I’ll be in San Francisco for the holiday weekend, then back for a few days before heading over to Beijing to see old friends and some new places. I’m determined to finally make it over to Pingyao this trip, and maybe even to Xinjiang. If anyone has any off-the-beaten-path suggestions for China travel please let me know. Otherwise, please use this as an open thread.
September 3, 2010
The Discussion: 11 Comments
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1
By Jeremiah
Funny. I’m leading a study trip on ethnicity and economic development in Xinjiang (Urumqi & Kashgar) from Sep. 16-30. Maybe we’ll bump into each other on the Silk Road or in some far market bazaar.
September 4, 2010 @ 7:39 am | Comment
2
By Jeremiah
One favorite loop of mine is in Hunan: Beijing –> Zhangjiajie City –> Zhangjiajie National Park –> Dehang/via Jishou (beautiful and, so far, relatively undeveloped Miao village) –> Fenghuang (beautiful river city, tends to get a lot of Chinese yuppie tourists but worth a trip) –> train to Changsha (optional jaunt down to the Mickey Mao theme park of Shaoshan) –> fly back to Beijing via Changsha.
Another cool loop is Inner Mongolia, Manzhouli –> Hulunbeir (camping on grasslands or get your own yurt) –> Hailaer (boring town, good location) –> detour up to the Russian (eluosizu or the ‘blue-eyed Chinese people’ to translate the local tourist brochure) settlement in Shiwei then back to Manzhouli for Russian food/Sino-Russian Gateway and a park devoted to giant reproductions of matryoshka (only in China!) and then flight back to Beijing.
September 4, 2010 @ 10:18 am | Comment
3
By Other Lisa
I love Xinjiang. I’m only bummed that I didn’t get to see the old city of Kashgar before the a**holes bulldozed it.
Xinjiang is an amazing place.
Still hoping I get over there this fall.
September 4, 2010 @ 1:04 pm | Comment
4
By Dave Hill
Hi P Duck:
I have been reading your blog on and off since the Bosco – Witttenberg duel. I now live in Urumqi and would like to offer you a place to stay, and travel info while you are here.
Yours
Dave
Teacher Trainer
Xinjiang Normal U.
September 4, 2010 @ 3:27 pm | Comment
5
By merp
Bulldozed? You mean the Uighur ethnically cleansed the area of Zoroastrians, Tocharians, and Xiongnu? 😉
September 4, 2010 @ 4:38 pm | Comment
6
By Formerly_Not_a_Sinophile
Welcome to SF. Don’t forget to bring a jacket, despite a couple of warm days in the past two weeks, it’s been the coldest summer in over a decade here. If you are so inclined drop me an email and maybe we can meet up.
September 4, 2010 @ 10:52 pm | Comment
7
By sp123
@merp
And the internal colonialism of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps completes the entire picture of Xinjiang’s history.
September 4, 2010 @ 11:04 pm | Comment
8
By Michael Turton
“matryoshka” ?? Giant Russian women with enormous bosoms?
September 5, 2010 @ 10:08 pm | Comment
9
By Jeremiah
Did I get this wrong? матрёшка — the wooden nested dolls. I’ll be the first to admit that my Russian sucks.
September 6, 2010 @ 6:38 am | Comment
10
By Serve the People
Haven’t really seen Russian Chinese, although they do exist. Like enormous bosoms, if the rest of their bodies are disproportionally small.
September 6, 2010 @ 7:41 am | Comment
11
By Michael Turton
No, I’m sure your Russian is fine. I had no idea what they were, and was just having some fun.
September 7, 2010 @ 11:22 am | Comment