Mongolia

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Mongolia…. Known as “Blue Sky” country. Mongolia is a country in the throws of change. Its capital city, Ulaanbaatar is a thriving metropolis albeit it can be crippled due to incredible traffic. Then, when you leave the city and get into the remote countryside, individuals still live in gers (felt or pelt covered circular structures with a stove in the center fueled by wood or dung). None of the gers have plumbing so outhouses are used and water must be brought in from nearby streams for cooking and cleaning. Near the gers are the flocks of livestock which a family may own – sheep, goats, yaks, cattle, camels and horses. Depending on the season, a family will move from one location to another to optimize grazing as has historically been part of their nomadic lifestyle. No where in the countryside are there fences unless someone is cultivating a small plot to grow potatoes or another vegetable.

However, some modern conveniences have entered into the nomadic lifestyle. Outside a ger there often is a motorbike parked which can be used to herd animals. Then, there is a small solar panel which typically is accompanied by a satellite dish for television. So, Mongolia and its nomads are definitely in the throws of change. It will be interesting to see how these changes continue over the coming years.

The arrangements for our trip were made through Selena Travel, LLC. Everyone with the agency did a terrific job and we highly recommend them! Here's a link to the company's website: www.selenatravel.com

Wednesday, August 31: This was a travel day. After having breakfast at the Holiday Inn Beijing, we took our luggage (we did leave one bag at the hotel) and walked to the metro. We took it to the Airport Express and eventually arrived at the International Terminal at Beijing Airport. We had a brief wait before check-in began three hours in advance of our flight to Mongolia.

The flight itself was uneventful and we arrived in Ulaanbataar at 5:30PM. We were met by a transfer agent and we headed into town. Initially, the drive went quickly but then we ran into incredible traffic. Our driver did some driving through alleyways and other interesting routes to try to avoid some of the traffic but it was everywhere. We eventually arrived at the hotel at 7:00PM, an hour after leaving the airport. Ulaanbaatar is definitely thriving as people were everywhere on the streets, mostly well-dressed following business hours. Restaurants were jammed and the horizon was dotted with construction cranes.

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After checking into the hotel, we had a quiet evening and went to bed fairly early. However, we received a call at 12:00AM from our guide advising that we should be ready to depart the hotel at 8:00AM. Guess we’ll find out if he’s always a night owl during our next 20 days together.

Thursday, 1 September: We had an early breakfast during which we met our travel companions (Carol & Jim (USA), whom we previously met in Santa Fe; Margaret & Ian (Australia); David & Alice (USA); Jukka (Finland); Sue & Anne (Canada)). Then, at 8:00AM we all returned to the hotel lobby with luggage in hand. Soon our guide, Joe, arrived. Then, we all piled into three vans and our adventure began. Today we were to drive 325KM (~202 miles) to the Amarbayasgalant Monastery.

As we left town, we stopped at a small market to buy cookies and/or sweets to leave as offerings at a shrine of the Shaman religion to wish for a positive trip. When we arrived at the shrine, we walked around it three times clockwise as instructed by Joe. Then, we were off.

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	A tower of prayer flags
	Our convoy on the highway
	A small town along the highway
	This herd of goats was right on the road

We stopped en route for lunch at a small roadside café. We all enjoyed a huge bowl of noddle soup flavored with lamb meat followed by a platter of grilled lamb mixed with fried egg and some onion and red pepper. Excellent. Then, we continued our journey.

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We had to make one stop due to a flat tire. This occurred while on paved road so we’ll see how many more once we hit the unpaved trek. Then, we were also slightly delayed due to strong rain showers. Our reward, however, was a beautiful rainbow. Due to our delays, however, we didn’t get to the Monastery because it would be closed by the time we could reach it. So, we stopped at our first ger camp for the night. It was only a short driving distance from the Monastery so it will be visited in the morning.

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	Two lone gers
	Our first flat tire being replaced
	The terrific drivers for our group Jak, Bataa & Batcha
	Our wonderful guide, Joe
	The beautiful rainbow following the storm
	Our rain-soaked road (yes, the highway is gone!)

The ger camp was quite nice and had about 20 gers. However, our group comprised the only guests. We quickly settled into our comfy ger complete with its own stove (made wood burning instead of dung burning for our benefit). It also had two twin beds as well as two small side tables and a small writing table. Unfortunately, due to the storm the electricity wasn’t working when we arrived. However, it came on a short time before dinner.

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	Our camp for the evening
	Lindy outside our ger
	Ed relaxing on one of the beds in our ger (the woodstove is in the front of the photo)

[ T O P ]

Dinner was served at 7:00PM in a large dining ger. We began with a salad of baby tomatoes and cucumbers. This was followed by a platter containing cabbage, carrots, mashed potatoes and three huge spiced meatballs again made from lamb. We were sitting next to our drivers so we gave them four of our meatballs (we kept one each as we didn’t need that much meat). The guys were very appreciative and gobbled down every bit. We also enjoyed a 500cc bottle of excellent Mongolian beer which we split. Dessert consisted of a candy bar which we saved for a future occasion.

After a brief meeting about the next day’s activities, we retired to our ger. One of the camp workers came by and made a massive fire in our woodstove. Actually, it was a bit too much. Then, he left wood so we could continue to stoke the fire. Before bed, we enjoyed a small bit of bourbon and a cookie. A good way to continue to stay warm for the evening.

At 3:00AM, we both were awake and the fire had actually gone out. So, Ed built a new one that kept us warm until morning. By the way, we did step out so we could see the evening sky and, yes, it was a night under a million stars.

Friday, 2 September: We awoke about 5:00AM in our cozy ger. We didn’t move too quickly because we knew hot showers weren’t available until 7:00AM. However, we were there immediately at 7:00AM to enjoy one. We continued cleaning up, then packing up our ger and we were ready for our 8:00AM breakfast.

After enjoying breakfast, we drove a short distance to the Monastery. After we parked outside the parameter walls, Joe went inside and found a young monk (13 years old) who he paid to give us access to four temples. Originally the complex had 40 temples. However, during the 1920’s, religious persecution occurred and the size of the complex was reduced dramatically. The outside of the temples showed lots of wear and tear but the interiors were still very nice with brightly painted walls and ceilings and lots of silk banners hanging from the walls.

