Urumqi in November
14 November 2008
-12 in the morning. The market opens at ten and I am there at nine looking at the shutters, eating a hot nan from the Uyghur uncle with the cart. He gives me one extra every time I say "rakhmat" in his language. I know eleven words. Nine are food.
What I look for: the covers with the new shapes (this year everyone wants the slide phones), chargers from the same factory as last time (I know the girl who sells them, she knows my mother's name now), warm hats. I buy for 3 days, I pack for 1, I sleep for 2 hours.
Er Dao Qiao market, early. Prices written on a cardboard in four languages.
Hot tea at the Uyghur uncle's cart. 2 yuan. It is a good price.