We were looking forward to seeing the local Monday market in the small village of Opal particularly as we had been unable to see the Sunday Livestock Market in Kashgar. Consequently we planned our trip to Tashkorgan on a Monday with a stopover at Opal enroute but at the last minute we were informed by our Uygur guide that all residents of Opal had to attend a meeting every Monday morning to “honour” the Chinese flag. Therefore the Opal market cannot take place on a Monday morning any more. We were given to understand that this has been the case for at least the last two years but is not widely publicised outside of Xinjiang Provence

This is a great place to stop for lunch on the way to/from Tashkurgan to Kashgar. Traditional Uighur and Tajik fare like rice pilaf with carrot and pumpkin and lamb, kebabs, breads and loads of fruit. Try the local tea which is made from black te, goji berry, saffron and cardamom. Lovely!