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	An overview of the Amarbayasgalant Monastery complex
	A closer view of the Monastic Buildings and the Giant Buddha on the hillside

Amarbayasgalant is dedicated to Buddhism. The first temple was dedicated to numerous statutes of Buddha. The second temple featured the 1,000 Buddhas which are frequently found. The third temple was dedicated to the blue-haired Buddha who promotes health. Lastly, we visited the temple which housed protectors of Buddha. It was an excellent visit!

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	Approaching one of the temples
	A decorative drum
	Wall coverings decorate the walls and columns in the temple
	Ceremonial Horns
	A young monk studying
	A beautiful statute
	A close-up of a wall haning
	Lindy & Ed by an incense burner outside a temple

Afterwards we walked up a steep set of steps up a hill to a statute of Buddha. This golden colored Buddha was added only a year ago as was a beautiful stuppa located a short distance away.

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	The climb up to the Giant Buddha
	A view of the stuppa located nearby
	We made it up the stairs to visit the Giant Buddha up close

When we finished visiting the Monastery, we returned to our ger camp for a delicious lunch and then we picked up our belongings and headed to our next ger camp for the evening.

En route, we stopped at a town which has developed outside a copper mine so some individuals could send postcards and we also stopped at a grocery store for snacks. While there we were hit with a torrential rain so we were slowed down a bit. Finally, at 6:30PM we arrived at our ger camp for the evening.

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Our convoy fording a river after the
storms (the horses in the picture weren't
disturbed by us in the least!)

[ T O P ]

This camp too was quite nice but without electricity to the individual gers. Instead, we had a battery-operated lantern which did its job to light up most of the ger. After everyone quickly settled in, we had an early dinner at 7:00PM. It consisted of another great coleslaw salad followed by a cup of onion soup and then the main course of braised lamb, rice and mashed potatoes. Dessert was a chocolate bar.

At 8:15PM we returned to the ger. A camp representative came in and started our fire. Then, it was pretty much “lights out” in the camp except for the excellent singing of some Mongolian guests. They serenaded the camp until the generator went off at 11PM and they too decided to call it a night.

Saturday, 3 September: Due to a long travel day, we had a 6:30AM breakfast and we were on the road at 7:13AM. Today our goal was to reach a ger camp on the other side of the town of Moron.

As our morning drive began, we came across a group of three men moving their herds of horses, sheep and cows. They stopped alongside the van and we were able to take their photographs. As a thank you, we gave them tootsie rolls and some cookies and both were greatly appreciated.

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	A wrangler moving his horses
	This wrangler is moving his cows
	These wranglers are moving sheep and goats
	A close-up of three wranglers

As our trek through the bush continued, we came across a man with his two sons – one of whom was probably three years old – taking one horse out of a corral of horses. We watched as the man lassoed the horse and then the older son took it away. Of course, they also had the modern convenience of a motorcycle. Again, we gave them each a cookie and it was like giving away a treasure.

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	The man with his sons and horses
	The man (in traditional costume) puts a harness on one of the horses
	A close-up of the man
	The man's youngest son

Next, we stopped at the nomad family ger where we were invited in for milk tea, butter tea and a snack of sun-baked yogurt. Some of the yogurt had sugar added and it was a white, crunchy consistency. The other was left natural and it tasted like cheese as it softened in your mouth. Then, we were also given clotted cream.

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	The nomad's ger complete with satellite dish
	Our hostesses
	A photograph of our group and the nomad family
	The dried yogurt snacks we enjoyed
	A snapshot inside the ger

After socializing (as best everyone could), we left after each of us gave some sort of a gift in thanks for the hospitality. Our gift included writing pads, pencils, pencil sharpeners, soaps, combs, a man’s razor, toothbrushes, soaps, a lipstick and, of course, lots of tootsie rolls.

After leaving the nomad ger, we continued our drive and came across an amazing wooden bridge crossing the Hanuy River. It had been replaced with a concrete bridge but the original was still intact and made for some great photographs.

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	The views we enjoyed while driving
	The beautiful wooden bridge over the Hanuy River

Then, we had a long trek across the mountains and valleys until we reached another river, the Selenge River. Here we crossed via pontoon bridge after waiting our turn for a herd of goats to cross. Afterwards, we had a picnic lunch under a canopy by the stream.

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We continued our drive and ultimately reached the town of Moron where we stopped for a tire repair and some shopping at the grocery store while the tire was being repaired. Afterwards, we had only a 17km drive to reach our ger camp for the evening.

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While in Moron we spotted
this ger being moved

[ T O P ]

This camp was very, very nice and our ger had electricity. Yeah! This allowed us to recharge our cameras and computer. Also, the facilities for restrooms and showers were very first class albeit it limited in that there were four toilets total and two showers. Thankfully, we initially were on the only ones in camp (a group of three Russian men arrived but not until late in the evening – Mongolia has a huge border with Russia).

At 7:00PM we again enjoyed a typical dinner of coleslaw followed by rice, potatoes, noodles and some meat. We also purchased a local beer and it was quite delicious. Dessert consisted of a prepackaged cookie.

After dinner, we retired to the ger to catch up on our diary as well as look at our photographs as we re-savored the day. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a fire in our ger until approximately 9:30PM when a woman came in and started it for us. However, she wouldn’t close the top of the ger (Joe tried to do so but said the ger had not been properly set up) so it was like having a camp fire. That is, all the heat went right up through the roof. Thankfully, the bedding was very good and we were able to stay fairly warm.

At 4:00AM, we were up and one of the men of the camp saw us. So, once again the same lady came in and made a fire for us (at this camp, they insisted that only employees should make the fire). Again, it didn’t last long but it was enough time for us to get under the covers by 5:00AM. This time we squeezed into one of our twin beds together and we were able to sleep comfortably until almost 7:00AM.

Sunday, 4 September: We had a late breakfast at 8:00AM and were out of the camp by 8:30AM. We then took a 300 meter walk behind the camp to visit one of the “Deer Stones.” These are stones with pictograms which date back to the Bronze Age. Also in the same area were several burial mounds. All and all, very interesting.

