MIR Corporation's Travel Blog:
Chinese Turkestan & Central Asia
Andrew Barron, MIR's Director of Scheduled Group Tours, visits the ancient Silk Road in Western China and the 'Stans with the Chinese Turkestan & Central Asia scheduled group tour. Read about his journey from Almaty to Urumqi, Kashgar and Bishkek. 
Day 8: Kashgar, flight to Bishkek - Goodbye Group; Cats & Dogs
May 20, 2008
The group left today to drive over the Turogart Pass, leaving China for Kyrgyzstan, while I stayed in town to do some extra scouting with a local guide. My guide was excellent, a young man about my age who speaks flawless English, Uighur, Chinese, and surprisingly, French. As the world gets smaller, more travelers will no doubt be lining up to visit this ancient town, with its amazing market and vibrant old town. So it's not unexpected that western languages, French and English, German and Spanish will become more prevalent. What I noticed most about my guide's English was his liberal use of idiom. We ate in a local restaurant seated on a platform as in Uzbekistan, and when I asked him if I should remove my shoes, he looked around and said "I guess not, no one else is, and 'when in Rome, do as the Romans,' right?" On hearing I live in Seattle, his first question was about the weather: "In Seattle, it often 'rains cats and dogs,' right?" He was an excellent guide, and got me through a rigorous day of walking around in the Kashgar heat - hot enough to fry an egg.
In the evening, I flew to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
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