Checkpoint Hebron
The red X above our heads lighted on as another person passed the full height metal turnstile. The woman with a child in her arms pushed the revolving bars and presented her ID to the soldier. I’m next so I prepare my backpack for the …
Sayram: of saints and samsas
On the surface it’s an unassuming dusty little town, but Sayram (Сайрам) is known over Kazakhstan and Central Asia for being the resting place of many holy men and called “a city of countless saints” («Сайрамда бар сансыз баб»). While researching the things worth seeing …
Xinjiang: a foodie reconnaissance
One single city won’t reflect the cultural complexity of an entire region. But an immersion into its food can certainly help in grasping the intricacies of both history, geography and customs. Let’s look at Xinjiang through a foodie stroll around Yining. Xinjiang is the size …
Donglianhua 东莲花
An old Muslim settlement in central Yunnan. Here are some photographs from Donglianhua 东莲花, an ancient village near Weishan. It is inhabited by people of the Islam-adhering Hui minority (回族). The name of the village literally translates as “East Lotus Flower”. Historians generally assume that …