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	Lindy getting a little computer work done in the ger
	Approaching the field of Deer Stones
	This is Deer Stone No. 13, the largest stone in the field
	This colorful carving is Deer Stone No. 9 which features three deer and a bow, arrow and mirror underneath them at the Stone's base
	Several Deer Stones with burial mounds in the background
	This is Deer Stone No. 2 on which you can still see a sun carved near the top

At 9:00AM, we were once again on the road, this time headed north to Lake Huvsgul, our home for the next two nights as well as the northern-most of our destinations. During our four hour, 150KM drive, we made a few stops. We took photographs of yaks and trumpeter swans at a salt lake. Then, we had to be tourists and take a picture of the sign announcing we were in a national park.

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	A yak herd (you don't see that everyday!)
	The yak herd in the surrounding setting
	A couple of yaks in front of a group of trumpter swans
	We've arrived at the National Park

We arrived at our camp at about 1:50PM. Here we settled into dwellings that are similar to those used by the reindeer people. To us, there were quite similar to teepees used by Indians in the American West. Ours was quite roomy and we quickly settled in before having a delicious lunch of salad, soup and then fried chicken legs accompanied by cold vegetables and some type of a rolled dough with vegetables.

As soon as lunch was finished, we returned to our dwelling and put together our fly fishing rods. Then we were out on the lake giving it a try with both dry flies and streamers. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any fish and we didn’t get a single bite! So, at 5:30PM, we called it a day. As we were walking back into camp, there were several Mongolians who had put out items to sell on blankets at the entry way. With the help of Joe, we bargained and purchased a moonstone necklace and matching earrings. Hey, we contributed to the local economy!

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	Our camp fashioned after Reindeer People shelters
	The crystal clear waters of Lake Huvsgul
	Lindy catching some late afternoon sun

Dinner was served at 8:00PM and it was another feast. At the end of the dinner, Joe told everyone that he and the drivers were going to cook a marmot in their room as a special Mongolian treat. He invited us over to see the process. Basically, the marmot skin was intact but the internal organs had been removed and as much meat as possible had been cleaned from the interior of the carcass. The guys heated up stones in their wood oven until they were glowing red. Then, stones were placed into the carcass and pushed into the leg areas of the marmot. Then, some vodka was poured inside along with spices. The steam was amazing. Next, pieces of the flesh were added alternating with hot stones until the carcass was completely full and then tied off at the neck. Next a blow-torch was used to singe the hair of the animal which was then scraped off. After this was done, Joe told us that the marmot would be left as it was for about two hours before it was ready to eat. Of course, the vodka bottle which had been opened was now to be drunk and the guys offered a shot to anyone who was interested.

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	A smoky photo of the guys putting hot stones, vodka and spices inside the marmot
	The carcass is stuffed and almost ready
	The hair being burned off in anticipation of it being served for eating in a few hours

[ T O P ]

After watching this unique event, we returned back to our accommodations at 10:30PM. Ed stoked the fire, we enjoyed our own cocktail – a vodka and tonic which was nice & cool despite no ice given the outside temperature – and then it was time for bed.

Monday, 5 September: At ~5:30AM, a woman from the camp came in to get our fire going. We were both a bit groggy but did manage to say good morning. We then cuddled together in one of our twin beds and slept till 7:00AM.

At 8:00AM, we had a very leisurely breakfast since today was a day to do whatever sounded appealing. Everyone laughed about being able to have multiple cups of tea/coffee without having to worry about comfort stops along the highway.

About 10:00AM, we decided to give fishing a go again despite some 30MPH winds. So, we bundled up with down jackets under rain coats to help stop the bitter feeling of the cold morning plus the breeze. We fished for a couple of hours watching the waves pound against the shore and churn up the water. Obviously, not the best conditions for fishing so it’s not surprising that we once again had no follows and/or bites.

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	A view of the lake on this blustery day
	Ed fly fishing
	Lindy catching more sun... this time in her down jacket

[ T O P ]

At 12:00 noon, we quit fishing and returned to camp. Then, it was time for a late lunch. This camp makes wonderful salads and soups and both hit the spot. Then, the main course was braised beef along with sautéed carrots and onion and then homemade noodles.

After lunch we stayed in camp. We did some laundry, cleaned up ourselves too and then began the chore of packing for our next move early tomorrow (a 7:00AM departure to be exact). This included breaking down our fly fishing equipment and getting it stowed away.

Dinner was early at 7:00PM. It again featured the staff of life in Mongolia – rice and braised meat. We then returned to our ger which had a blazing fire going so it was nice and comfy. Ed added a bit more wood to keep us warm for a few more hours and then we called it a night.

Tuesday, 6 September: It was a very cold morning; someone in the group said it was about 42 degrees. Burr! Everyone had a quick breakfast and we were on the road by 7:15AM. As we drove along the lake shore, we found it interesting that there was no wildlife; that is, no deer, gazelle, etc. One of the individuals in our group told us that a biologist had come through the area in the early 1900’s and reported enormous herds of both. We can only assume that overhunting has resulted in their demise as well as the need to have vast lands available for grazing by domestic animals (yak, cattle, sheep and horses).

Basically, today was just a drive, a very long and bumpy drive. We drove some 330KM and finally arrived at our next camp 6:30PM. After leaving the lake area, we took a different route but arrived in the town of Moren where we once again stopped at a market. We also had planned on a picnic lunch but due to the cold weather we ate that meal (fried meat pies) in a restaurant that let us just purchase tea. Then, we were on the road again.

Highlights of the day included going over Tsagaan Burgas Pass (White Bush Pass) at 2,600 meters (8,350 feet) with snow falling and sticking on the ground. It was beautiful but bitterly cold. After we came down the pass we had to cross the Iter River. A concrete bridge was under construction but blocked so we had to drive along the river for some miles until we came across a rickety bridge that looked like it might fall down at any minute. The vans went across one at a time driving quite gingerly. Then we all walked across and quickly understood why the drivers had proceeded with such caution. It truly was falling apart.

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	Our road and the countryside
	The snow at White Bush Pass
	Joe and our drivers in the snow
	One of the vans on the road as we're leaving the pass
	Check out the rickety bridge
	Yeah, a successful crossing
	The rickety bridge from afar

[ T O P ]

After crossing the river, we backtracked along the shoreline and came into a small village. A few miles outside the village we came to our camp for the evening. We quickly settled into our traditional ger as dinner was at 7:00PM. Dinner was not quite as nice as usual but nevertheless good. It started with a small potato salad followed by a plate of dumplings filled with mutton. Dessert was a chocolate wafer.

