Out on the grasslands

July 4 · A long way from Guangzhou

We flew from Guangzhou to Hailar, with an hour’s stop in Hohhot. After arriving, we visited Genghis Khan Square, the forest park, and a museum.

The lamb chops were quite good. The other meat didn’t strike me as especially different from what I could eat in Zhuhai. The yogurt needed a second mouthful: the first was simply sour, but after that I began to notice its rich flavor.

July 6 · Ice in summer

After the flower fields, we visited a cave where there was still ice in July. That was something I certainly wouldn’t find on a summer outing at home.

The animals had their own ways of dealing with visitors. A reindeer kicked; the sika deer were gentler, though rather generous with their saliva. A donkey that nobody seemed particularly interested in was busy scratching itself.

We also took a little train through the forest. It cost about a hundred yuan for roughly an hour. The stops weren’t all that remarkable individually, but riding through the woods was part of the experience.

Later, we looked out toward the China–Russia border and watched the sunset. I was very glad to have my sunglasses. Back at our accommodation, the shower’s water pressure was much less impressive than the view had been.

July 7 · My first horse ride

We spent the day along the Erguna River, seeing hills, a border marker, and a crossing, with a bridge in the distance. At one stop I tried a two-person swing and sliding down the grass. Both were fun.

The yurt was hot during the day and cold at night. Riding a horse for the first time was exciting, but also exhausting. My back and backside definitely knew about it afterward. There was galloping, water, and plenty of photos. On the way back, a rein snapped, which gave me quite a fright.

That evening came a whole roast lamb and a drinking ritual involving a cup of baijiu down in one go. By the bonfire, the cold soon took care of the warmth in my face.

July 8 · A lamb is harder to catch than you think

My joints were sore overnight, and I used a pain-relief patch. I had fallen asleep without even brushing my teeth and slept until eight.

Four of us tried to round up one little lamb. The lamb won.

The milk tea was good. We dressed in Mongolian clothing for photos, tried archery, and had a go at milking a cow. I was worried about being kicked; once its legs had been secured, I felt brave enough to try.

The horse show lasted about an hour and was full of energy. By the time we reached our Russian-style hotel in Manzhouli, it was late. We had Western food and walked along the shopping street. In just a few days, I had ridden a horse, milked a cow, seen summer ice, and found out that catching a lamb required more skill than any of us possessed.