KL Glasgow Overland: China Kashgar City, 2013

Kashgar is a city in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, in China’s far west. It was once servedd as a main stop along the ancient Silk Road for 2000

years Kashgar is also the northern point of the Karakoram Highway connecting China and Pakistan.

Our Sorento parked in front of the Bank of China. Got to change some Chinese Yuen before we tour Kashgar city.

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Lunch at Orda Restaurant

Our Sorento at Orda Restaurant

Palao for lunch today.. very similar to the Plov we have had in Kyrgyzstan / Uzbekistan.

Kashgar - Tour of The Western and Central Asian Bazaars

This Bazaar is the largest in Northwest China.

Following the opening of Torugart Pass and Khunjerab Pass, various goods from other countries have found its way here.

Walking tour of the back streets of Kashgar...with our guide in tow

Hardware section

Deadly Scorpions.....but its food and a delicacy

Pet turtle for sale

Dried snakes for medicinal purposes....

Iugher Girl in her sunday best

Ice cream break....sweet vanilla

Fresh fruits...grapes galore...pears too

and even meat....mutton
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Old Town Kashgar. High platform folk homes / Gaotai ancient homes

Ancient mud brick homes, some of which are more than a hundred years old.

Mud houses falling apart.....
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Alaq Khoja Mausoleum

Also known as the "Fragrant Concubine Hometown" is a family cemetery of a prominent Islamic leader in Kashgar. The Mausoleum was built in 1639-1640. It contains the tomb of 72 family members / descendents from 5 generations.

The most famous of the many descendents of Alaq Khoja is Iparhan. She was the only Uighur concubine of the Qing Dynasty Emperor, Qianlong. She is known by her Chinese name 'Xiang Fei' which means fragrant Imperial Concubine because of the fragrance that she exudes without the use of perfumes.

Entrance to the building with the family's tomb

Alaq Khoja Tomb Hall.
Inside the hall, tombs of various sizes are arranged neatly in rows on a raised tiled platform.
Each tomb is covered with a cloth (mainly black and green) embroided with Islamic scriptures.
The tomb of Iparhan with its reddish orange cloth and some flowers draped on the edges lies on the top right corner of the hall.

The hall is said to contain 72 family members across 5 generations.
However, there were only about 52 tombs in reality.

Mum and Dad talking to our guide, Ismail.

Garden in front of the tomb hall.

Bactrian Camel standing under the shade in the garden.

Hippophae or Sea Buckthorn plant.
Legend has it that Iparhan exuded enchanting fragrance without using perfumes from the day she was born. She often likes to bath with hippohae blossoms. After marrying the Emperor, Iparhan terribly missed her hometown and became physically ill. The Emperor brought the hippophae plant to Beijing to comfort Iparhan.

The mausoleum covers an area of about five acres. In addition to the Alaq Khoja's family tombs, the ground also has a cemetery for the local Uighur people and a couple of mosques.

Upper Mosque next to the Mausoleum

Wooden muqarnas decorate the pillars holding up the ceiling to Upper Mosque

Women praying in front of the Lower Mosque

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Areya Road - Kashgar Old Town

In the olden days, Kashgar was the capital of the Shule Kingdom.
During that time, a flood was going to devastate the area and residents around the old town fled to higher ground. Coincidentally, a huge crack appeared on the ground, into which the flood waters flowed and saved the area from devastation. Areya Road was where the crack had appeared.

Our walk along Areya street starts from the Flower pot bazaar to Kantuman Bazaar

Flower pot bazaar along Areya Street

Local Uyghur ornate wooden carvings on windows and doors can be seen on this street. Some of the buildings on this street are centuries old. These are made from mud.

Old style inn, a heritage from the ancient Silk Road.

The inn used to provide lodging and food for merchants and travellers passing through Kashgar.

Dad with our guide outside the blacksmith shop

Watching the blacksmith work his craft..

Kantuman bazaar is the place to go for iron works such as farming tools etc.
The skills have been passed down by the Uyghurs for generations.

A mosque in one of the alleys off Areya Street

Areya street

Mattock Bazaar, also a place for iron products

Clock tower near the Old town

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Id Kah Mosque

Eidgah mosque is one of the largest ancient mosque in China. The mosque sit on a large area consisting of the main building, the doctrine teaching house, the courtyard, dome, minaret and the main gate. The mosque was built around 1442 AD and repaired many times since then

The main gate

The attic

One hundred wooden beam holds up the ceiling of the prayer hall

A very old silk rug from Iran hanging on the wall. The rug used to be laid out on the floor.

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Square near Id Kah Mosque

Square in front of Id Kah Mosque main gate

Cooling melon..

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Aigezi Airike Street

Different types of spices

Old books and drawings..

This street market is packed with locals at this time of day.

Spare parts soup, a local favourite. The man could not make them fast enough.

Yak meat

Pumpkins

Eggs

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Kum Darewaz Road

In 1838, when the Muslim residential area was extended, a new south gate was constructed on the old sandy riverbed. In Uyghur, "Kum" means sand and "Darewaz" means gate.