Xi'an, Last Stop of This Trip

After an amazing week in Tashkurgan, I went back to Kashgar. I did nothing, but walked around Kashgar. 10 days just passed, I felt it was almost the time to get back, since I had left home for more than 40 days.

Terracotta Worriers, 2 BC

I found if I chose went back by train, I would spend 3 more days on the train, which was not acceptable to someone missing home and parents.  Somehow I used the money I had and got an air ticket from Xinjiang to Xi'an. Same story happened again, I just fell in love with a new city, AGAIN. This time was Xi'an.

Xi'an is the capital city of Shan Xi province, one of the oldest cities in China. It had over 3,000 years history, used to be called Chang'an, and was the capital city of Qin Dynasty, Han, Tang and etc.


As for Qin Dynasty historic sites, you might visit Qin Shihuang tomb to see his Terracotta Worriers. For Han, you could go to Hanyang Tomb Museum. If you favors in Tang Dynasty, you must visit Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda,7th AD

One thing that I like Xi'an most was its multicultural. Here, you could feel modern civilization and history at the same time. You could enjoy Terracotta Army, (210 BC) and post-modern skyscrapers at the same time.

Bell Tower, 14th AD

It's amazing, isn't it?

Random Pic, Modern Xi'an 

Intern in Tashkurgan

Travel Permit

You guys must be surprised after looked at the title. What?

Yeah, I got a job, an intern job working at K2 Youth Hostel. Amazing, right?

Since the day I arrived at Tashkurgan was October 1st, which was the national holiday of China. 1.3 billion Chinese would take a 7 days off. No more work, what they might do during this week? Travel! Every tourist attraction was crowded and there's no questions about it.

Then, I thought if I went back to Kashgar, there would be so crowded. I hated places crowded with people, which made me feel uncomfortable. I enjoy quite places so why not stay at this small county? This new hostel just need some volunteer to do some translation works for foreigner customers. Anyway, I got that job.

Basically, there were only two staff working here who were my boss-Jie Jiao, boss's college-roommate-Tuan Zhang and me. They were so nice, we got along quite well. Main part of my job was dealing with foreigner customers. Luckily, I can speak fluent English, which was not a big deal for me. Except finished the front desk work, I also needed to clean rooms sometimes. There was one time,Tajik wedding. I witnessed Tajik's eagle dance and fell in love with that sounds. I could remember the time my boss and I we rode bikes in the town; went to the border of China and Pakistan, and the last day Tuan Zhang didn't want me to leave.  Those memories I would never forget.

China & Pakistan's border

Border sign

Gold Grass Land, Tashkurgan

Ride bikes 

Last day in K2

You could imagine, that youth hostel was a start-up, without any experiences. Three young men full of passions wanted to get this done perfectly.  I have worked there for one week, which was one of my best times in my life. That feeling was so great.

Here's a short video, which I took during the Tajik Wedding. (Eagle Dance)

Kashgar to Tashkurgan County---G314

Night Scene of Kashgar

G314

Someone said that you never know what is gonna happen in next second. I have to admit it is true. Guess what happen？ The friends, who I hiked in Kanas with, they came to Kashgar as well. So we made a group again! Our next target was Tashkurgan!

Tashkurgan, located in eastern part of Pamir Plateau, is one of the Kashgar Prefectures. Most people in Tashkurgan are Tajik people and Uyghur people. Based on Wikipedia, there are two groups in Tajik people. One speaks a variety of Persian (Farsi) and the other one speaks Pamir Plateau dialect. Tashkurgan county is the largest settlement for Chinese Tajik people. Their symbol is eagle. If you comes to Tashkurgan, you will see the Eagle Statue in the center of this small county. They called themselves Eagle's descendants.

We decided to hire a local guide and drive us to Tashkurgan via G314. G314, is the highest paved international road which connects China and Pakistan. It runs about 1,300 kilometers, with an average elevation over 4000 meters. Due to its elevation, someone called this road "Eighth wonder of the world".

Sand Lake

Sand Lake

We were told that the scenery along G314 was fabulous. However, before we left, we were informed that people, who wants to enter Tashkurgan, even Chinese, need to get a border-permit. With that permit, they could be allowed to enter Tashkurgan county,  It seemed that we didn't have a choice. Three of us went to local police department to register and get this done. Luckily, just took a pic and finished some forms. We got that permits. But I mean still, as a Chinese, you cannot travel a normal place in your home-county  which was not reasonable, right?

I have to say that the scenery along G314 was amazing. Sand Lake, Karakul Lake, and Kara Kunlun Range, every piece of it was created by god.

Karakul Lake

Great Memory

We took a lot of pictures and had a rest at Karakul Lake, which has an altitude of 3,600 meters. We had to slow down a little bit in case of altitude sickness.

Unbelievable, Right?

Altitude goes up

Tashkurgan's Border Sign

We were in the K2 Youth Hostel

Finally, we arrived at a newly-open youth hostel in Tashkurgan, called K2 International Youth Hostel. That is  another hostel I highly recommend.

From Korla to Kashgar

Old train, Heading to Kashgar 

After spending a couple of days in Korla, I decided to go further, to Kashgar. This time I chose Railways.

Kashgar, Chinese name: 喀什噶尔, has been the most important city in Southern Xinjiang for hundreds of years. Even in 2000 years ago, because of the Silk Road, businessmen from every part of Central Asia gathered in Kashgar to exchange all kinds of staff.

