Hohhot

dear friends and family

today i am in hohhot, which is in Inner Mongolia.營 arrived three nights ago, although i do notnow what day. I have been truly blessed with wonderful CHinese hospitality while i was here...
THe train ride from beijing was good, and i sleplt well. In the morning, a young girl came up to me who knew some english, and she offered for her family to find me a hotel. I ended up at a nice place, where Debbie (the girl)invited me for luch with her and some friends. The food was so delicious (hen chi), and all vegetarian too! We had common mongol dishes, with noodles and dipping sauce. So far, the food in china has been beyond my expectations, and it only got better!
After lunch, debbie took me to the city's largest lamastry, called Da ZHao.? Like all of the lamastries in China, the total number of Buddhist monks has dwindled from a few thousand to only 10-12. THe main prayer hall here had a sacred feel to it, as I watched several monks chanting. THe light was shining through the smoke of the inscents, and it was a truly beautiful sight.
Debbie and I parted ways later, after she had arranged for me a ride to the grasslands. I thought that I was to meet the driver at 8:30 Pm, but in true Kristen style, I went to meet him at 8:30 aAm. I was so disapointed, as the main reason for my visit to Hohhot was to see the grasslands. But, as i said before, I was lucky to meet such nice people. A bus stopped for me, and two chinese girls invited me to come with them to the grasslands. THis was through CITS, the main travel service in CHina. I Was reluctant, as hourds of chinese tourists go with this company. But I went, and it ended up being only us three (Lulu and Ling)! we were all the same age, and had many laughs along the way.
WE finally came to our destination, which was a mongolian village with yurts to stay in. Yurts are traditional transportable homes, and are circular. We had lunch when we arrived, and it was the best meal i have had so far! That afternoon we went on a 4 hr horse trek in the grasslands, and it being my first time on a horse I was quite excited! Riding past herds of sheep, and fields of wildflowers, it was a great experience. I also got to ride very fast on the horse...which turns out really hurts the derierre! Our main destination was an Aobao, a mongol shrine made of stone. We made a prayer and a wish there, and it was a very spiritual experience.
Since we were the only people at this village-- a village that heavily cateres to tourists-- the Mongol people were super relaxed and did things they wanted to do. FOr example, instead of a cheezy dance show, we had a party around a fire! Some guys also did some mongol hip-hop with an traditional instrument called Matoeqing.? I dont like hip-hop, but this music was so good! SOme younger girls were also interested in me, as i am a foreigner (laowei) with big nose and blond hair. They invited me into their home and I showed them my pictures of my family and friends.I think that the Mongol people are some of the most beautiful people I have seen.
THe stars were so bright that night as well, and the air was clean. We woke up to watch the sunrise, but it was too cloudy, unfortunately. THat morning, we hiked over to a windmill farm, which was in great contrast to the simple village we were at.?Apparently, there are 103 large windmills which generates some of Hohhots energy. I was very interested in this alternative energy for CHina, as much of this country's power comes from burning coal (which also heavily pollutes the air) and hydro projects like the Tree Gorges.
I had a train to catch that day at 3pm to Yinchuan.?But of course our car broke down in the middle of the grassland! ha! we were there for 2 hours, but i didnt really mind at all.
When we got back to hohhot, the girls said they wanted to go shopping. I did not have the heart to tell them I hated shopping, so i went along with it. We drove up to this strange compound, and i had no idea where we were. Turns out, we were going to a clothing factory! There was dozens of women sewing away at their stations, making the tourist souvenir clothing. It was very strange place. THey did not talk, and worked very fast, just as you'd imagine. But the building was very clean and decorated, as tourists come here to watch their clothes being made and can buy it right from the sweing table. In another building more women were making craft souvenirs, like jewelry and leatherbags. I quickly took a few pics cause i thought it was so wierd that I was there. I also saw the small dorm room where the girls slept, with about 10-12 beds stacked 4 beds high. BUt coming from a country that has endless privacy, I think that my views were biased. People here have no privacy whatsoever (heack, there is no doors on the toilet stalls!) and everyone shares rooms. Also, I have seen so much poverty, and I think that these girls are almost lucky to have such employment, although i dont know the working conditions.

THe driver, Yun, felt to bad that the bus broke down so he took us our for dinner that night when we finally got back to Hohhot.?Like the rest of my meals here, this one was superp! there is a big pot of boiling stuff in the middle of the table, and you cook your own veggies in it (or meat) and then dip the veggies in a penut sauce! mmM!This meal was also accompanied with much rice wine. It is custom to make a toast rach time you drink here, and all I have to say is there were many toasts! My poor friends Lulu and Ling said they have never drank so much in their lives, and later that night in our hotel room they got quite sick! For once in my life i was not the one paying homage to the toilet god!
And so ends my wonderful trip in Hohhot. I said goodbye to Lulu and Ling this morning, and they gave me a beautiful ring, which is to symbolize good luck and health. Besides my constant runny nose, I think that the ring does work! I am waiting for my train now, the one going to YinChuan.There, I will go to the Tengger Desert and maybe do a camel trek!

take care, zai jian!
love,
Kristen

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