I. Unforgettable Hotan
Hotan - this city that I've visited countless times over several decades, is a place I haven't wandered around since the IL-86 flights started more than ten years ago. Since inexplicably falling in love with Hetian jade, I have always wanted to visit the place where it originates. On August 13th, I finally had the opportunity to change shifts in Hotan. According to the schedule, on the 14th, we would be spending an entire day in Hotan, a rare chance indeed. Before heading there, I gave my Uyghur brother from Hotan a call, and at the time, he arranged for seven cars to meet me at the airport. I told him that since we would be arriving in Hotan after 1:00 AM, meeting at 10:00 AM would be just fine. At 9:00 AM, Niyaz called to ask how many of us were coming so he could decide...