After all they built great wall. Their humungous water projects always fascinated me and I was looking forward to run in this great country of Asia. The Gobi desert continued in China from Mongolia. But, the dusty tire made roads didn’t, the rib exposed cattle didn’t. It was a total different life style in this part of the Gobi desert. An express way and a dazzling city welcomed us at the other side of the border. Either side of the road was decorated with designer street lights and huge dinosaur statues. First dinosaur eggs were found in this part of the Gobi and Chinese have done a wonderful job in representing it.

Night before entering China, the border city

Mongolia-China border along Gobi desert

Our Chinese guide Victoria, told “this is a small town”. I am sure; she has not passed thru those Siberian villages without grocery stores or a gas station. One day we even had to drive almost 200 kms without water in Siberia. Anyways, we were happy to see a big city with all the amenities with lotta choices.

The first meal in China was exciting. Our guide took us to a “hot pot buffet” on our way to our destination, Bayan Changan. I was a first timer and Victoria was very patient in explaining how to eat in this place. It looked like a grocery shop with vegetables, meat and fish. We make our own soup with the boiling hot water on our tables. I used noodles, spices, vegetables and made a Indian style “spicy noodles” and Victoria laughed till she cramped when she saw my soup vessel with dry Indian noodles and no water left. I was excited to try a “brown tofu”, and asked about it. One of our guides said, it is tasty and try it, I asked what is it. He said “its dried pig blood”. I almost threw up right there. Well, duck eye soup, frog leg soup and much more weird stuff made me think about Indian food in this part of the world.