After dinner Joe advised that we would be spending the morning in the camp and would depart following lunch. He also told Ed and I that we could walk across the road to do some fishing. So, immediately after dinner, we returned to the ger and got the fishing equipment ready for some morning fishing.

Wednesday, 7 September: It was another bitterly cold morning – just below freezing – both inside and outside our ger. Ed got up at 4:00AM to rekindle our fire which had gone out during the night. Then, he was up again at 6:15AM to add more wood. At 6:30AM the woman came by to start the fire for us but saw it was well under control. So, instead, she brought us a new supply of wood so we could stay warm until our 8:00AM breakfast.

After breakfast we decided to brave the cold and walk over to a nearby river, a tributary of the Iter River, the large river we crossed yesterday afternoon. We had two cross two small streams to reach the river; thankfully we both we wearing waterproof hiking boots so it wasn’t an issue.

We reached the river in about 15 minutes and began fishing. Unfortunately, the river was low and there were very few pools which fish might be lingering. Ed suspected most had already gone to the lake to get into deep water which provides both security and a steady food source.

After about 30 minutes of fishing various spots as we walked the shoreline, Lindy noticed she was having some difficulty casting – unusual after fishing for such a short time. So, she attempted to dry the fly by whipping it back and forth in the wind to see if that was the problem. Then, upon closer inspection, she saw that the fly was covered with ice and ice also had blocked the guides on the rod (the place where the line goes through). No wonder casting was difficult! Upon catching up with Ed and having him check his rod, we discovered his guides were blocked too. So, indeed it was a cold morning.

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	Ed casting on a brisk morning
	How brisk? Look at the ice in guides on the rod
	One of the beautiful tributaries of the Iter River which we crossed to reach the Iter

We gave up fishing about 11:00AM and returned to our ger. Then, we enjoyed lunch in the camp at 1:00PM and we were on the road again. We drove south making a few stops for photographs and ultimately arrived at Terkhliin Tsagaan – the “Great White Lake”. It was quite beautiful but very brisk. However, we did throw a few files into the water just to say we did it. Also, Ed gave Joe, our guide, a quick lesson and he too made a few casts.

When we continued our drive, we passed several volcanic craters. The volcanism in the area was quite evident as there were both lava flows as well as places were the lava had just popped to the surface from fissures.

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	A nomad with his horse are resting in the distance
	Now we're close, we realize the nomad is also traveling with his dog
	Beautiful Great White Lake
	Lindy trying her luck
	Joe casting (with Anne & Yukka looking on)
	An ancient volcano

[ T O P ]

We arrived at our camp at 6:00PM. It was in a lovely setting next to a river and was very sheltered. Dinner was served at 7:00PM and we had the equivalent of spaghetti with a meat sauce. It was the perfect comfort food after a long day on the road. We returned to our ger at 9:00PM and Joe came over about 10:00PM to pick up some antihistamine and also enjoy a small shot of bourbon over ice – the ice being the first we’ve enjoyed in a ger camp. Then, it was time for bed.

Thursday, 8 September: We woke up to a cold morning again. Just about every morning for the rest of the trip the temperature was below freezing. After enjoying a light breakfast of bread, jam, cheese and butter followed by a bowl of soup, we were once again on the road by 8:30AM. Today was primarily another driving day as we continued to head south. Our first stop was at Chulut River Canyon. We had great views and it was really a beautiful setting. We then continued south through the steppe plains of Karakorum. En route, we stopped at a ger camp for a wonderful lunch of tomato salad, beat soup and a main course of cabbage, French fries and, of course, braised meat.

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	The beautiful setting featuring the snow-covered mountains
	The Chulut River Canyon

Next we drove to the town of Tsetserleg where we stopped at a bazaar. It wasn’t quite what we expected in that there were no handmade or homemade goods for sale. Instead it primarily was motorcycle parts and clothing.

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	The town of Tsetserleg
	Lindy in the thriving street market
	Another section of the street market
	This is the town Mill House where grains are ground
	The thriving butcher's shop

[ T O P ]

We arrived at our ger camp at 4:00PM which was nice and early. So, we took advantage of hot showers and time to catch up our diary and look at photographs. Dinner was served at 7:00PM. Afterwards, we returned to the ger and had an early evening going to be at 10:00AM.

Friday, 9 September: We left camp at 8:30AM and had a very short drive (about 110KM) to reach our ger camp. We arrived at 11:30AM and settled into our ger. Guess what?? We actually had a matrimonial bed!

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	En route, we spotted this Golden Eagle
	It's definitely a cold morning; look at the ice in the river
	Inside our ger with a matrimonial bed (we'll stay warm tonight!)

At 12:30PM, our group enjoyed lunch that featured a wonderful minestrone – the best yet. Then came the rice, braised lamb and cabbage. Afterwards, we drove to the legendary Erdene Zuu, the first Buddhist monastery in Central Mongolia founded in 1586. When we arrived outside the monastery, there were three individuals with trained Golden Eagles. We had to contribute to the local economy so Ed photographed Lindy holding one on a gloved arm.

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	An overview of the Erdene Zuu Monastery
	Lindy holding a Golden Eagle
	A closer look at that feathery fellow

Joe then hired a local guide to take our group through the Monastery and provide an informational commentary. It was quite fascinating to see the temples and shrines which had been built on and from the ruins of Karakorum. Karakorum was founded as the capital of the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan.

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	The entry into the Monastery
	A view of the interior buildings
	Our beautiful local guide
	A lone temple
	A view of a stupa in the complex
	A group of temples
	A row of prayer wheels
	A giant prayer wheel
	A local woman in the complex

After leaving the Monastery, we drove a short distance to reach a phallic rock. We had seen a picture in the museum at the Monastery and it looked quite large. However, when we arrived, we realized it was quite small. As we suspected, it was carved as a means to wish for fertility and children. Amazing what photography can do. Next, we went to a carved turtle. This represents long life. Again, it too was small.

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Finally, we stopped in a nearby town so some individuals could use internet while others did some shopping. We opted for the shopping so we could try some Mongolian vodka. When we returned to camp, it was quite a busy place. Selena had another group using the camp at the same time.

Dinner was served at 7:00PM. We had a traditional meal of rice and meat but this evening’s featured tiny ribs. Towards the end of the meal, one of the drivers from the other Selena group serenaded the room. This then prompted one of our drivers, Jak, to do the same. Both individuals sang traditional Mongolian tunes. It was wonderful entertainment.

