中国新疆乌鲁木齐市国际大巴扎 The International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China

WS 166 -中国新疆乌鲁木齐市国际大巴扎 The International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China

新疆维吾尔自治区乌鲁木齐市国际大巴扎于2003年落成，是个世界级规模的大巴扎，即是集市，由六个楼群组成，两座规模庞大的大楼，两楼中间则是一个广场，南侧是一座清真寺，中间则是八十米高的观光塔。总建筑面积十万平方米，包括大型的宴会厅，美食广场等等。建筑风格规模宏伟，土黄色的外观，配以圆顶及四周的尖塔，具有浓郁的伊斯兰建筑风格，西域民族风情。观光高塔已成为乌鲁木齐的地标。 

我们2017年第二次到乌鲁木齐市观光，吉隆坡转机上海再飞到乌鲁木齐。可惜从吉隆坡到上海的航班延迟了一天，我们在乌鲁木齐市的旅游从两天变成一天，所以这大巴扎之游变成走马看花，只在广场拍拍照，商场工艺品店街溜一溜，观光塔都没上。

商场里有各式各样的果干和坚果，葡萄干的品种有奇奇怪怪的名字, 好像什么“爷爷的爷爷”！ 工艺品琳琅满目，刀具、乐器、陶器和金银铜铁各类等。地方大，不拥挤，空气流通，摆设有条，气氛一流。和我们二十年前游览过的，又脏又挤的旧大巴扎有天渊之别。 

The International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, Xinjiang Autonomous Region was completed in 2003. It is a huge world-class complex with several squares and six buildings, including a mosque and an observation tower. Total built-up area exceeds 100,000 sq m. The architecture is typically Islamic with local favour. The 80-m high observation tower is now the landmark of Urumqi. 

We went to tour Urumqi for the 2nd time in 2017. Unfortunately, a sector of our flights was delayed and we landed in Urumqi one day late. Our tour in Urumqi was squeezed from two days to one day, so the Grand Bazaar tour became a very limited one. We spent some time in the bazaar and had a photo shoot in the square with the observation tower. We didn’t have time to go up the tower even. 

There are all kinds of dried fruits and nuts sold in the bazaar. There are many varieties of raisins, some with strange names like "Grandpa's Grandpa"! On the non-food side, there are a wide range of handicrafts, like Uygur knives, musical instruments, pottery, jewellery, etc. The place is spacious, clean, orderly, not crowded, well-ventilated, etc. A first-class setting compared to the dirty and crowded old bazaar visited on our 1st trip here over 20 years ago.