Sunday, January 25, 2026

Riding China: Culture Shock in Kashgar

In this episode, I get my Chinese drivers license and temporary license plate and get to explore Kashgar - an ancient city on the old Silk Road.

Posted by Corky at 10:50 AM | 11 COMMENTS | permalink

Comments

"Kashgar is one of the oldest continuously habited cities in the world. And for over 2,000 years it was a very important oasis on the silk route connecting China to the Middle East and Europe.

So it was always a vital trading hub where caravans from central Asia, India, Pakistan.

And Persia would gather and all the bizzars and markets here in Kashgar
gave it its name the pearl of the silk road.

Look how beautiful these streets are. So Kashgar has been under the rule of Chinese, Turkic, Mongol and Tibetan empires.

And then it became an important Islamic cultural center after the spread of Islam to this region in the 10th century.

And then it became part of the Republic of China in 1949. Now the people here in Kashgar are mainly Uyghur.

And Uyghurs are Turkic speaking sunni muslims. So they speak their own language.

Most of them will also speak Chinese, but they also have their own language. How beautiful are these hey?"

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2026-01-25 10:51 AM

"And then it" in two successive paragraphs is lazy writing.

#2 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-01-25 10:56 AM

#2

It's not writing, it's narration.... while walking the city and filming.

You can be such a little bitch in the mornings.

#3 | Posted by Corky at 2026-01-25 11:01 AM

You're well aware of my crippling arthritis, you heartless ghoul.

#4 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-01-25 03:41 PM

Sorry.

I thought you said rippling glossitis.

#5 | Posted by Corky at 2026-01-25 04:16 PM

#2

Let the man tell his.story/thoughts his way. I for one enjoy this forums informality.

#6 | Posted by fresno500 at 2026-01-25 09:08 PM

Rider is a woman, quoted in #1 in her narration.

#7 | Posted by Corky at 2026-01-25 09:10 PM

BWAHAHA.

And no, god damn it. Dan Brown proved an incompetent moron can make millions, so ---- you.

#8 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-01-26 09:36 PM

#8

You don't by chance have any extra meds, do you? Asking for a friend.

#9 | Posted by Corky at 2026-01-26 10:10 PM

Thanks for posting this. I never made it that far west, but I met several people who did. The culture is very different there. Apparently if you ask to look at something then you've already agreed to buy it for whatever the seller asks. One guy I knew found that out the hard way when all the other sellers pulled knives on him when he balked at it. Another person knew recorded the aftermath of a suicide bombing and had to hide the SD card in a friend's bra to avoid it being confiscated.

#10 | Posted by sentinel at 2026-01-27 10:27 AM

#10

It's a unique culture for sure. And I wasn't familiar with China:s expansion there being as late as in 1949.

And the Muslim traditions are opposites of other Muslim countries in many cases.

I've seen quite a bit of China's innovative cities, but not these remote areas, and this trip there is just getting started.

She usually travels alone, and has gone through places like Iran where I might not go.

China requires a Chinese ID just to buy gas, so she has guide. Interestingly he's riding a British Triumph Tiger... think he said he got it in Malaysia.

#11 | Posted by Corky at 2026-01-27 11:04 AM

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