Saturday, 10 September: We had an early start with a buffet breakfast at 6:30AM so that we could leave at 7:30AM (our goal was to be ahead of the larger group so that we got first selection of gers at tonight’s camp at the end of the day).

We made a brief stop at Erdene Zuu to snap a morning photograph. The walls were bathed in sunlight and looked terrific. Then we drove until about 9:00AM when we stopped at a nomad’s ger. Our hostess offered us mare’s milk and dried yogurt chunks. Then, we were served a light homemade vodka. We also had some fresh yogurt which was a bit tart but still very tasty.

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	The impressive walls of Erdene Zuu
	A close-up of the decorative towers along the Monastery walls
	The exterior of the ger we visited
	Joe serving dried yogurt
	Ed tasting some fresh milk
	Some meat drying in the sunlight
	Yukka tasting some fresh yogurt
	Our hostess showing the group how a yoke works

[ T O P ]

While enjoying her hospitality, the woman’s husband came into the ger. We learned that he was deaf so that was a big obstacle to overcome in this harsh environment. The woman offered to show us how she milked her mares so we headed outside. The mares were allowed to roam in the fields but the foals were kept tethered to a rope near the ger. The husband and wife worked as a team to bring the mares to the ger. Then, the foals got a quick taste of mom’s milk before the woman moved in to get some milk. It was amazing how quickly her bucket got full.

Afterwards the man offered each of us an opportunity to ride his horse. So, Lindy was the first on followed by a couple of the other ladies. Then, we spotted a basket that we thought might be used for catching or keeping birds. However, it turned out to be a basket that was used to collect dung for burning in the fire. Joe and our drivers gave it a whirl and we all had a good laugh.

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	Our host
	Our hostess milking a mare
	Lindy on a small pony

[ T O P ]

Afterwards it was time to continue our trek into the transition zone where the rich valleys started to give way to more arid conditions as we approached the Gobi desert. While we were with Joe in van no. 1, we left the nomad camp last instead of in car order. It turned out to be quite the treat. We were able to spot and take photographs of an Upland Buzzard which was actually very pretty. Then, of all things, a fox ran across the road. Jak immediately followed it with the van as the terrain was no longer rocky. We tried to get a few shots since we were moving and the fox was moving, we didn’t have a lot of success. However, we still have a great memory!

About 1:00PM, we stopped and had a picnic of chicken curry – our first chicken since our trek began. During lunch Ed shared with the group that Joe had thought that in addition to the gifts each of us had brought from home, typically items for children, it might be good to give the family a staple such as flour or sugar. The group agreed wholeheartedly so we stopped at a small village and everyone pitched in to buy a 10KG bag of flour.

After leaving the village store, we drove an additional 30KM and arrived at our camp for the night. After putting our gear in our ger, we did a quick walk around the main building which houses the restaurant, bathroom and shower facilities. We stopped and joined some members of our group for an afternoon coffee. Then, it was back to the ger to settle in and then take hot showers and do a bit of laundry.

Dinner was served at 7:00PM. Then everyone was in their gers for the evening by 8:30PM. Joe stopped by about 9:00PM to check on us and make sure we had an extra blanket for the evening since the ger did not have a fireplace. So, by 10:00PM, it was time for bed

Sunday, 11 September: Our group met at 7:00AM on the steps of the restaurant. From there we walked to the ruins of the Ongi Monastery. The ruins are on both sides of the Ongi River. The Monastery was founded in the 1660 century and at one time had about 1,000 Buddhist priests. However, during the Communist rule in the 1930’s the buildings were destroyed and the monks killed. However, many survived and they and the other followers of Buddha hid many treasures which are again on display at new buildings constructed among the ruins.

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	A view of the Ongi Monastery complex
	A collection of pottery artifacts
	Ornate tiles found within the Monastery
	Some religious artifacts
	A view of some of the ruins

After enjoying a quick breakfast upon our return to the camp, we were back on the road. Our destination was Bayanzag, the home of the Flaming Cliffs. We made camp at about 1:00PM stopping once en route at a small village. We all settled into our gers and then met for a 2:00PM lunch.

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At 5:00PM we returned to our vans and drove to the Flaming Cliffs. We were dropped off at one spot and leisurely walked to a pick-up point on top of the mesa. En route, we looked for dinosaur bones and took photographs. As the sun set, the cliffs became a brighter color but never quite reached a brilliant red. However, there was a full moon so we were able to get some great shots with the moon just rising as well as some great sunset shots in the opposite direction.

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	The Flaming Cliffs
	Yes, we're really here!
	Another view of this amazing area
	The moon rising over a ger
	Sunset at last

[ T O P ]

We returned to camp about 7:00PM and then had an 8:00PM dinner. After dinner, we enjoyed a cocktail with Margaret & Ian and finally called it a night at 10:30PM.

Monday, 12 September: We had a leisurely morning as we didn’t have breakfast until 8:00AM. At 9:00AM, we once gathered up and drove to the ger of a nomad family of camel herders. At home were the father and mother and two boys. Their two older girls attend the university at Ulaanbataar. Then, another girl and a set of twins (one boy and one girl) were away attending the provincial school.

We were invited into the family’s ger and were served a milk tea and a fried piece of dough. Both were very good.

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	A view inside the ger; our host is in the blue jacket
	Our hostess and her two sons
	The snacks of fried dough and mare's milk
	This altar is set on an old-style suitcase

Then, it was time for us to each get a 30 minute camel ride. The wind was really fierce so the nomads decided it would be best if they walked the camels to ensure they didn’t get unruly. We did the ride in groups of five and then six so couples were able to take pictures of one another. It was lots of fun. The camels were quite easy to ride since we set between their humps on a woolen blanket.

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	Lindy on a camel being led by one of the boys
	How about that face?!
	Ed's camel is being led by our hostess
	The winner of the camel race described below

[ T O P ]

After everyone had a ride, we once again returned to the family ger for a traditional, herbal tea and another fried dough biscuit. Then, we suggested that Joe and the drivers participate in a camel race. They didn’t want to do so but the father and his two boys volunteered. So, we put together a small purse as price money and then watched the race. One of the boys won and it was with great fan fare that he was given the prize money.

We learned that both boys faced a learning challenge and had thus chosen (with parental input) to continue the nomadic way of life.

