Kashgar reminds me a little bit of Katmandu. Same little shops in the old town. You can buy just everything, watch craftsmen at work, and eat at every street corner. This city is full of life.

But there are no more cyclists here. Meantime everybody drives a little scooter, but unlike in Nepal, these are not polluting, they are run on electricity.

Unfortunately there is not much left from the mythic Kashgar, the main crossroad from the great silk road. The Chinese are destroying all the old buildings and replace them by big apartment blocks.

Kashgar is the capital of the Uyghur province, 90% on the people living here are Uyghurs, a Turk ethnicity, most eastern reminder of Ottoman empire. They are Muslim, speak their own language and use Arabic alphabet, unlike all other Turk people.

Yesterday, Nico, Charel and Curt arrived from Luxembourg. We will rest for one more day, and on Sunday we will start for our big Taklamakan desert crossing. We will have 9 camels for 8 people: 2 camel drivers, one interpreter, one cook and the four of us.