East of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan is the great Xinjiang – China’s biggest province in the northwest and a location along the old Silk Road. Kashgar is Xinjiang’s – and maybe the whole Silk Road’s – peak attraction. For many thousands of years, the city served as a large junction on the Silk Road, where the many different routes met. Even today, Kashgar is a lively trading centre and meeting place for Central Asia’s many different people: Uyghurs, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Kazakhs and others. The photos here are from the large Sunday Market – one of Asia’s biggest and most vibrant bazaars. In particular, the animal market provides an outstanding experience, where you can watch everything from goats, sheep and cows to big camels change owners.
|
 In Xinjiang only the old men
have beard. |
 The Uyghurs are Muslims and many of the women wear veil. |
 On the way to the market. |
 The local slaughter. |
| |
 The local baker. |
 The streets are crowded with tradesmen on their way to the market. |
 Bottle gourd. |
 At the hairdresser. |
| |
 Outside the mosque in Kashgar. |
 Not everyone is joining the
Sunday market. |
 Eggs for sell in all sizes. |
 More eggs for sale – in the
middle of a traffic jam. |
| |
 The fresh-baked bread is tasting wonderful. |
 Sheep’s hooves is a delicacy. |
 Cooper at work. |
 On the way to the animal market. |
| |
 Sheep to be sold at the animal market. |
 Vegetable for sale outside the animal market. |
 People arrive from far away to sell at the market. |
 Sunripe tomatoes. |
| |
 The man is carrying a traditional Uyghur hat. |
 The bread is baked in the stone oven. |
 Heading for the animal market. |
 Everywhere in the city there are people pushing small carts with food. |
| |
 Negotiations about the price
of a donkey. |
 Many people are watching the negotiations. |
 Sheep for sale standing in rows. |
 Between the rows potential buyers can walk and value the animals. |
| |
 The Sunday market is active
most of the day. |
 Maybe a buyer or maybe just a spectator? |
 Harness etc. for horses and donkeys. |
 Even hay is a commodity. |
| |
 In a quiet corner of the market. |
 Combating at the 64 squares. |
 Production of pomegranate juice. |
 People drink the pomegranate juice on the spot or bring it home. |
| |
 Some people choose to buy the pomegranates and produce the juice themselves at home. |
 Donkey carts are common all over Kashgar. |
 It’s not easy to be a salesman when the supply is so big. |
 The bargain has been closed, now the donkey has to be transported back home. |
| |
 Also children join the Sunday market. |
 A donkey is lifted up on the truck. |
 A donkey can draw a considerably heavy load. |
 Not everybody is drawn into the hectic atmosphere. |
| |
 Street telephones. |
 Fresh fruit of every sorts. |
 The Uyghurs are usually not against being photographed. |
 A ’blind dinner’ in the
local street kitchen. |
| |
 It can be boring to sit and wait for a potential buyer. |
 More things are possible than you would think. |
 Chess tournament in
the centre of city. |
