Turpan

I am in Turpan now. And it is stinking hot. Wasn't worth coming here really - nothing much to see and I have caught a really bad cold. Spent the day in bed today watching the Olympics and crappy Chinese TV. I always thought German TV was bad, but Chinese programming is the pits! You can either watch Chinese soap operas - modern day, historical, fantasy or military. Or talent shows where people with absolutely no talent get an audience of millions! Or CCTV 9 - an English language propaganda channel for the government.

To top it all off I can't access my blog - so have been writing my regular journal and will have to type it up when I can post again. I'm really getting sick of this stupid internet repression here in China!

It's too hot outside during the day (46 degrees Celsius), so everything happens here either in the morning or in the evening. Went to the Ernin Minaret and the Jiaohe Ruins (both not really that fascinating) and have been stuffing my face with the local grapes - they are really excellent and about the only good thing about Turpan. Have decided to head back to Urumqi and then to Kashgar one day earlier. There has been another attack by Uyghur rebels in Kuqa, again some people died. Will talk to the people in Urumqi about how safe it is to go to Kashgar!