We returned to the ger due to the wind and Joe presented the family with the 10KG of flour that we had collectively purchased (a good choice given their use of the flour for fried dough). Then, we each gave the woman our gift bag. She peeked into each one and was very excited and very appreciative.

Afterwards, it was time to return to camp to clean-up and then meet again for a 1:00PM lunch. After lunch, we watched a Mongolian movie, “Weeping Camel” (with English subtitles). It was very interesting in that it perfectly depicted the traditional Mongolian costumes and way of life as well as the modern conveniences encroaching into this lifestyle.

The balance of the afternoon was spent doing some laundry and reviewing pictures and the day’s activities.

Our dinner was at 7:00PM and we were out of the dining room by 8:00PM. We returned to our ger and about 9:00PM Joe and Starr, another guide, stopped by to let us know that Joe was back in camp (earlier in the day Joe had to leave to travel to a nearby village to see a medic for medical problems). Since Joe was on medication, we were only able to offer him some orange juice (and peanuts) as a refreshment. However, Starr had some of our vodka and also tried the bourbon. Like Joe, he too preferred the vodka. The boys left at 10:00PM and we called it a night.

Tuesday, 13 September: Breakfast was served at 8:00AM (it was the second day we each enjoyed an omelet). Then, we were out of camp at 9:00AM. We made a brief stop in the closest village (about 13KM away) so individuals could purchase soda, beer, etc. before heading into the bush. Then, we began our way to the southwest part of the country; our goal, the Khongoriin sand dunes.

For the most part, the ride was uneventful. The further south and west we went, the more sandy the track became. We went through a mountain pass about four hours into our drive and from there we got our first glimpse of the sand dunes. The dunes are about 150KM in length and, interestingly, there is a stream that flows in front of them. Very unusual indeed! We arrived in our ger camp at about 1:30PM and settled in. The gers each have a great view of the dunes and the mountains which are behind them. We enjoyed a 2:00PM lunch and then had leisure time until 5:30PM.

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	On the road again....
	Another herd of camels
	Our first view of the dunes
	A view of the dunes from camp

At 5:30PM we returned to the vans and drove to the base of one of the big the dunes. Quite a few of our group decided to hike about halfway up the dune. It only took about 20 minutes and from that vantage point, we were able to get some great photographs of the scenery. We also took turns taking photographs of one another with two fellow travelers, Yukka and Alice. We headed down the dune and about 7:00PM the drivers took us to a spot on the river to shoot a great sunset picture. We then made the final 15 minute drive back to the ger camp. When we arrived, the moon was just coming up on the horizon and again we got some great shots.

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	More camels near the dunes
	Us enjoying the dunes
	Sunset over the dunes
	A beautiful moon rise

[ T O P ]

At 8:00PM we all enjoyed a dinner of steamed dumplings. Really nice. Then, it was time to head back to our ger for a small nightcap and we were in bed before 10:00PM.

Wednesday, 14 September: It was a chilly morning as we got up at 6:00AM in anticipation of a 7:00AM breakfast. This was our first traditional breakfast in that we were all served a bowl of noodles with meat in a broth. Not everyone was thrilled but we enjoyed the homemade noodles.

Today our goal was to reach Yoliin Am Gorge. We took a southern road through the Gobi and were able to see some black-tailed gazelle grazing. We continued driving along the dunes until they ultimately disappeared. Then, it was a vast open plain.

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	A herd of Black-Tailed Gazelle
	The mountains and the dunes
	Traversing the dusty plain

We had one slight diversion for about 20 minutes when our van had some problem with its brakes. Each of the drivers is also a mechanic so two of the fellows sorted it out fairly quickly and we were once again off.

At about 11:30AM, the drivers turned off the main road and headed for a tiny opening where a river came through between two mountain faces. To our astonishment, we learned that was our route. So, instead of sitting in the vans, everyone opted to walk and watch the drivers maneuver their way into the canyon. Ultimately, we learned that we were now in Yoliin Am Gorge and we were headed towards Dungenee Pass.

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	The mountains grow larger on the horizon
	The entry to Yoliin Gorge
	The vans entering the Gorge
	The stream running through the Gorge

[ T O P ]

We got to a larger area in the canyon and we stopped for a picnic lunch along the streamside. Then most of the group opted to continue to walk for another 30 minutes to actually cross the pass and hope to see some of the Ibex that are known to frequent the hills in that area. About halfway through our walk, we did have the luck of seeing three of the Ibex grazing high above us (unfortunately, too far away for a shot). It was a real treat!

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	Approaching Dungenee Pass
	Dungenee Pass
	Views looking down from the pass
	Going back down to the plain

[ T O P ]

When we caught up with our vans, we all piled back in and continued to the end of the gorge. Then, we made a brief stop at a museum which highlights the gorge and its surrounding area. Afterwards, we drove down to the plain and headed towards our next camp. The day turned very cloudy and cool. We arrived at camp at about 3:30PM.

After settling in, we took a quick shower and then stayed in our ger. Initially, there was no fire so it was chilly. However, right before dinner, we were asked if we wanted a fire (these individuals just feel cool when we feel cold) and we gratefully accepted. Interestingly, this was our first fire made with coal. About 4:00PM it started to drizzle and it continued to do so for the balance of the evening.

At 7:00PM, we had dinner and everyone raved about the quality of the beef which was served with the traditional rice but also included side dishes of mushrooms and corn. We finished dinner at 8:00PM, returned to our cozy ger, enjoyed a nightcap and went to bed in anticipation of a very early morning.

Thursday, 15 September: We were up at 5:15AM to be ready for our 6:20AM breakfast and 7:00AM departure. Once outside our ger, we were amazed to see that the mountains that we had driven through the day before were covered with snow! We drove 35KM to the south to drop Dennis & Alice at an airport for their 8:25AM flight to Ulaanbaatar. Then, we drove some 200KM back north to reach our camp for the evening.

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	A beautiful sunrise
	The snow-covered mountains with our ger camp in the foreground

En route we had about an hour delay in a small town as two of the vans stopped to have tires repaired. Afterwards we continued on and stopped at what is called the “White Stuppa Cliffs” which is basically a sandstone capped with conglomerate which rises out of the Gobi desert floor. Near to the cliffs was a beautiful painted desert area which made for great photographs.

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	The White Stuppa Cliffs
	Views from on top of the Cliffs
	Us on the edge of the Cliffs
	We're now in the Painted Desert
	A small group of trees in the Painted Desert

[ T O P ]

We arrived at our camp and had lunch at 2:00PM. It featured an excellent homemade soup which was perfect for warming us up on a cold day with the winds blowing in from Siberia. Then, we had the afternoon free until our 8:00PM dinner. Our gers had no stoves so we got prepared for a cold night. We decided to sleep in one bed and took the blanket from the second bed to add to our layers so that we could quickly slip into our “cocoon” after our evening meal.

We ate dinner and then returned to our chilly ger. We enjoyed a chocolate cake bar as some extra energy before slipping into bed together for the long night.

Friday, 16 September: We were up at 6:00AM and quickly put on all our clothing to warm up. We packed and were ready for our 7:00AM breakfast. In addition to a fried egg, we enjoyed some sort of a traditional fry bread as well as a porridge. All very warming on a cold morning.

We began our drive at 7:30AM. We stopped at one small village for a quick stop in a small market. While on the road, we were stopped by a nomad on a motorcycle. He and his family were traveling about 100KM to the south to set up their winter camp. The man’s wife was driving a truck which had their ger (and satellite dish) and her small son was accompanying her. We were told that their flock of animals (all sorts except cows) was being moved by relatives (and we saw the flock on the horizon). One of the guides gave the man and his wife several bottles of water (evidently what they stopped us for originally). Of course, the son was adorable and we had to take a few photographs and share tootsie rolls and other goodies. Then, it was time for everyone to be off.

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We continued our drive until reaching the Ikh Gazariln Mountains, a group of granite outcroppings. Just before reaching our ger camp (which was located in the outcroppings), we had to stop due to a flat tire which quickly was replaced and we were on our way.

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We arrived in camp and clearly we were the last guests of the year as all the gers had been disassembled except for those being used by us and the camp members. We had a nice lunch, including a delicious soup. Joe and Jak arrived at lunch dressed in their traditional costumes which was really neat to see.

After lunch we did a bit of touring in the area. First, we went to an outdoor arena where various festivals are held during the summer months. Then, we went to a monument dedicated to the singing of the Mongolia Long Song (it’s not a very long song – it refers to the way it is sung with many notes held for a long time). Lastly, we went to “Men’s Energy,” another phallic symbol where men request sexual energy and women request fertility.

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	The monument to the Mongolian Long Songs
	"Men's Energy"

[ T O P ]

We returned to camp at 4:00PM. Then, it was time for a hot shower. Just before we took a shower, one of the young women at the camp came into our ger to get a fire started. Another first…. This time our ger was heated with dung! Interestingly, it provides a great fire in that it is slow burning so you get a nice consistent fire with considerable warmth. It was perfect to take the edge of on another cold, windy day.

After showers, we looked at pictures and also reviewed a picture book on Finland thanks to Jukka. The book was perfect since Helsinki is on our 2012 travel agenda and it gave us some great ideas.

Saturday, 17 September: We had an early start with a 6:30AM breakfast featuring noodle soup and fry bread. Then, we were off for a six hour ride to the Gun-Galuut Reserve so that we could participate in the afternoon activities at the annual Nomad’s Day festival. Once there, we went immediately to the Steppe Nomads tourist camp. No other guests were in camp so we had a 1:00PM lunch. The other guests returned from the first morning’s activities at the Nomad’s Festival at 2:00PM and had their lunch. It was at that time that we had the pleasure of meeting “Crys” from Selena. Crys handled the majority of our tour booking and it was great to be able to thank her in person for all she had done for us. She was dressed in a beautiful traditional costume and she looked to beautiful!

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	A group of gazelle on the plain
	The famous Trans Siberian Railway
	The Steepe Nomad's Camp
	Crys & Lindy

[ T O P ]

At 3:30PM all tourists returned to the nomad’s camp for afternoon activities. First, we watched two children play a number game with ankle bones. Each child is given a set number of bones. Each child puts several bones in his/her hand (keeping them hidden from the other child), and then they each guess how many bones they are both holding in total. The one who guesses correctly wins the bones the other child had been holding. The game continues until one child has all the bones in his/her possession.

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	The Festival Banner with the children waiting to begin the ankle bone game
	The game is underway
	A closer view of the bone/game pieces

Next, the nomads had the tourists compete against one another in teams comprised of one man and one woman. Individuals were asked to volunteer and ultimately seven teams were formed. There were three tasks – set up a ger frame (male & female working together); saddle a horse (male solo); and collect dung in a basket (female solo). It was fun watching everyone compete and what sometimes appears to be a simple task (for an experienced nomad) turns out to be quite the chore for a city slicker!

We returned to camp in the late afternoon. Then, at 6:00PM, we were treated to performances by individuals from a nearby village. The show featured singing and dancing as well as one instrumental performance. We enjoyed the amazing talent! Of course, the children were adorable in beautiful costumes and each did a great job. Then, there were three adult singers (two female and one male) who were terrific. The musical performance featured a hammer dulcimer and two stringed instruments which we couldn’t name. It was an amazing amount of music from so few instruments. The evening’s finale was a song in which all performers participated so it was the perfect ending to the day.

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	Isn't she beautiful in her traditional costume?
	These boys costumes are amazing too!
	This was both a singing and dancing routine
	Another performance by a beautiful girl
	One of the string instruments
	The hammer dulcimer

[ T O P ]

Following the performance, we had a 7:30PM dinner. Then, we returned to our ger so that individuals from the camp could prepare a coal fire to keep us warm for the evening. Ed also asked for some wood so that he could make a morning fire so we could be cozy as we got dressed the following morning. After taking care of all the necessities, it was time for bed. Of course, we had to check-out the stars (and Milky Way) before the moon came out. Then, it was time for bed at 10:00PM.

Sunday, 18 September: Everyone in camp enjoyed a leisurely buffet breakfast which began at 8:30AM. It featured various items including breads, soup, fry bread and other Western items such as cereal, eggs, etc.

At 10:45AM, we returned to the Nomad’s Festival. The day began with an archery contest which lasted most of the day. The archers (both male and female) competed against once another in a contest of accuracy with an ever-shrinking target. Next there was a 15KM horse race featuring youngsters as the jockeys, many of whom rode bareback! The horses were “shown” by riding around in a circle while the youngsters sang a Buddhist mantra. Then, betting was available with 60% of the winner’s proceeds going to charitable causes in the nearby village. Of course, we had to bet on lucky 13. After betting was closed, the youngsters took the horses 15KM away and from that location the race began. So, in actuality it was a 30KM event which ended back at the site of the Nomad’s Festival.

