Kashgar Oasis

China19 photographs2009

We're going to head out of town on the Seman Road to the northwest.

The road is very straight with only an occasional right-angle turn.

The road is very straight with only an occasional right-angle turn.

Somebody has money to burn and pride to display.

Somebody has money to burn and pride to display.

There's water here, and it supports a fairly dense population.

There's water here, and it supports a fairly dense population.

Remember those wood columns in the mosque?

Remember those wood columns in the mosque?

A side lane. Electrification well-advanced.

A side lane. Electrification well-advanced.

The locally famous cemetery is at Yopurghur, 50 miles northeast of Kashgar, but here's an ordinary one.

The locally famous cemetery is at Yopurghur, 50 miles northeast of Kashgar, but here's an ordinary one.

Transport both by motor tricycle and donkey cart.

Transport both by motor tricycle and donkey cart.

Orchard prunings.

Orchard prunings.

New construction.

New construction.

Open fields. Forget fencing. The air quality is poor, but naturally so, from desert dust.

Open fields. Forget fencing. The air quality is poor, but naturally so, from desert dust.

A birch crop.

A birch crop.

Saplings, trained.

Saplings, trained.

Field preparation is by hand and hoe.

Field preparation is by hand and hoe.

Greenhouses; the north side is solid; the tapered south side is open but with roll-up covers.

Greenhouses; the north side is solid; the tapered south side is open but with roll-up covers.

Here the heavy covers are rolled up, though plastic sheeting is still in place against spring chills.

Here the heavy covers are rolled up, though plastic sheeting is still in place against spring chills.

A local palace.

A local palace.

A new house in the old style.

A new house in the old style.

An air view of the oasis.

An air view of the oasis.

And another.

And another.