Fabulous Uyghur Girl

Id Kah Mos

Because of Kashgar's Mosque, Id Kah Mosque, Kashgar becomes one of the most sacred cities to the Muslim across China and even central Asia. Id Kah Mosque is the largest and most influential mosque in China. Its worshipers come from China, Pakistan and even from central Asia.

Tao Lu

To live in Kashgar, I highly suggest you guys to live in Pamir Hostel, which is located just next to the Mosque. One of its owner-Tao Lu, had a lot of great experience that I do admire. Tao Lu got his bachelor degree in Shanghai and then got his master degree in Australia. He is a great Kashgar's local guide and youth hostel owner. Due to his abroad experience, talking with him in English was not a problem at all.

Uyghur Tili characters

When I arrived some places that I have never been to before, I would like to walk around to see the local and watch. Mandarin, China's official language, does not work here that well. Since over 80% population Uyghur, Uyghur Tili is more commonly used than Mandarin.

Uyghur Kids

One thing pissed me a lot was the policy of local government against Uyghur people. Some rules are so stupid and hilarious.  For instance, Uyghur girls cannot go to school with their veils, which seems the most stupid decisions that local government made.  I mean wearing veils is like Muslim's tradition. If you cannot agree with it, fine. You should leave it alone. Show some respects to their tradition. Do not touch those grey areas.  How come local government made such a stupid policy like this... I cannot believe it. 

At the fist sight, I fell in love with Kashgar and its people, which made me deciding to spent three weeks to enjoy unbelievable Kashgar.

Urumqi to Korla

Wind turbine

After short rest in Urumqi, it's time to explore the Southern Xinjiang. Xinjiang Locals always said that if you never went to southern Xinjiang, that means you never came to Xinjiang.  As long as you go south, you would meet more and more Uyghur people. Uyghur is a Turkic ethic group who lives in eastern and central Asia.80% of Uyghur people live in Xinjiang, China.  

Korla Sunset

My next stop was the entrance city to the southern Xinjiang--- Korla. Korla has the second largest population in Xinjiang, which is also the capital city of Bayin'gholin Mongol Autonomous Preference. If we talk about the geographical size, Bayin'gholin is even larger than the entire France. 

I took a travel bus from Urumqi to Korla, like Greyhound in the US. Although it was like 200 miles, I spent like more than 8 hours. Since it was a travel bus and most areas were mountain road, 8 hours seemed fair to me. 

I chose a youth hostel in Korla to settle down. The owner, Lao Li, that's what we called him. He is a really kind-hearted man. He can speak fluent Uyghur language, because he works for the government, which he has to deal a lot of business with local Uyghur people. Like he told us and who I seen, Uyghur people are fairly kind, not like others said. Before I left home, almost every relative warned me that: " kid, you should be care of Uyghur people, because they did all the bad staff." 

Well I have to say that most of my relatives they never came to Xinjiang before. What they warned me was just affected by the rumors and central media. You can see all the bad staff Uyghur people did on TV, yet you cannot really experience how great to meet, talk and communicate with them. 

Qi Gexing

Followed by Lao Li's suggestion, some backpackers in his hostel decided to go to Qi Gexing, which was a unopened historical site right now. Qi Gexing Village, because of the Silk Road became prosperous around 2nd century BC to 5 century AD. Local government was trying to rebuilt it and open to the public. Guess what we found there...

So, to those foreigners who wants to travel in China, my suggestions are "Do not just follow what guide book tells you, Go explore China by your heart. Meet the Local, especially the minority people. They are way better than your imagine before. I promise.

What inside those holes?

Qi Gexing historical site

    

Still can see amazing fresco, 4th AD

Way back to Urumqi

We sold our tent for food.

After finished that 4-day hiking in Kanas National Park, I decided to have a day rest in Kanas, and then went back to Urumqi  the capital city of Xinjiang. 

That Last day was a little bit funny, after 4 days hiking, we  run out of cash. We figured that we can get some cash as long as we arrived the Kanas Lake Area, which is the most prosperous village in the northern Xinjiang. 

Cute Kazakhs kid

However, we failed. After we paid our Last Day rent, we didn't have enough cash to pay the food and we were sick of those hard tack, so we sold our only tent to the owner of the family Inn, who is a kind Kazakhs. He agreed, accepted that tent and made three of us a great dinner and breakfast.

 Local Beer, it is so strong

After a one day rest, I just felt energetic, so I decided to went back by hitchhiking. From Burqin to Urumqi, it was like more than 400 miles. Since Burqin is a small county, I went to the entrance of the national roads, which connects the northern Xinjiang and Urumqi. 

wait for a lift, Burqin

back to Urumqi,Tian Shan Range

Luckily,  after a few unsuccessful tries,  an generous driver picked me up. He said he was a backpacker as well, every time he saw backpacker waving their hands on the side of the road, as long as he had some space, he would give them a ride. 

First time saw Populus euphratica.

He was so kind. His car was a Mitsubishi SUV, so we just spent like 5 hours from Burqin county back to Urumqi. Here, I am gonna show you some pics that I took during the way back.










Now, Time to say goodbye to Northern Xinjiang and Kind Kazakhs. Let's enjoy this beautiful Song from Kazakhs.