Thoughout the 19th century the Russians and British played out a great chess game across the mountains and deserts of Central Asia. The British feared, with some justification, Russian intentions in India--the prize of all Asia--since Russia was rapidly expanding its vast empire. Traders and eccentrics, scholars and soldiers, and seeker of adventure spent months to years in this vast unmapped territory reaching to the Caucasus, drawing up maps, trying to influence fickle if not outright bloodthirsty khans. In the ancient Silk Road town of Kashgar, the game was played out to the max with both the British and the Russians establishing consulates--all the better to spy on each other. An absolutely great book is The Great Game, by Peter Hopkirk, who tells a great tale of the personalities and geo-conflicts of the two powers of the time. And for a fun afternoon, Rudyard Kipling's Kim is a thoroughly entertaining read, as well.
Anyway, Kashgar is another name that evokes images of exotic bazaars and treasures, and it does not disappoint. Sections of the old town that have still survived the new China look unchanged in hundreds of yeas. Weathered adobe structures open onto twisting lanes bordered by cobblers using hand tools, metal workers pounding away, bread makers baking in ancient ovens. An enormous mix of Central Asians mill about, haggling. It's the real thing, and it's awesome.
The Uighurs, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Pakistanis, and everybody else have well figured out this capitalism thing. If you want to wander around the residential section of the old town--well, that costs 30 yuan (about $4)! The Silk Road is alive and well here, so is the Great Game, with the powers-that-be in the world vying for Central Asia's markets and resources.
Some photos about town:
1 comment:
Okay, Kashgar sounds and looks good...exotic and farily untouched. Sign me up. But, do we have to fly on one of those Russian planes to get there? "it is a great and terrible world" as the Tibetan monk said in Kim.
tu amiga querida
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