7 star lake, a new tourist destination near Baotou, funded and built by one of Inner Mongolia's largest resource companies, was our destination for the day. We set out at 07:00 in the morning, heading south out of Kunqu into the country side. It was an overcast day, and a strong wind was blowing but that didn't temper the festive mood. With karaoke and a bag the size of a small stadium filled with sweet bread that served as breakfast, we soon arrived at the low bridge crossing a narrow section of the Yellow River. Been told to get out, we took the opportunity to take some pictures and hang our asses out of the windows of old boats moored at the bridge. The road wometimes broke up and changed into a proper dirt road including ... read more

With a 35 minute delay, MU5690 took off from the small Baotou airport at 14:20, and landed some 50 minutes later at Taiyuan, Shanxi province. For its size and population, I reckon Baotou could have an upgrade in both aiport facilities and number of flight and destinations as well as frequency available... The flight was pleasant, with a gradual ascent and descent. First crossing the yellow (not as much as being brown) river just south of Baotou and lots of farmland, the scenery changed to mountains and nearing Taiyuan, a craggy landscape, where each piece of land and even hill seemed to have been used as it was all terraces, appeared through the plane window. After landing it was a slow taxi ride of around 40 minutes on bad roads to the train station. It being ... read more

The eleventh Harbin ice and snow festival For many years now, having a number of Guinness World Records, Haerbin has been presenting this festival to the world. With over 100.000 sq. meters of snow and ice,the festival started in 1999 to call in the new millennium. Ever since, it has been attracting more and more visitors from worldwide to this freezing city with winter temperatures that can get below -30 degrees Celsius! Originally being in Zhaolin Park within the city itself, it has moved to the other side of the mighty Songhua river, which was in the news around the world in December 2005 due to a major water pollution incident. The snow sculptures are in the large Sun Island park, with the Ice festival on the other side of the main road, in the west. ... read more

''No vegetables available'' This street seller selling toilet paper (!) on the street which I live on, has one of those pre-recorded megaphones blearing often incomprehensible lines in order to get passers-by to pay attention to their goods. This particular time though, I couldn't help but hearing the words 'no vegetables available' which just made me laugh so much,seeing what he's selling really is toilet paper... Right.... well, after almost two weeks back home I booked another flight via Dubai this time and flew across Pakistan and the Karakoram mountain range into Qinjiang province, flying exactly south of Baotou and Hohhot while getting ready for descent into Beijing Capital airport. Oh, how I love flying. Was able to get some great views of the snowy mountain ranges separating China from it's middle eastern / central ... read more

Bus station touts... They're all over Asia, easy to pick out. Eyes like ravens, seeking for the 'new and naive' traveller, carrying brochures showing their fantastic guest houses with all amenities for incredibly low prices. Best to avoid them, when you do choose one though due to lack of sleep, road tiredness etc. they often take you to the guest house by motorcycle (which you think is free of course) to get then charged money for it while the bus tout is having his commission paid out to him. The accommodation itself is nowhere near the stuff they show you in the brochure, or there's only one chalet that looks like it, which is full of course, and you settle in an overpriced bungalow not worthy its roof and surrounded by screaming kids while facing another ... read more