After Arxan, we spent one night in Hailar (海拉尔) on the way north. What I remember is one particularly good meal.

The dish was huicai (烩菜), made mainly with potatoes, glass noodles, sand leek and pork ribs. This version was quite dry rather than soupy, and very good. The following day, we continued towards Erguna.

Huicai in Hailar, made with potatoes, glass noodles, shacong and ribs.
Huicai in Hailar, made with potatoes, glass noodles, shacong and ribs.

The bends of the Morigele River

Round hay bales lay across the grassland along the route. Low hills stretched away beyond them, with plenty of sky overhead.

Hay bales across the grassland on the road from Hailar towards Erguna.
Hay bales across the grassland on the road from Hailar towards Erguna.
Grassland and hay bales beneath a wide, clouded sky.
Grassland and hay bales beneath a wide, clouded sky.
Another grassland view
Round hay bales scattered across the autumn grassland.
Round hay bales scattered across the autumn grassland.

Then came the Morigele River (莫尔格勒河), one bend following another across the open land. Patches of water caught the light between the curves.

The writer Lao She praised it as “天下第一曲水”, roughly “the finest winding river under heaven”, as People’s Daily Overseas Edition recounts. Looking across those loops, I could see exactly what he meant.

Bends of the Morigele River beneath the midday sky.
Bends of the Morigele River beneath the midday sky.
A broad bend of the Morigele River below low grassland hills.
A broad bend of the Morigele River below low grassland hills.
More of the winding river
The Morigele River winding across the grassland.
The Morigele River winding across the grassland.
Light reflected along the bends of the Morigele River.
Light reflected along the bends of the Morigele River.

The wetland visit I missed

In Erguna (额尔古纳), work caught up with me: something urgent came up with an ad campaign I was running. So while my friends went to the Erguna Wetland, I stayed behind and dealt with it.

Later, we went to a birch grove together. Pale trunks stood among golden leaves, with open grassland and rolling fields beyond.

Golden birch trees beside an open field near Erguna.
Golden birch trees beside an open field near Erguna.
A golden birch tree beneath the autumn sky.
A golden birch tree beneath the autumn sky.
White birch trunks, golden leaves and open grassland near Erguna. (8 seconds).
More from the birch grove
Autumn birches and open grassland near Erguna.
Autumn birches and open grassland near Erguna.
White trunks and golden leaves beneath a clouded sky.
White trunks and golden leaves beneath a clouded sky.

There were plenty of other good meals along the way; I just can’t remember where any of them were.

A few meals along the way
Noodles, meat and vegetables cooked together in a large wok.
Noodles, meat and vegetables cooked together in a large wok.
A heaped plate of battered, fried strips.
A heaped plate of battered, fried strips.
Golden battered slices at dinner.
Golden battered slices at dinner.

No room in Mordaoga

We hadn’t booked accommodation in Mordaoga (莫尔道嘎) in advance. By the time we looked, we couldn’t find anywhere to stay.

So we spent an extra day in Erguna, then set off at five the next morning. We reached Mordaoga Park just before nine.

Around Mordaoga, the road ran between tall golden trees, dipping and rising towards wooded hills. The colour went on from the roadside up the slopes.

A road through golden autumn woodland around Mordaoga. (28 seconds).

Four stops on the little forest train

In the park, we took the little train. It had four stops, each one allowing you to get off and explore. I don’t remember the fare.

Railway tracks ran beside the golden woodland, and the forest covered the hills beyond.

Railway tracks beside golden autumn woodland in Mordaoga Park. (13 seconds).
Golden woodland and fallen leaves inside Mordaoga Park.
Golden woodland and fallen leaves inside Mordaoga Park.
Autumn trees inside Mordaoga Park. (6 seconds).

There were chipmunks here too, which I love. At the last stop, there were all sorts of animals: lambs, calves, dogs, cats, marmots and deer.

We spent the morning in the park. At one in the afternoon, we left for Shiwei, the border crossing and the road beside the Ergun River.

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.