coerced into following the local custom and had to drink up a large glass of strong spirits called 白酒 (bai jiu, strong spirits) on arrival,during the meal and departure. We wondered if Moslems were permitted to drink so much liquor and we made a hasty retreat.
The Uygur dances of various parts of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region resembled the 胡旋舞(gracefully exotic dancing performed by ladies from the Western Region in Changan, the Capital of the Tang Dynasty). At the end of the dance, people from the audience were invited on stage to dance or at least imitate the dances of the dancers, and we never tired of dancing on the stage.
In museums everywhere, valuable archaeological findings were on display. Among the ancient mummies, we were moved by the elegance of the woman of Loulan, the sturdiness of General Zhang Xiong who met Chen Xuanzhuang, a reputed Buddhist monk of the Tang Dynasty, on his way to the Western Region, the dignity of the lady of Quarqan and the agony of her servants buried alive.
We stayed at hotels that provided hot water 24 hours a day, clean linen supplies, hot dishes and rooms with locks. According to the assistant general manager of the hotel in Kuqa, when serving meals to Japanese travelers, the portions are smaller with less oil and more vegetables. At Kashgar, we were greeted by the employees and their gay folk dancing. On the night before departing for Beijing, we were served dinner and freshly picked fruit under the trees in the orchard. We appreciated their warm hospitality and sincere efforts in receiving guests.
The bus which took us over 2000 kilometers of the journey was a new Japanese model complete with air conditioning and reclining seats. We saw at first hand the rapid development of telecommunication facilities and airports, expansion of railroads, development of oil pipelines, etc.
Progress was evident in the fostering of Japanese speaking guides and now it has improved to the point that you can make yourself understood in Japanese in various parts of the country.
Despite the dramatic improvements in travel and tourism in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, there is still room for improvement in order to take the next step in tourism promotion. The following is a list of items that call for immediate attention.
1) Although the roads were paved, the surface was deteriorating
