different

kashgar, china

there are places that you think you are not going to like, and then you do, and there are places that you think you are going to like, and you don't. this is one of the former.

like a breath of icy arctic wind on the soul it is. great. woke up this morning to snow and cold, not too much to not have a look around- this is central asia like i always imagined- the faces here are a mix- as pakistan is the half step between iran and india, so here it is an ecclectic mix of russian and chinese- of course these people have been here much longer themselves, but the russian hats and fur coats that the women wear are everywhere- and even the short skirts and leather boots for winter. pale skin and holding hands, it is like a weight has been lifted to see faces and smiles of girls and women again.

here there is no squatting on the street, pissing on the side of the road, eating in a group around the gutter, or small children selling things- maybe it is too cold- or just something that they dont do on this side of the mountains.

and so it is noodles and dumplings again, although the smell of roasting mutton is everywhere from the kebabis, small weatherbeaten faces who havent forgotten the silk road. mosques, too, but everything in its own shade of brown- only the huge chinese billboards bring colour- shouting out the western dreams.

more as it happens
rx