Hohut vs Beijing

I like Hohut better than Beijing. Hohut is smaller (a mere 4 million) and the city is not nearly as flashy and impressive as Beijing. There are few tall buildings, few neon lights, and very little night life. The tourist sights are not as big, as rich, or as ancient. The city is very down to earth; not as full of itself as Beijing is – and there is less in Hohut that is fake.

The people of Hohut are very different. They are much more laid back, not used to seeing foriegners, and they were not all trying to sell me something. They also speak very little English there. I think that in Hohut more people were genuinely interested in where I came from and what brought me here, whereas in Beijing I have become used to Chinese people talking to me on the street only if they want my money. In Hohut, I was on the recieving end of several excited waves and “hello-s!” from fascinated locals. The “hello-s” I get in Beijing all come from beggars, roadside salesmen, resteraunt employees, and hookers.

If I had the choice of living in Hohut or Beijing, I’d take Hohut. The cityscape has not been moulded to impress outsiders and attract foriegn investment. The air is also clearer, and I enjoyed the mountains. The pace of life suits me better there; Beijing is a 20 million man rat race.

Here are a few pictures of some extreme Mongolian hiking: