The Kashgar Sunday market

 

Straw brushes, Kashgar Sunday market

 

The Kashgar Sunday Market
As caravans on their way West in the past centuries, we have always considered Kashgar as one of the major stops on our way back to Belgium. We have come here to be drowned in the past. To see people go with their trades as they have done so for centuries. To see men use skills handed over for many generations. From 4 or 5 'o clock in the morning, streets will fill up with farmers streaming to the market.

 
The marketplace

 

Work in the street

Public letter writer (right)

 

What can you buy ?

When did you last treat your donkey (left) or your motorcycle (right) to one of these ?

 

Chili and sugar

 

Biscuits, colour pigments and brushes

 

Which size is yours ?

 

Dry fruit and nuts

 

Food

Chopping up mutton meat to make samsa, roasted bread pockets with mutton (right)

 

Honey & (ice)water, a bagel oven, mutton meet & mutton fat : 50/50 !

 

The cattle market
One of the largest "attractions" of the market is the cattle market ! Farmers and shepherds will sell cows, sheep, goats and donkeys. Sheep and goats are shaved by small boys with large pairs of scissors to be able for buyers to feel their meat better. Donkeys are "test driven" to check their 0-100 km/h ! The whole are is one large chaotic and noisy marketplace. Onlookers will stand glued next to real buyers and sellers whilst the negotiation is going on. Once an offer is made, everybody will have his opinion. Expressions can be read on faces and arms and hands will tell all.

 

The market's car park

 

The end of the day

At the end of the day, or one zillion of handshakes later, the same massive traffic heads back home.

 

After a day spent in the crowd, avoiding being stepped on by a cow or hit by a donkey cart, having been looked at by half of the market (despite its success with tourists), having been touched and grabbed by keen carpet sellers, having been cheated by the taxi driver and welcomed by the bagel & tea seller, we were broken but happy. Our heads still full with the thousand colours and shapes, sounds and smells of the day. 

 

We are doing well !
Hotan to Kashgar Back to Trip page Heading to Pakistan !