Mongolia
by Aidan on Fri 21 Aug 2009 at 02:04, under Travel
We took the train from Beijing to the Mongolian border. The trains in Mongolia use a different rail gauge from China, so at the border they take the train into a workshop (and with everyone aboard) jack the carriage up and change the undercarriage and wheels.
We stayed for a couple of days in Ulan Baator and also stayed for a night at a ger (traditional Mongolian tent) camp. The camp was in a really beautiful location and the gers are tourist ones and very comfortable. I was expecting to see lots of desert in Mongolia, but the camp site was in a location that could have been in a European Alpine area.
We also got to see a traditional Mongolian wrestling competition that was being held out in the countryside.
We visited a memorial to Soviet soldiers who died during the war.
We also ran across a Mongolian wedding party.
Ulan Baator has some really nice Tibetan Buddhist monasteries.
And surprisingly Ulan Baator is also home to the International Intellectual Museum (they have lots of puzzles). But their standards aren’t too high because as well as me, they let George W. Bush in when he visited.
Traditional Mongolian Greeting:
Mal sureg targan tavtaiyuu
(I hope your animals are fattening up nicely).
August 21st, 2009 on 3:27 pm
G’day,
Good to see you’re enjoying yourself and taking so much in. Let me know if you need a hand!
August 22nd, 2009 on 11:12 am
I didn’t know Mongolia could be so scenic. I hear the winters can be cold.
I take it you didn’t learn to ride horseback and shoot a compound bow?
August 22nd, 2009 on 3:24 pm
Ulan Baator is supposed to be really cold in the winter.
A few people in the group went for a short horse ride, but I didn’t go. I’ve been a couple of times before, not really a fan.
We had a few goes on a simple bow and arrow set shooting at a target.
August 25th, 2009 on 10:40 am
I shall try again.Left a comment before but it vanished.
The computer has been doing weird things of late.
You must take after your father regarding horseback skills.It was not his favourite pastime.
August 25th, 2009 on 3:45 pm
Both the comments came through.
You left the comment on the other article.
I don’t think it’s the computer that is doing weird things.
August 29th, 2009 on 10:43 am
Thought I had kept it a secret all this time.