Travelling in Korla, just like other city in Xinjiang, is similar to visiting a refugee camp; city officers and shop workers are wearing helmets and bullet proof vests. It feels as if every family has at least one member who is somehow connected to police or security force. In average police stations here are placed every 100 metres. Besides the standard security checks there are constant street patrols with police officers or volunteers almost on every street corner either walking, sitting or standing back to back. Every store, restaurant, hotel or shop have at least once security man, magnet gates or bag scanner, wooden stick and a police shield. Seems like China has become the safest country in the world, and because of that finding inexpensive hotel is highly problematic. We found one eventually and its host showed us around the city. How nice of him.
