The capital of Inner Mongolia is a fairly modernized and busy city. The city itself is not too impressive and contained the usual sights of any capital: the provincial museum and a couple of small temples. But when you leave the city (like many other cities in China), you begin to encounter some wonderful scenery and tranquil atmosphere. A majority of the time we spent in Inner Mongolia was on the grasslands. We drove deep into the grasslands and stayed in traditional yurts. I felt like Laura on the prairie. There were acres and acres of grass. It was so peaceful there, watching the sheep graze nearby and looking up at the clear blue sky. Throughout the grasslands, there were little patches of blue water oasis. It was just spectacular. In the evenings, you can see a million stars in the sky. It was just heavenly. Food wasn't the best there (everything came from yak: yak butter, yak cheese, yak meat) but we warmed our blood drinking bai wine. Overall, this is a great getaway from the hub bub of the city. Unfortunately, we didn't get to the Gobi Desert and play in the sand dunes. But there is always next time...