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China > Xinjiang
China > Xinjiang Part 2 China > Gansu - Qinghai China > Sichuan China > Yunnan
Xinjiang Part 2 - October 2003One Night in Turpan I am wondering why I dislike my Turpan hotel room so much. True it's surrounded by brothels, but the ladies are quite friendly. And true, the building next to it was on fire when I came back yesterday afternoon. But it's cheap and not half bad although the lady at the reception desk and I cannot communicate. I am sharing with Jian Qin, or Lilian, from Shanghai. I met Lilian getting off the train from Kashgar and we decided to do some sightseeing together.
At night, when walking around looking for a nice restaurant to have dinner, we come across a restaurant hosting a banquet. A friendly young man standing outside ask us to join the party. A six year old boy has had his circumcision that day and all and sundry is invited to join in to celebrate. We join the table of Alamjan who is 17 years old, his younger brothers Eli and Mehmet and his parents. His parents almost burst with pride that their young son is such a good host to foreign guests. "And he is so handsome too" says Lilian.
A one-man band is filling the air with hot Uygur tunes. Young children are on the dance floor, with the star being a toddler who can't have been older than two. With one hand in his side and the other waving energetically side ways he is strutting his stuff. Until, from all the excitement no doubt, he all of a sudden throws up on the dance floor. Exit little John Travolta. Nobody seems to notice and the grown-ups take to the floor, waltzing through the vomit of the little boy.
Lilian and I take turns dancing with Alamjan and some of the other guests, one of which is a pushy drunkard. I look around me and wonder what he got drunk on since no alcohol is being served. But Alamjan admits that behind the scenes the fire water is flowing generously.
But it is getting late and Alamjan still has to make his homework for the next day says his fater. We decide to go as well. As we walk away the car with Alamjan's family is driving by and they wave at us from the open windows. We wave back like crazy and shout "kosh, kosh". What delightful people and what a wonderful evening.
Continue reading my travel story here: Gansu - Qinghai
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Alamjan serves not only as our host but also as our protector when the drunkard gets annoying asking us to dance with him non-stop. Alamjan offers to dance with him instead. I am deeply touched by his galantry. What has happened to this kind of chivalry in our modern world?