After the morning at Mordaoga, we had a brief look at the Shiwei border crossing (室韦口岸) and continued along the border road.

Around Shiwei, the land opened into broad river bends, low hills and golden woodland. Round hay bales were scattered across the grass.

A broad river bend and open countryside around Shiwei.
A broad river bend and open countryside around Shiwei.
Golden woodland and hay bales near Shiwei.
Golden woodland and hay bales near Shiwei.
Another view around Shiwei
A curved entrance building with a rooftop sculpture near Shiwei.
A curved entrance building with a rooftop sculpture near Shiwei.

We also passed fields of dark black soil. Its organic-rich topsoil helps make it fertile farmland.

Dark farmland beneath low hills along the route. (5 seconds).

The river was coming along with us

On this stretch of the road, the Ergun River (额尔古纳河, also called the Argun) flowed quietly on our right. As the car went forward, it felt as though the river was coming along too, rushing down the road with us.

Wow. I can’t really put that feeling into words. You have to be there.

River channels and autumn trees alongside the border road. (6 seconds).
Sunlight reflected on the Ergun River beside the border road.
Sunlight reflected on the Ergun River beside the border road.

Russia was just across the river. My phone would occasionally receive text alerts mentioning Russia. Plenty of other travellers were out on the road as well. Every so often, we’d see a car pulled over and people taking photographs of the view.

In the late light, the sun turned the grass golden and lit up the curves of the water.

Too late for a sunset ride

We had tried to fit too much into that day. By the time we reached Heishantou (黑山头), it was around seven or eight in the evening.

We hadn’t planned well enough to leave time for horse riding at sunset. We arrived too late and missed it.

We had roast lamb ribs for dinner and stayed the night. It was the following morning before we went horse riding.

Roast lamb ribs for dinner in Heishantou.
Roast lamb ribs for dinner in Heishantou.
Dinner in Heishantou: roast lamb ribs and vegetables.
Dinner in Heishantou: roast lamb ribs and vegetables.
Horse riders crossing the grassland in Heishantou.
Horse riders crossing the grassland in Heishantou.
A view from horseback in Heishantou.
A view from horseback in Heishantou.
More from the morning ride
Horse riding across the open grassland.
Horse riding across the open grassland.
The grassland around our horse ride in Heishantou.
The grassland around our horse ride in Heishantou.

Three of us at Ma Zhi Wu

Later, our plans split in two. One companion had brought his passport and signed up for a one-day tour to Russia. I hadn’t brought mine, so the other two and I went to Ba’erhu Mongolian Tribe (巴尔虎蒙古部落) for the equestrian show Ma Zhi Wu (马之舞).

Horses ran past the stands, their hooves kicking up dust. Riders changed position on their moving horses, some leaning down alongside them. In another act, several performers built a stacked formation on horses running side by side.

Horses running past the stands at Ma Zhi Wu. (5 seconds).
A group balancing formation on moving horses. (4 seconds).
Four more moments from the horse show
Riders performing on horseback at Ma Zhi Wu. (11 seconds).
Horseback acrobatics at Ma Zhi Wu. (10 seconds).
Riders stretching and balancing on moving horses. (13 seconds).
A rider leaning down alongside a running horse. (10 seconds).

We ate well on this stretch too, though I’ve forgotten where some of these dinners were.

Egg, mushroom and wood-ear stir-fry alongside another shared dish.
Egg, mushroom and wood-ear stir-fry alongside another shared dish.

One of them was a Russian meal, a reminder of how close the border was.

A coiled sausage served in a skillet.
A coiled sausage served in a skillet.
Meat served with sauce and vegetables at our Russian meal.
Meat served with sauce and vegetables at our Russian meal.
More from the Russian meal
A plate of golden slices at our Russian meal in Hulunbuir.
A plate of golden slices at our Russian meal in Hulunbuir.
Pasta at our Russian meal in Hulunbuir.
Pasta at our Russian meal in Hulunbuir.

From here, we began the return journey. There was still plenty of eating and exploring between us and Beijing.

Our eighteen-day road trip

  1. Setting Off for Inner Mongolia: Four Friends and Eighteen Days
  2. Arxan in Autumn: River Mist, Stars and a Very Good Stew
  3. From Grassland to Golden Forest: Erguna and Mordaoga
  4. With the Ergun River Beside Us: The Border Road and Heishantou
  5. The Way Back: Barbecue, Harbin and the Road to Beijing

About this note

This note draws on my own travels and photographs and videos.

Spotted a mistake? Let me know.