Biking in kashgar

2 min read

Getting around Kashgar is a piece of cake simply rent bicycle from any bicycle shop dotting the streets.

A quick ride from new to old district shows that urban planning is rather haphazard.

Traditional homes are dwarfed by convenience stores and new blockish apartment buildings.

Only sections of the outer walls of the old town, some 500 years old, remain standing. Most parts have been demolished to make way for new living quarters.

Quotes

“In Kashgar, am transported back in time Goodbye modern world. Hello time warp!

“It’s rugged, heady; sometimes too hot, sometimes too cold. It’s breathtaking.

“Bring lots of film because you will want to photograph everything.

The visual treats are mostly in the Uyghur Old Town, north of the town center. The main square is a good starting point for touring the city. It has a large clock tower that definitely won’t reflect the time on your watch. Far away from the capital, people in Kashgar follow their own time zone. Kashgar’s time is set back 2 hours from Beijing’s, so don’t be overly surprised to find out you’ve just entered town in time for breakfast rather than lunch. The square is almost always a hub of activity. By day, fruit vendors, cobblers, and bike repairmen occupy the square. Barbershops are everywhere. Heads are given a thorough shave or a robust massage, though few beards seem to go under the razor. At night, the same square is transformed to shoppers’a’. different product is up for sale each night. The flavor of the night could be electronic goods, footwear or an array of fascinating bric-a-brac piled sky-high.

The Muslim faithful flock to their mosque answering the call to prayer.At every corner, whiffs of cumin and pepper, the aroma of grilled kebabs and baking bread will entice you to stop for a bite. Resistance is futile. Hop off your bike and sample the flavor of the street. Move out of the main thoroughfare and explore the backstreets and you’ll find yourself in a rabbit-warren of earthen-walled houses.

Occasionally, toothy old folks can be found chatting in Uyghur by the wayside. You may also become magnet for the neighborhood kids. They’re very friendly and will be happy to show you the rest of the street or pose for a picture.