Thursday, September 25, 2008

The New Frontier


XinJiang (Shinjang)

Xinjiang, in Kyle's English, means the New Frontier. There are no better words to describe this place. I knew of the people of Xinjiang from every city I've lived in China. They look like foreigners, they sell noodles or shishkabobs, and one time a group of three of them tried (unsuccsessfully) to steal from me. They have this sly look to them. The men almost all wear skullcaps and the women wear head scarves. They are Muslim.

This is what I knew, and this is what I saw.



I got off the train in the first city of interest in the far east of the province. I was mentally armed. I got off the train and stubbornly walked straight towards the bus station determined not to be ripped off by the sly men that live in this place.
"Turpan, Turpan, you go to Turpan?" A short man with a white skullcap shouted behind me.
I kept walking, ingnoring his calls and thinking, 'this guy isint going to get the best of me'.
"10 Yuan, 10 Yuan," He persisted.
'Not getting me' I thought.

15 minutes later I arrived at the bus station and the man toldmr I just missed the bus and would have to wait 40 minutes for the next one. I hauled my bags and lined up to buy a ticket.

"That'll be 8.7 RMB"

One strike for me.

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