Somewhere life goes on, just simply, disconnected from our worldwide web. When you have the universal web of sky, sun, stars and earth, why would you downgrade to the contaminated world of Social media?
Day 52 of 365~
Image taken on the Karakoram Highway, old silk road, Xinjiang.
To play where only earth, air, water and fire are your toys, to be chased by the wind, to chase the butterflies, to be tickled by the rays of the sun, and to become best friends with the planet you live on…
There could be no playground more ideal, and there could be no life more connected.
Photo taken: Kyrgyz bedouin children playing at the shores of lake Karakol
Dignity, the respect of self, living with total agreement and settlement to one’s self selected principles… These are some of the impressions I took with me from Xinjiang and its people. They are custodians of some qualities that are very rapidly becoming lost to our modern world. To be able to go back to basics, wouldn’t that be such a healing to us all?
Those who have little often are the ones who give selflessly…
This is so true of nomadic people all over the world. Hospitality is part of who they are as people and they are known to welcome their guest by offering them the best of the little that they have. It is an insult to reject their hospitality perhaps because that would suggest hostility towards the host. The Kyrgus people of lake Karakol are no different and their soup is a most delicious offering to a traveler in the high mountains. Dare mention how good the food is and you are sure to be force-fed a second portion!
photo taken: a grandmother hostess in her yurt offering soup to one of my fellow travelers.
At an elevation of almost 3900m above sea level and close to the Pakistani border, the Kyrgyz nomadic people live in round tents called ‘yurts’ and enjoy an unbelievably clear blue sky during the dry season. They herd camels and yaks and offer the salty yak milk tea to visitors who suffer from elevation headaches. I found them to be very friendly, hospitable but extremely strong people. The sense of togetherness of their tribes allowed no intrusion from outside and they moved and thought together as a single unit with one mind. It was very fascinating to watch their behavior.
The lady photographed embroidered these colorful throws, pillows and blankets and sold them to the travelers who passed by the area and stopped at the yurts. She sat that day outside in the blazing sun surrounded by the lake, the fluffy clouds that hovered over snow-capped mountains and the great reflective waters of the karakol lake that doubled that magnificent beauty.
Karakol, a breath taking lake where Tajik people live at about 3500 meters above sea level along the Karkoram highway in Xinjiang, North Western China. The lake freezes completely in the winter time when the area sees blistering temperatures. While driving and visiting this area, it really feels like an extremely harsh place to live, but nevertheless breathtakingly beautiful. Made me think a lot of the wonders of our planet and its variety of landscape, people, customs and richness.
Next post from Kashgar!