European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 4, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse The Bazaar of Kashgar it one of the Moat exotic trading places in China when everything from the pelts of Snow Tav parti Laft to ally cloth right it bought old. Travelling the fabled silk Roi by Neal Ulevich associated pressm Arco Polo s tabled la Road is once again beckoning tourists traders 1o a journey into the Pas i a growing number Are answering ils Cas. Truck wide at Besl. A Rocky waste at worst today s 472-mile Kara Coram Highway follows Ono of several routes the ancients look in hauling China s silk to Rome Europe s Arl to Asia. Earlier this year the governments of China Pakistan opened the Khu Jerab pass to citizens of other countries Many Are accepting the Challenge of a journey that has been daunting since the Lime of Christ. But Tew in modern limes have challenged the Road like Steve Deverell 26. Of new zealand burned by the Sun panting in the ratified air near the pass Deverell had walked irom the pakistani City of Lahore people have been of Lenng me rides but you could t pay me to gel in a car he says. It s rugged Bleak Barren a Good place to walk the chinese Buddhist Monk diarist a Xian described the route in much the same Way Dif Lisull rugged when he made the journey about 400 . When venetian Marco Polo began his epic 13th Century quest for lha tabled court of tha Khan at what is now peking the silk Road had already been in business Tor Lilleen centuries. Though few adventurers rave led All the Way irom Europe to China silk spices other Richea traversed the entire distance by Means of a Well developed trading network. Silk especially was valued in Rome. At first Only nobility wore the shimmering expensive fabric. Later one scribe complained that even commoners dressed in silk. Nowadays the silk la moving in the other direction along the Karakoram Highway named after the mountains through which Ifie Road passes pakistani businessmen Are bringing in goods to Trade including silk. Individual businessmen bring in whatever won t arouse too much curiosity at customs says one Karachi merchant. They Trade in the Bazaar of Kashgar surely one of Centra Asia s most exotic oases Tor China s bargains. They la take Back chinese bicycles inexpensive hand tools locks thermos bottles the merchant adds pakistani businessmen Load newly acquired goods aboard chinese made Dong eng trucks at Kashgar s Chini Tagh a Way Stalion since ancient times share the difficult journey with tourists out Only Lor accenture. The journey irom Kashgar to the Lolly Khu Jerab is two Days in a sturdy four wheel drive vehicle. The pass itself is so High Remote that both sides have located customs immigrations posts hours away at hospitable altitudes on their respective sides of the marked but unmanned Khun Joab the Firat day1 journey is the worst China a Al ill building the Road in the Boulder Straw River valleys the trip is frustratingly slow for trucks buses. In a land where habitation is rare hospitality takes on new meaning. The new silk Road travellers Are welcomed in the tents of tajiks kirghiz. Where Vak yoghurt freshly baked bread Are served up to visitors. For those crossing the towering Khu Jerab in either direction lha town of Kashgar is a Welcome exotic Slop. Kashgar is 90 percent uighur a turkic speaking race dominant in the Xin Jiang Region. Kashgar is so far West that Sunrise in Midsummer is Well after 8 . And Sunset comes close to Midnight. China Aingie Lime zone is one of few ways Kashgar recognizes Distant peking or China s current politics. Uighur Farmers live much As icy have Lor centuries raising fast horses sheep melons grapes. Peking s strict one child policy is eased Here a wedding is still an elaborate three Day festival. A sunday Market attended by up to 80,000 Uig Tours fro hat a lha r list Art Cor list Sig opts Low Page 14 the stars stripes
