the begrudging tourist

I was brushing my teeth tonight when a chunk of plaster fell out of the ceiling and smashed onto the washing machine. Next to my head.

Aiiyaa, I thought. That's not good.

Yesterday morning, I stumbled into the bathroom for urgent business with the can and was welcomed by a twitching cockroach on the seat.

Aiiyaa, indeed.

Cockroaches and crumbling ceilings aside, I feel like I'm starting to really settle into this mad city. Today I was treated to a few of the city's meagre - but elaborate - tourist attractions. I met Yinghong through couchsurfing, and it was her idea to go to Zhaojun's Tomb. Normally I hate anything that requires the handing over of money in order to wander around some over-dressed monument but, considering I've been here six weeks and not paid for anything other than food and booze and clothes, I figured I could justify sixty kuai to see a bit of history. Just a bit. And, while I found Zhaojun's Tomb rather stark (grey concrete, grey sky, grey trees), the view of the surrounding farmlands made for a nice change from urban sprawl. And I felt like I'd done something good. Even took photos.

As it turned out, leaving was probably the best part; a minute down the highway we were pulled over by the Chinese police. Apparently they didn't like the sticker on Yinghong's license plate [blatantly obscuring one of the numbers]. And the fact that we weren't wearing seatbelts.
Somewhere between surly grunts from the chain-smoking cops and Yinghong's nervous giggles, we were let off with a warning and sent on our way. I still don't really know what happened; all I got from Yinghong regarding the number plate was that 'someone naughty' had put the sticker there.

Back in snap-happy tourist mode, I got camera out again to capture the bleak wilderness of the mountains beyond the city. Apparently their Chinese name translates as 'big green mountains'. Rubbish. Big, yes; green, no. Still, the desolation was eerily beautiful; so too were the villages of misshapen brick huts in between.

Can now say I've 'seen' Hohhot. Well, seen beyond school and the strip of road between my place and Holiland's. Feel like an accomplished tourist. Have the photos to prove it.

Now, excuse me whilst I dump the camera, kick off my tourist shoes and slip into something more comfortable. Like, my pyjamas.