Travel Guides & Tips in this video
In the final video of Rafa Goes Around's Xinjiang series, Rafa visits Tacheng and spends time with a local family whose members are Han Chinese, Kirghiz, Mongolian, and Russian. They welcome him into their home and share family heirlooms, music, dance, and food, offering a personal view of the city's cultural mix. He also visits the Tacheng Accordion Museum, whose collection includes instruments from more than ten countries, and watches local accordion performances. The journey centers on the people he meets, the music and cooking they share, and the welcome he receives. Rafa describes Tacheng as a trade center between China and Russia and reflects on the kindness he encountered. He closes by expressing a wish to return and noting Xinjiang's varied landscapes, scenery, and culture as reasons to give the region time to explore.
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More about the current video:(Published on 2023-03-19)

A family welcome in Tacheng
This final video in Rafa Goes Around's Xinjiang series follows Rafa in Tacheng, a city described as a historic trade center between China and Russia. One of the main experiences is a visit to a local family's home. The family brings together four ethnic backgrounds: Han Chinese, Kirghiz, Mongolian, and Russian. They welcome Rafa and share their home, family heirlooms, music, dance, and food with him. His account focuses on the warmth of the visit and the chance to hear about traditions from the people who live them. Rather than treating the family as a sightseeing stop, the video gives space to the personal exchange and the things they choose to share.
Music, food, and reflections
Rafa also visits the Tacheng Accordion Museum. Its collection includes accordions from more than ten countries, and the visit features performances by local accordionists. The instruments and music give him another way to encounter the region's culture. Elsewhere, the family shares local food and a cooking method that Rafa finds distinctive; the source emphasizes the care involved in preparing dishes without naming every item.
The video closes with Rafa reflecting on the kindness and welcome he experienced and saying he would like to return. He encourages viewers to consider Xinjiang for its diverse landscapes, scenery, and rich culture, and to allow enough time to explore its attractions. His account remains grounded in the specific encounters shown: a multi-ethnic household, family heirlooms, music and dance, a museum collection, local performances, and food shared with a visitor.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: Which ethnic backgrounds are represented in the Tacheng family Rafa visits?
- A: The family members are Han Chinese, Kirghiz, Mongolian, and Russian. They welcome Rafa into their home and share heirlooms, music, dance, and food during the visit.
- Q: What can visitors see at the Tacheng Accordion Museum?
- A: The museum's collection includes accordions from more than ten countries. Rafa's visit also features performances by local accordionists, connecting the instruments with music in the region.
- Q: What does the video say about exploring Xinjiang?
- A: It describes Xinjiang as a vast region with diverse landscapes, beautiful scenery, and a rich culture. Rafa encourages travelers to allow time to explore its different attractions.


