As we traveled the silk road we came from Kazakhstan through Xinjian Province in Western China. While there we found a people of very mixed culture. Sure, they look Asian but there are other features that are similar to the peoples of the middle east. The Uygur’s also wear hats such as the one on this child, not something traditionally chinese.

This kid here was being pulled on that bicycle by his father. He was very interested in the group of us westerners and his father was only too happy to help as the boy switched from waving to us and to ‘reading’ his upside down magazine. It was all very cute and the whole experience was one of many that endeared the Uygur people to us.

IF YOU GO: Beware of travel restrictions in Xinjian province. You will likely need to fly to Urumqi if you’re not up for the very, very long train ride from Eastern China or the 24 hour bus ride from Kazakhstan. The real reason we wanted to visit this region was the Mogao Grottos.

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