'One of the remotest places on earth - where you can step back in time to a land of fat-tailed sheep, sour yak milk, and two-humped camels. The Arabian Nights, come to life. If you really want to see what life was like in the 12th century, you have to get up early on a Sunday morning and head out to Kashgar’ s livestock market. It’s a scene straight out of Marco Polo\'s field notes - but for the herders and tradesmen who come here to buy and sell, it’s just another working day. They arrive from all over Xinjiang Province - some with a single sheep or goat, hand-raised since spring. Others can barely keep track of all their animals. The market is set up and open for business in under thirty minutes. But why stand on the sidelines and watch everyone else making money? Here’s all you need to know to be a Silk Road Animal Trader. First of all, you should be able to tell the difference between a local sheep and a goat. Around here, goats usually have hair and straight horns. Sheep are wooly and have long, sad ears. Most importantly, sheep have large tails and hindquarters, often beautifully styled. That’s because an adult sheep can have up to ten pounds of coveted tail fat, a delicacy in Western China. The local Uighur love mutton, so sheep are very popular – a fact reflected in their price. A healthy sheep can sell for over $100, where a goat is only worth about half that. Just remember – you’re looking for a high nose, long ears, pure wool, big tail, and a wide body. On to bovines. Yaks are furry, and they don’t know how to moo. They have scary horns and know how to use them, though they’re usually very docile. The local cattle are huge and apparently, quite stubborn. Horses are pretty straightforward, though they’re expensive. Starting at $300, they cost more than a motorbike. Camels are also easy. This being Asia – they’re all bactrian. They have much more pleasant dispositions than their one-humped Middle Eastern cousins. But they will set you back at least 4 sheep or a horse and 2 calves. Check out your animals thoroughly and be prepared to bargain hard. Though don’t expect to win – these guys have been at it since they were in grade school. And if you happen to be a woman, they may not know what to do with you. Once you’ve come to an agreement, seal the deal with a handshake, then pay up. You don’t want anyone around here upset with you. And then, it’s time to eat. You’ll find almost every Uighur favorite here. Lagman noodles – hand stretched. Chicken kebabs, served with fresh Uighur bread. Stuffed lamb intestines. Samsas – spicy mutton wrapped in dough. And Polo - rice pilaf – rustic and delicious. Cooked for hours in a blackened cauldron, with shredded carrots, glazed onions, peppers, peas, and butter, mixed by hand. And of course the all-important mutton. Or you can just skip all those pesky vegetables and have your meat straight up. For dessert there’s Kashgar’s famous melons. Most of the unsold sheep will head for the coast. The unlucky ones will head back to Kashgar. Just in time for dinner. Tune in for a new video every Thursday at 1145AM P.T from the far corners of our Human Planet!: http://www.YouTube.com/OurHumanPlanet Download our complete PBS documentary series on China: http://www.japanlandonline.com/ Subscribe to OUR HUMAN PLANET: https://bit.ly/2V4LsRa #Travel #Adventure #China LET’S CONNECT! • Say hi on FB: https://www.facebook.com/OurHumanPlanetCom/ • Give us a shout on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Our_HumanPlanet • Follow us behind the scenes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourhumanplanet/ Category: Travel'
Tags: 2019 , China , Documentary , Travel , Bazaar , culture , camel , pbs , tourism , Yak , China travel , horse , muslim , sheep , goat , oasis , xinjiang , ethnic , Uighur , uyghur , Silk Road , kashgar , Karin Muller , souk , uygur , taklamatan desert , kashgar silk road , kashgar history , kashgar tourism , china silk road , silk road market , Animal market , fat tailed sheep , Uyghur cuisine , kashgar Sunday animal market , kashgar livestock market , kashgar Sunday livestock market , kashgar market
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