Xinjiang is home to a Muslim population that has more in common with its Middle Eastern neighbors than fellow Chinese countrymen. The indigenous Uyghur people's frustration with the China's Communist Party has allowed a separatist sentiment to flourish. Radical separatist groups engage in terroristic methods to demonstrate their desire for sovereignty.
My program director managed to score our entire group entry to Xinjiang province. It is extremely hard to get the proper documentation to travel to Xinjiang. The trip was LITERALLY the opportunity of a lifetime: on the 2nd night we were there, an SUV driven by a radical Uyghur separatist crashed through crowds at Tianmen Square. Two people were killed and an additional 38 suffered non-fatal injuries. Since then, a string of riots and attacks related to the separatist movement forced the Chinese Communist Party to issue a lockdown on Xinjiang. Just this past weekend, a terrorist group from Xinjiang swept through a crowded train station with machetes, killing 30 and injuring 113.
It's a real pity that Xinjiang province is probably most well-known for violence and terroristic activity. My intentions are to divert attention away from Xinjiang-based terrorism that only a VERY SMALL minority of the population participates in through the photos I took on my trip. This place SHOULD be known for it's amazing natural beauty, UNREAL food (did you know noodles were invented by Chinese Muslims?), and very unique Middle-Eastern/Muslim/Chinese culture (where else would you see signs written in Chinese characters AND Arabic??). My weeklong visit to Xinjiang would strike even the most seasoned traveller as a surreal experience.
Natural Landscape
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| The Karakul Mountain Range boasts some of the tallest mountains in the world, including K2. K2 is the 2nd tallest peak in the world and widely considered the most dangerous to summit. |
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| Tianshan Grand Canyon in Kuqa. We had fun climbing the rocks, but our tourguide was not too pleased. |
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| Don't ask me where or what this place was called cause I have no idea. I do remember our tourguide mentioned we were about 37 miles (or KM? it is China...) away from the border to Tajikistan. |
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| Kumtag Desert. Our itinerary was to spend four hours in the desert. My initial thoughts questioned what a normal human being would do for four hours in the desert?! Well, we flopped around the sand, rolled down and around dunes, rode camels, staged photoshoots, tried gymnastics, engaged in a form of sand-fights/sand wrestling, and managed to entertain ourselves more than I could have possibly imagined. |
Buildings
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| Emin Minaret, a mosque in Turpan |
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| Afaq Khoja Mausoleum. Who is he? I dunno |
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| The hotel we stayed at in Turpan |
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| Jiaohe Ancient Ruins in Turpan. A truly ancient civilization that dates back to 108BC, it was abandoned after an invasion by Genghis Khan in the 13th century. |
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| A pagoda at the Thousand Buddha Caves (Kizil Caves) located in an oasis near Kuqa. Although Xinjiang is now predominantly Muslim, Buddhism was introduced to China via the Silk Road route through Xinjiang. Kuqa (formerly Kucha) was a Buddhist Kingdom. |
Food
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| Traditional lamb fried rice with yellow carrots, raisins, and soup. I had this meal quite a few times, and I'm assuming it's a staple of the province. |
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| Lamb is the protein of choice in Xinjiang. This picture was taken in the Kashgar livestock bazaar, where nomad herders come meet to negotiate livestock trading |
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| While at the livestock market, our tourguide recommended a type of specialty kebab that used a special kind of wood as a skewer, dipped in an egg batter and spice batter, and finally baked in a stone oven for about 20 minutes. I don't remember the name of this particular kebab and it's KILLING ME |
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| The finished product! I have never eaten such fresh lamb in my entire life... |
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| Xinjiang is well known for their fruit, in particular watermelon, pomegranate, and grapes. |
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| Raisins, dried fruits, and nuts are another specialty of the area. |
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| Surprise! Bagels in China! Found on almost every street corner, these bagels are baked in a stone oven. I honestly liked these bagels better than American ones. Sesame seeds and a little crust of salt on the bottom from where the bagel was touching the oven give it a distinct crunch. Definitely a pleasant change of taste from boring, plain, and chewy American bagels. (let's be real the best part of an American bagel is the cream cheese) |
People
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| This young girl was selling a ridiculously sweet dessert that was about 70% sweet whipped cream and 30% moist cookie/cake. Yes, I bought one after taking this picture I NEVER SAY NO TO SWEETS |
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| I don't think that guy wanted me taking pictures of him and his son...note the knife at his waistband oops |
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| His little box was filled with pretty jewelry made with semi-precious stones found in the area. |
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| A woman carries nang bread down the street. Nang is the Uyghur version of Indian Na'an flatbread and it is a staple of the region's cuisine. |
***A note on the people in Xinjiang, they are BEAUTIFUL. Uyghurs have the most amazing colored eyes. If any of you remember that National Geographic cover of that Afghani girl with green eyes, THAT would what a majority of the people there looked like. I'm very disappointed I didn't get more pictures of the people, since their features are really unlike any I have ever seen before.
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