Svetlana’s notes on Kashgar
I wrote about Svetlana’s trip to Kashgar … well, she’s given me a report on the trip and I thought I would share with you some of her gems.
At first I thought of revisiting and editing the page to include some quotes – but then I thought it might be better just to give you some extracts.
They show the detail of her powers of observation and also her sense of humour … at least, I hope it is a sense of humour!
I hope you find them interesting:
Scooters: Motor scooters are the main source of transportation in Kashgar. It could be explained by the fact that they are quite affordable (one costs around USD300 and has rechargeable batteries, so no gas is required), easy to operate, and convenient in the relatively big city with nicely paved roads. I was a bit surprised to see their dominating attitude on the road – scooter riders ignore not only the designated side of the road they are supposed to ride on, but also the honking of the truck drivers that are speeding, overloaded with tons of goods. Brave scooter riders could be female or male, and of nearly any age. The typical Kashgari scooter owner doesn’t wear a helmet. However, there are other identifiable attributes s/he would have:
a. White socks. My female logic had a hard time figuring out the reason for this fashion trend. As wearing something white is highly impractical for people living in houses with no washing machines (and sometimes no running water) in dusty Kashgar. I could only come up with two possible explanations:
1. White socks are the cheapest and sold as disposables.
2. Kashgari people are still grieving for Michael Jackson.
b. Surgical mask. I think I can explain that – protection from the road dust.
c. Footwear. High heel shoes for women riders, flip-flops for men (both worn with white socks, though).
d. Toddler. Normal size scooter can surprisingly accommodate up to three adults and unlimited weight attached on the sides. I was not surprised by the number of people or the amount of cargo transported. I was only shocked by “careless” Kashgari parents, who hang their offspring in plastic baskets (Chinese plastic of course) behind the scooters. The ‘safest’ option of carrying toddlers I saw was in between the parents (‘sandwich’ style).
Dust: I have not researched the death statistics (I’m an optimistic traveler), but suspect many people die from lung cancer caused by smoking and dust. I was slightly paranoid that if I stay in Kashgar longer and something happens to me, my autopsy would most likely show two solid bricks instead of lungs (and that with me not smoking and being optimistic).
I felt sorry for our room service and other cleaners, who had to wipe the dust two times a day. Well, the more work to do, the more people should be employed. Even though this rule does not always work with the Chinese.
Roads: The Chinese’s endless supply of human resources make up for the lack of others. They are restoring Kashgar – Torugart road with great speed and only a few trucks and excavators. My drive there (on the 14th) took me six and a half hours; my drive back (on the20th) was only four and a half. But the speed of lighting a.k.a. the speed of Chinese-construction-workers really showed on the building next to Qinibagh hotel. I was frustrated with the construction noise 24 hours a day, but I could see the results of that noise almost immediately. I was simply amazed to see a new story every morning upon awakening. Who else could build three stories in five days?
With that breakneck speed they can rebuild the whole place in five-ten years into a new Shanghai.
Ccchhhtttfffuuu: As I went to Kashgar as a part of a delegation with some round tables and official meetings scheduled; I took a book with me to get me through the ‘excitement’. This book happened to be “Running a Hotel at the Top of the World” by Alec Le Sueur. I started reading it while in Bishkek, but read only a chapter. There, the author mentions this “ccchhhttfffuuu” thing; but I never paid attention or realized the meaning of this group of letters until I got to Kashgar. This sound followed me on many streets and especially in the bazaars.
Bazaar: Nothing impresses me after Bishkek Dordoi, where one can find everything – from organic fertilizers to latest clothes collections from the upscale name designers. Although Kashgar bazaars may be less diverse, they have their own charisma. I personally do not like seeing animals in an unnatural environment, so I usually pass by zoos and animal markets. So I might have missed the most interesting part of the bazaar experience.
Shipton’s Arch: Chinese call this natural phenomenon “Heaven Window”, Uyghurs – “Pierced Rock”. I have not made up my mind on what translation fits it better yet, but I can tell that there is something heavenly as well as rocky.
I remember reading that it might be the tallest natural arch, but for some reason it was not listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Bishkek