Fuddland

Visiting the city of Mǎnzhōulǐ was a strange experience. Sitting right on the border with Russia and being the main thoroughfare for both people and goods between the two countries in this region, the streets and restaurants are overrun with non-Chinese [i.e. predominantly Russian] people — something of a mild culture shock after three months of being in the minority, race-wise, in Běnxī.

Mǎnzhōulǐ itself doesn’t have a lot to offer, save for some lovely blue skies [again, quite a novelty after getting used to the Běnxī smog], a couple of nice little restaurants [chips! sour cream! real, proper wholemeal loaves of bread!] and the impossibly long trains transporting oil and timber.