher traditions. Of course the Americans joined in on the dancing after the performances, much to the delight of every Uygher present. The second we hit the dance floor the Asians made a circle and the DJ switched to rap and fake Billy Joel. This happens every time we go out in China. They love their fake American covers, almost as much as they love asking us to teach them how to "hippity hop." The Shopping Cart was big here.