Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self. - Cyril Connolly
Thursday, December 13, 2007
The China Chronicles - The Markets of Kashgar
Well, I have to tell you, this was definitely an experience. Outside of the markets of Morocco, the Kashgar Bazaar is probably the most famous marketplace there is - and rightly so. Anything you could possibly hope to find, you can find here. From beautiful carpets and fabrics, to musical instruments and spices, the Kashgar market has it all. The pictures speak louder than words:
First off, there are the hats. The Uyghur people love their hats. Small jewel box hats, tall fur hats, there are hat stores everywhere:
And where there are hats, there are hat mold shops too!
And the rugs... oh the rugs. I did not feel comfortable purchasing an authentic kilim rug because I don't know enough about the knots and patterns, much less being able to barter in Uyghur or Kirghiz, but the colorful Kirghiz camel felt rugs in their colorful patterns were pretty straight forward and less expensive, so I bought one of ones pictured below:
But it's the things you don't often think of when you're looking for spices and staples that catch your attention. Like this bucket of dried snakes:
Or the ropes of dried snakes and stacks of dried frogs and lizards to be had, although I did buy a big bag of the beautiful saffron pictured here next to the dead reptiles. The most expensive spice in the world, I got a 4 oz. bag of it for less than $40 US. We're having another paella party!
Often times, the people selling the goods were far more interesting than the products. Like this pomegranate vendor:
Or perhaps my favorite, this older couple at a hat shop that graciously posed for me. Two of the most beautiful, interesting faces I've ever seen:
And of course, what would any trip to the bazaar be without spices and fabrics?
That's silk. All of it. Total fabric porn.
Or in this case, fruits and nuts?
Shoppers paradise. Next up - the children of Kashgar.
