Continuing with the Mongolia trip, which was completed almost two months ago. I have had very few days where internet has been good enough to upload photos.
Terelj National Park is probably the most significant tourist site in Mongolia, due mainly to its proximity to Ulaanbaatar.
The gigantic statue of Genghis Khan is a very common tourist location. However, having spent some time in Newfoundland, there's something about his hat that makes me think this is a stature of a Newfie on a horse.
This is the largest boot in the world. When our tour guide said he was taking us to see it, I thought he said "Buuz," which would be a dumpling.
The landscape is variable, but quite bleak in places. Larch trees are common, as well as evergreens. Surprisingly, the south-facing slopes frequently were treeless, whereas the trees were more commonly seen on north-facing slopes. My guess is it has to do with soil moisture. The soils facing the sun dry out too quickly.
Speaking of horses, it is not uncommon to see herds of domestic horses driven hither and yon. Land outside the cities is not owned--the original population of Mongolia consisted of nomads. I was not able to find out about dispute resolution mechanisms if there is a conflict between roaming families, but I expect it would be a lot like those in other similar societies--meetings with the elders.
Before embarking on a journey, it is good luck to pace three times around one of these, and make some kind of offering. Common offerings are stones and string.
Me and my new pet. That's a ger in the background.
Braided rivers, with gravel banks and bars were common everywhere we went. And not a single panner in sight. Our guide said that prospecting activities are illegal (presumably in the absence of some kind of exploration permit).
There has been a lot of development recently--ger camps for tourists. Sadly, they only look like the real thing.
Terelj National Park is probably the most significant tourist site in Mongolia, due mainly to its proximity to Ulaanbaatar.
The gigantic statue of Genghis Khan is a very common tourist location. However, having spent some time in Newfoundland, there's something about his hat that makes me think this is a stature of a Newfie on a horse.
This is the largest boot in the world. When our tour guide said he was taking us to see it, I thought he said "Buuz," which would be a dumpling.
The landscape is variable, but quite bleak in places. Larch trees are common, as well as evergreens. Surprisingly, the south-facing slopes frequently were treeless, whereas the trees were more commonly seen on north-facing slopes. My guess is it has to do with soil moisture. The soils facing the sun dry out too quickly.
Speaking of horses, it is not uncommon to see herds of domestic horses driven hither and yon. Land outside the cities is not owned--the original population of Mongolia consisted of nomads. I was not able to find out about dispute resolution mechanisms if there is a conflict between roaming families, but I expect it would be a lot like those in other similar societies--meetings with the elders.
Before embarking on a journey, it is good luck to pace three times around one of these, and make some kind of offering. Common offerings are stones and string.
Me and my new pet. That's a ger in the background.
Braided rivers, with gravel banks and bars were common everywhere we went. And not a single panner in sight. Our guide said that prospecting activities are illegal (presumably in the absence of some kind of exploration permit).
In the early days of Communism, religion was heavily suppressed, with temples being destroyed, and monks imprisoned or killed. This crevice in the rock was the hiding place of 100 Buddhist monks for about a year before their eventual discovery.
There has been a lot of development recently--ger camps for tourists. Sadly, they only look like the real thing.
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