Letter from China 5: Xinjiang and Some of its Beauties

This is technically Letter 6, as I wrote Letter 5 a few days ago, concerning the charming mountain city of Kunming - but then unfortunately managed to lose the lot when I signed off without pressing the update button *headdesk*. Still, never mind, it wasn't that good. The title about sums it up: "The City Everybody Likes". Everyone likes Kunming. It's nice there - the sun shines, the food's delicious and there's a lot to see.

That's starting to seem quite a long way away by now - I'm thousands of miles away in Xinjiang Province. If you imagine China as a big red chicken, with its head looking out towards Japan, Xinjiang Province is its fluffy tail - if that's a properly respectful term for a province about the size of Europe...

( On understated Urumuqi )

( Turfan )

There is more to Turfan - much more. But if I write it I will miss my train, and never see the markets of Kashgar, which would be a dreadful shame.