Kashgar (or Kashi)

Kashgar (or Kashi) Far Western China 

I have snatched half an hour for some recounting. We have been so busy with little spare time and tomorrow we leave China for Kyrgyrstan and living in yurts for awhile. We are in Kashgar, dominated by the Uygur ethnic group and almost living in the old ways except for mobile phones etc. We are almost leaving the Han Chinese behind and today was spent in fascinating animal markets, bazaars and mosques. The landscape over the last few days has been full of contrasts. Last night we flew relatively low over the massive Taklamakan desert and in the morning we were 2000 metres up in the Tian Shan mountains, looking over Heavenly Lake but in fact…