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	The archery contest begins
	One contestant is female
	A close-up of a male archer
	A shot of the riders pre-race
	Note the two riders on one horse and the adult wrangler with them
	A close-up of the adult wrangler

[ T O P ]

When the kids were gone, we were taken by Joe to a nearby ger where he picked up our lunch. We each got five fried flatbreads filled with lamb as well as a salad. Many of us couldn’t eat the entire meal so the drivers gathered up the extra flatbreads to give to the youngsters who were in the race once it was over.

After lunch we watched more archery for about 30 minutes until the horses came into view. Then everyone gathered at the finish line to see who would win. As it turns out, the winner was a horse that no one had bet on so the entire proceeds of the bet (which looked to be a lot of money since it was a minimum $5USD) went to the local community. The owner of the horse won a prize sponsored by Selena.

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	The racers are returning
	The leader
	The balance of the pack arrives
	Cooling off the horses

Next there was a contest among eight village women who had designed and sewn clothing for the event. The winner was a woman who made a man’s del and a woman’s del from felt (the del is the traditional full-length garment worn by both sexes). All the competitors did a great job and the items they sewed were all beautiful. The winner received a monetary prize and all participants received a certificate as well as a lesser amount of money. Afterwards, there was a contest to determine the best dressed couple at the event. “Best dressed” referred strictly to traditional costumes. It was a tough contest because they were some great outfits.

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	The ladies in the fashion contest
	The "best dressed" couples contest
	Attendees in their traditional costumes
	Joe & Crys

[ T O P ]

The final activity of the day was the wrestling. Some professional wrestlers came to the event. First, a few amateurs tried to wrestle with these fellows but each was quickly taken to the ground. Then, the contest began in earnest. Ultimately, one man was recognized as the champion and he too was given a financial reward as well as a medal.

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	Two wrestlers awaiting their contests
	Two wrestlers compete
	A closer look at the action
	A take-down

[ T O P ]

We left as awards were being given to the horse riders. The first five place winners rode in a staggered fashion showing off their winning horses. On an aside, all riders received a gift bag full of goodies for participating. Again, those who placed high also got special recognition.

We returned back to camp at 5:45PM after a very full day. At 7:00PM, there was a gala buffet to celebrate the end of the Nomad’s Festival. Again, it featured a wide variety of foods, especially local foods such as stone-cooked lamb, roasted goat, etc.

After dinner (and after getting our coal fires started), we had Yukka come for over a nightcap. It was a great way to toast our last night in the bush in Mongolia!

Monday, 19 September: Today was another incredibly full day. Our group had breakfast at 7:30AM. Then, at 8:30AM, we met three nomadic wranglers who brought their horses to the camp so that we could go for a ride and perhaps spot an Argali sheep.

Ed and I were quickly put on horses and rode out in front of our wrangler. He was satisfied with our skill levels and let us ride our horses. The balance of our group hadn’t ridden much (if ever) so their horses were tethered to a wrangler’s horse and they were lead through the meadows and hills.

When we cleared camp, we came near a small lake. There was a pair of cranes at the lake and we were able to see them clearly (although the photographs may not be quite as clear). We continued our ride and went along the base of some small mountains. The wranglers tried to spot sheep but didn’t have any luck. So, we proceeded to ride to the backside of the mountain. It was there that the wranglers did spot some sheep. We all got off our horses and Ed and I followed our wrangler at a brisk pace uphill. It was worth it because he found a huge herd of the Argali Sheep. He later told Joe he estimated that the herd was about 50 animals. Wow! We basically were very, very lucky.

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	Lindy saddles up
	Our trek begins
	A pair of cranes
	The Argali Sheep are on the ridge
	Another view of the sheep

After photographing the sheep, we returned to our horses for the ride home. Once we had gotten back to the first side of the mountain, our wrangler told us to go ahead and enjoy our horse ride. So, we did! It was fun to get to trot a bit and let the horses stretch their legs too as we finished the ride.

Once back in camp, we had a quick lunch. Then, everyone gathered up their luggage, the drivers loaded the vans and we headed back to Ulaanbaatar. About 3:00PM, we were on the edge of town. We first stopped at a monument to Genghis Khan so that everyone could take pictures. Next, we went to the Parliament Square for photographs. Continuing at a whirlwind speed, we stopped at a cashmere shop so that some individuals could shop. Afterwards, we were able to get a few photographs of the winter/summer palace which was once occupied by the ruler of Mongolia.

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	The gate at the Genghis Khan Museum
	The Museum Building
	A statute of Genghis Khan
	The Parliament Building
	The Winter/Summer Palace
	Protective walls surround the Palace

[ T O P ]

Our final event of the day was attending a live performance. This too featured singing and dancing but this was indeed a professional group. We also got to hear one of the “throat singers” that Mongolia is famous for and we were delighted. The show also featured an amazing female contortionist. It was all very entertaining.

For our final dinner together, the group went to a Mongolian barbeque. While it was something quite familiar to us, most of the rest of our group had never been to such a place. For us, it was a chance to enjoy vegetables – something not seen in the ger camps. For others, it was another chance to enjoy lots of meat. Oh well, to each their own!

We checked into our hotel at about 9:00PM and said goodbye to our drivers (Jak, Bataa and Batcha) as well as our wonderful guide, Joe. They were all terrific and added to the pleasure of our Mongolian adventure. We also said goodbye to our fellow travelers in the event we didn’t cross paths the next day.

Tuesday, 20 September: This was primarily a travel day for us. First, we enjoyed breakfast with Jukka (we had arranged to get together the day before). We then bid him goodbye until we can once again get together when we travel to Helsinki in 2012. At 9:30AM, it was time for us to head to the airport along with Sue and Anne since we were all booked on the same flight back to Beijing. To our delight, our transfer driver was Jak so we once again got to see him and share our thanks for everything he had done.

In summary, we had an incredible adventure in Mongolia! We definitely enjoyed everything we did and saw and we will continue to be amazed by this beautiful country.

	The ger (and satellite dish) in transit
	The nomad's wife and child

	The granite outcroppings
	Another formation
	A hole in the rocks