I had intended the most recent post on Xinjiang to be my last on the subject. I considered “The War For Xinjiang” to be the culmination of the series of posts on that region and I thought I would be moving on to other places and topics… However, the volume of harassment and threats I … Continue reading
Tag Archives: China
The War For Xinjiang
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
The Grapes Of Turpan
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
The Kashgar Livestock Market
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
The Kashgar Sunday Market
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
The Oytagh Red Mountains
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
The Landscapes Of Xinjiang
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
The Velvet Rocket 