16-18 June 2024 Kuerle, Xinjiang
I went to the train station to try to catch the train after failing to book the ticket online. After waiting for half a day at the train station, I eventually got on one in the late afternoon, but with no allotted seat – they do sell tickets without seats. The train was jam-packed, as this was the start of Muslim Eid Al-Adha public holiday. Mercy on my legs, as I stood for 4 hours of the whole ride in a cramped coach full of luggage, people and food trolleys trying to get through the congested aisle.
After the traumatic train ride, I tried to recover by lackadaisically strolling around the city. They were mostly the Han Chinese, making it feel like any other Chinese cities. Though next to the desert, the breeze was surprisingly pleasant. It is a modern city, well planned with multi-lanes wide city streets. Surprisingly, historical buildings were conspicuous absent. I indulged in the local food culture – traditional Chinese and Xinjiang cuisines, as well as sweet and juicy cherries, apricots, peaches, and walnuts.
A long walk on the promenade on both sides of the Peacock River was a nice escapade from the noisy streets. At one corner, a few non-Chinese-looking men were downing bottles of beer, to cool down and to keep their spirited conversation going.
I visited the Kuerle Bazhou Museum to enlighten myself on its history and development. The signs and narratives were only in Chinese. I told you so – learn your Chinese. It was free of charge to enter – they wanted me to be educated on its history.
In the evening, I went to a people’s square to see the people dance – what the Uyghurs are well known for. Uyghur music blared from the loudspeakers accompanied by hand drums at the side. They danced in pairs, mostly of more mature age, Hans and Uyghur, though this evening they were mostly the Han Chinese. Their feet followed the tempo, the hands conveyed the unsaid. They danced together but each in any way that expressed themselves. Everyone wears a wide smile – party poopers are not welcomed.
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