Kashgar, Western China. (Part a)

This is one view of the old town of Kashgar.  Parts of it are in a poor condition.

 I am back with notes from our recent trip to far Western China.
After our yurt stay, and visit to Tashkurgan, we headed to Kashgar....once a very busy hub, because it was at the junction of the northern and southern Silk Roads.

Today Kashgar is still a busy market town, populated mainly by Uighurs, who are Muslims. Only a very small proportion of the population are ethnic Chinese.

The new sections of Kashgar form the bulk of the city, but parts of the old town still exist, and have Uighur people living there.

The minarets of a Mosque.

The street signs, and other signs, are in 3 languages: Arabic. Chinese. English.

A three- language sign. (Lu is Mandarin for "street")

Walking through the old town is fascinating.
The houses are made with mud bricks, and the lanes wander through them, twisting and turning.
Some streets are paved with mud-brick slabs, but most are unsealed.

This lane way was paved.

The lanes are very narrow, and this tractor had to manoeuvre many times to get through. This part of town has unpaved lanes.

There are signs on the doors in some lane ways, advertising carpets, or flat  bread, or tea to drink....all obtainable inside the houses.

Children, like children the world over, played in the streets.

A trader sat patiently in a lane with his wares, a few vegetables, for sale.

And the butcher displayed his products. Lamb and mutton are staple fare here.

And a smithy sat at his small forge making cooking implements.

Plying his trade on the street of the old town.

Others washed their clothes at a communal tap.

Washing outdoors needs help from other family members.

Nearby, quilts (or doonas) were aired.

We spent many afternoons wandering the old town.
The residents were friendly, and always gave us permission to take photos.
A very interesting place.