Mongolia
Wednesday August 2
Late this afternoon we exited China.
- We have travelled 842Km from Beijing
Next a comical stop start routine lasting over an hour; the
driver would stop the bus would show the guards papers then we advance about
another 10 metres and another stop. Our passports formalities were done on the
train - welcome to Mongolia.
Our train had further carriages added when passengers
who started in Vladivostok join us in a few days further along the line in Ulan
Ude.
This section of Trans-Siberian railroad though Mongolia (the Trans-Mongolian
Railroad) was completed in 1956 - connecting Beijing with
Moscow.
At the border rail station, two singer musicians with an
amazing vocal range treated us to an amazing display. They sang Mongolian songs
done with falsetto to deep tenor voice called khøømii (throat singing)
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| Even young Mongolian children were fascinated |
The train travelled overnight through the Gobi Desert.
Unfortunately we didn’t see anything during the night (which isn't what the advertising brochure claims - its during the day!) Most unusually it was
raining, which rarely happens.
Thursday August 3
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| The front of the train taken from our carriage window as the line curves. |
At 9:30 am next morning the train, having travelled some
709Km from the border with China, arrived at the Mongolian capitol - Ulaanbaator (or as the locals
call it UB.). Originally the city was called Niislel Khurehe and renamed to
Ulaanbaator in 1911 when the communist party came into power. Ulaanbaator
literary means Red Hero.
UB is situated in the middle of this large, land-locked country;
it has a population of 1.5 million - half the country’s population. Mongolia
has the lowest population density in the world; averaging fewer than 2 people
per square Km. It is the world’s coldest capital city.
Mongolia declared its independence from China in 1911 and
the People’s Republic of Mongolia was created in 1924.
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| Parliament House in the main square in UB with enormous statue of Genghis Khan at top of the front steps |
With the advent of communism, the city was redesigned - with
considerable help from he USSR. The architectural origins of its austere tower
blocks and buildings are recognisably Soviet.
Today, the city skyline was dotted with cranes and widespread
building activity - especially multi-story apartments and hotels.
Silk and tea merchants travelling between Russia & China introduced Buddhism (and also Islamism) into Mongolia about 400 years ago.
In 1578, Alatan Khaan, a descendant of Chhinggis (Genghis) Khaan met a Tibetan leader and converted and eventually became a Dalai Lama himself. Mass conversions from Shamanism then occurred. Christianity is now growing in 1990 the number was negligible and now 65,000 at latest count and more than 150 churches.
W
Mongolia once had 700 mononsties but all were virtually
destroyed and in the communist crackdown at the end of the 1930’s. In 1937
alone political repressions and persecutions of religious figures lead to the
deaths and disappearance of some 27,00 people - almost two thirds were monks.
Our overnight stay,,,,
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| Our Ger camp |
Later that afternoon a small group of the adventurers were
driven 70Km North East of UB to Ger camp. Our camp was set up for holiday/tourist
camping in Ger accommodation and after a nice evening meal we went to bed in our Ger. It rained heavily overnight, however the camp attendants lit the fire very early in the morning
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| This mound of rocks is to pay homage to mother earth. |
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| Yak grazing |
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| Inside our Gur |
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| Our neighbours... |
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| A cosy warm fire |
Friday August 4
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| Camels grazing |
After lunch we were treated with a Mongolian wresting display
and archery contest
We returned to UB, had dinner at Hard Rock Café then went back to the train to travel overnight.
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