The beauty of the grasslands is too stunning

The beauty of the grasslands is too stunning. I had long heard of the great reputation of Zhangbei Grassland, but being too close, I never managed to visit until this year when I finally scheduled it. In mid-August, I chose a weekend, and it took about three to four hours to drive from downtown Beijing to the Grassland Sky Road homestay. The tunnels along the way slowed us down. I must say, the homestay (p7) we picked this time was amazing, with a great location, beautiful scenery, excellent service, clean rooms, and delicious food. Aside from the common issue of poor soundproofing in homestays and a rather simple breakfast, everything else was perfect, offering great value for money. Moreover, the nights in the mountains are especially quiet with no light pollution, and I felt sleepy early, waking up naturally after an early night's sleep every day. The homestay owner is very knowledgeable about nearby attractions and advised us on which routes to avoid on rainy and foggy days and where to go to see the sunset, ensuring we didn't hit any snags and had pleasant surprises throughout. The first day was rainy and foggy, and the owner suggested not going to the old Sky Road but to the new Sky Road (which is the eastern line of the Grassland Sky Road according to the map) (p2-5). The Grassland Sky Road on a rainy and foggy day has its own unique charm. Plus, this route is completely uncommercialized; all you see are mountains, clouds, windmills, and cattle and sheep. The biggest surprise was the clear skies after the rain on the first night, when I saw a complete rainbow from my homestay room, a first in my life. The next day was sunny, and I went to the old Sky Road (which is the middle line of the Grassland Sky Road according to the map) (p8-11), where every second was like a painting. However, the old Sky Road is more commercialized, with more cars and people. By comparison, I prefer the new Sky Road.