The geological sights along the Karakoram Highway were varied and contrasting: Rugged mountainscapes, sand marshes, crystal clear lakes, glaciers, green marsh lands. Although I’m not an expert on geology, it certainly piqued my interest to research more about what I saw along my journey.

What do you have to show for your time in China? Personally I came back home with way too many pictures, some fake name-brand clothing and a couple “token” souvenirs like a fan, an ink painting or a deck of Mao Zedong playing cards (was that just me??). There is, however, one thing I think everybody leaves China with…

It’s that time of year again…supermarkets are flooded with all shapes and sizes of yuebing, translated as “mooncakes”. Wherever you find yourself today, I wish you a happy holiday. I hope your mooncake tastes better than the ones I have had.

This here is the #1 reason I am a bit uncomfortable with travel blogs. How can people, most of whom don’t get the luxury of a home stay, describe a culture after spending a maximum amount of a couple weeks in a country?

Most foreigners these days are welcomed to Xinjiang with open arms. There is, however, a list of foreigners – both past and present – who will forever be scorned in the Xinjiang history books. This is the Xinjiang Most-Wanted Foreigners List.

On July 5th 2009, one day after America celebrated the anniversary of its freedom, a group of people on the other side of the world were forced to live without theirs.

On this day one year ago riot police were called into a toy factory in Guangdong to break up a brawl between Han and Uyghur workers. By the time calm had been restored 2 Uyghur had died and over 100 other people were injured.

You can hear the unique song announcing its approach like The Entertainer does the ice cream truck. Except unlike the ice cream truck people don’t run towards this music, they run away! Check out this hilarious video…

Xinjiang police in Urumqi held an anti-riot training exercise while Uyghur representatives warn of protests. What could this be other than a countdown leading up to the one-year anniversary of the July 5th riots.

Over the next couple of weeks there will undoubtedly be much written – both here and in the international press – about the July 5th anniversary.  Before that storm begins, however, I would like to share with you a more personal anniversary that I am celebrating today.