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Enjoying Xinjiang Nangs & Visiting Kazaks Yurt Home & Watching Traditional Kazak Cultural Sports - Horse Racing - “Kyz-Kuu” (Girl Chase) & “Diaoyang” (Snatching the Lamb) at Nanshan Pasture in Kelawucheng Mountain in Tian Shan (Heavenly Mountain) Range in South of Urumqi - Silk Road of China
Filed Under (China, Cuisines, Shopping, Silk Road, Travelling, World Souvenirs, Xinjiang) by Janet on 17-09-2009
Now travelling to our very first sightseeing & home tour aboard local Tour Coach along the Silk Road of China…………….
Our Coach’s now giving way to this large herd of Sheeps on the road……………..hahah what a most interesting welcome sight!!
Covering an area of 119 square km, Nanshan Pasture is a natural Paradise with charming mountains, gushing valleys & waterfalls falling down the hillsides…………..& grasslands & hills dotted with flocks of sheeps………………
And Nanshan Pasture is the home of the Kazaks (or “Qazaqs” meaning “independent” or “freedom“) - descendants of Turkic tribes, Mongol groups, Indo-Iranian tribes & Huns which populated the territory between Siberia & the Black Sea, & remained in Central Asia when the Turkic & Mongolic groups started to invade & conquer the area between the 5th & 13th centuries AD.
These Kazak Normads have no fixed home & they move according to the seasons, in search of food, water & grazing lands!
The Kazaks live in Yurts, which are corn-shaped Tents of white felt stretched over a framework of wooden poles. And being Normads who move around frequently, these Yurts come in handy as they’re light & easy to assemble, dismantle & transport!
I’ve now come out of the local Kazaks Yurt home after being entertained with food & milk & much warmth & hospitality, & most importantly having a great feel & experience on how the local normads lead their daily lives within their Yurts…………….
Now snaping pics of the most lovely surrounding here at Nanshan Pastures……………
There’re many such Kazak horsemen offering tourist rides on horseback, trying to earn a living……………..
We’re now walking to the middle of the vast grassland to watch the Traditional Kazaks Cultural Sports :
I’m now seated on rock bench among my Tour mates waiting for the Kazaks Sports - the weather’s really cold right now, which is the opposite of what we were told earlier, by our Chinese Tour guide haha!!
We’re out of the vast grasslands now……………..
It’s now time to hop on inside our Tour coach :

And as most of the time travelling along the Silk Road of China, this WC Toilet is dirty & stinky as well…………..

Here’s my pair of newly bought Red Hand Gloves - locally handmade by Kazaks - they’re not very warm though cos the material’s really thin but they’re the best decent-looking pairs for pretty lady Me heheh!!
And now let’s see more scenes of the local Kazaks community lifestyle…………….




And along the way to Urumqi……………I’m feeling really happy that I’ve just been to Nanshan Pasture which is like yet another dream come true for me, as I got to see & feel such beautiful vast natural grasslands paradise, & getting to know the local Kazaks & their most interesting traditions & culture!!
Hahah till we meet again in the new Capital of Xinjiang…………………




































































































