So, what has been the purpose of all of the recent posts on Xinjiang? Aside from the obvious merits of the places that I have profiled, I have also been trying to provide you, dear readers, with an understanding of what Xinjiang looks and feels like. Hardly anyone outside of China has even heard of … Continue reading
In my previous writing on Turpan, I alluded to the area being famous for its grapes… Well, they’ve had a lot of time to get it right. There is evidence of grapes being grown around Turpan since at least the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). And the high esteem in which grapes from Turpan are … Continue reading
Kashgar has a number of extraordinary markets – such as the Night Market or the Sunday Market – and probably the most extraordinary of these is its livestock market. The Kashgar Livestock Market has been meeting every Sunday on the outskirts of Kashgar for generations. And by generations, I mean at least since Marco Polo … Continue reading
We’ve touched on Kashgar already, but there is a lot to see in Kashgar. So, we find ourselves back here again to explore another market. This time, I will be taking you through the “Sunday Market”, which is more formally known as the Central Asia International Grand Bazaar… This is a gargantuan market – said … Continue reading
As something of a companion piece to the last post, I must include the Oytagh Red Mountains… The sharp-eyed and quick-witted readers of The Velvet Rocket will likely not find the mental strain of deducing where the “Red Mountains” in their name derives from to be particularly taxing in this instance: The Oytagh Red Mountains … Continue reading
In the buildup to the post in which I intend to examine the conflict in Xinjiang, I have been focusing on many of the highlights of the region. In general, I think it helps one better understand events in the present if they are aware of the cultural depth and history of a society. When … Continue reading
As promised in the most recent post on the Karakoram Highway – part of the Karakoram Highway experience includes Karakul Lake and the Kyrgyz people, both nomads and permanent residents, that live in the region. Karakul, whose crystalline waters beautifully reflect the surrounding glacier-capped peaks, is surprisingly unspoiled, with almost no development along its shores. … Continue reading
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