Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Ulaan Baatar

Back to the city..
Home to more than a half of Mongolian population. Only 20 yrs out of communism and the state of the city shows this quite plainly.. The layout is a chaos and more confused planning and developing continues at every corner of the city - there is absolutely no structure..just a mad dash to build, build and build!
No.1 city for worst traffic! It will take some years; looking forward to seeing it finding its identity..hopefully!
An archer traffic man - hold
and release!











Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Out of the city

Terelj National Park - Contains numerous Ger camps for tourists and Mongolians on vacation, etc. and Nomads dotted around.. Stirring lanscape with endless fields and huge, fantastically shaped rocks.
There are more cows and horses than human being - and goats and of course, yaks! All freely roming around the vast place.

Mongolian language sounds mind-boggling... written in Cyrilic so I manage to read the words; not a clue what they mean..


Goats...I think..

Through a gap in a huuuuuge rock - no treasure though..
Ger was cool during the daytime under the hot hot sun and by night; when the temperature rapidly falls, the stove gets to work and the place warms up extremely quickly...so cosy..strange being the only occupant! seems a bit excessive, eh?
A whole Ger to myself - just missed the mass of summertime visitors so the park was quieter..Spot the leaning lady behind.
 
Turtle Rock
Climbing the Turtle - no barriers, fences, paths; just freestyling and squeezing through crannies...
At the top!
Mongolian horses are smaller but strong! I was embarassed to be guided by a young boy who was eating pine seeds, smoking, leading my horse and riding his own!  I was envious of the boys and girls sprinting across the wide fields - they looked too cool.. I hear they start leaning to ride at an age as young as 5..wow


Buddist meditation centre
Jumping across the muddy field to reach..can't tell from the photograph but there is water spring within the wooden fencing - thirst gone! cold and refreshing.
No, they are right way up - school holiday camp site for kids
I think this was called 'The Roman'
Visit to Nomads - yes, it was a bit prescribed but interesting all the same; and they were so nice! Everything was made of yaks' milk; butter, cheese and of course the vodka!
Their goats..
We tried every size...still, it will take forever to pump that tyre dear..

Monday, August 29, 2011

Crossing the border - takes 5 hours on a bus; 26 hours on a train! Why?

A few days ago now..
Train ran along the Baikal..gorgeous sunrise.. Had the cabin all to myself until Ulan Ude.. and was joined by two great guys from France.. Romain and Lucas! We had many laughs.. They made the tedious wait at the border much easier to cope with :)

So, yes, crossing the border DOES take a long time.. 3 hours and 30mins (that's just leaving Russia).. which is actually the norm (it can take a lot longer!) but not being able to step out of the train for half of the time and the toilets being locked..locked up in the wagon (stationary) wasn't fun..
All part of the trip I guess.. 

Then the landscape dramatically changes from forests to plane fields and rocky hills.  AMAZING..
We cheered on vodka once we had cleared all the neccessary checks (3 times) and the train started to speed through suburbs of Mongolia!!!!!!!!!  Gers started to appear; obvious to see that many people still live in them; the white tops only just poking out of the boundary fences..
Old train..

The last glimpse of Baikal - atouch of sentiment added by the dirt on the window...?
Russian restaurant car - More modern one this time


Just a few steps more...

Here we are! Good Morning Mongolia!






Friday, August 26, 2011

Bye Russia, Hello Mongolia

Tomorrow 4:50 AM train to Ulaan Baator. Exicited and sad at the same time.. Loved Russia.. Looking forward to Gers and muttons! Not looking forward to crossing the border - I hear it can be very tedious..




Irkutsk

Arrvied at this city before being transfered to Baikal and last night back again.  About half size of Yekaterinburg with the large percentage being students.  Definately more Asiatic looking people. Even spotted Korean public buses (apparently, they buy them secondhand from Korea - some of them still have the Korean station names on them!) 

Many original wooden houses still exist in this city, although most of them in very poor condition - from what the guide told me; the occupiers are not allowed to fix/or do anything to the building without permission; sounds fair enough but the local government isn't giving them the permission and they are not maintaining the buildings either.. what a shame!
Interesting to find the facade of some buildings being redecorated/painted in different colours and ways; indication of separate flats/offices within one?
One of the better kept ones..
 

Yes...Leaning house of Irkutsk - I hope this is not occupied..wouldn't bet on it though
 

Ouch - Nothing is getting through this window
Ouch #2
One of the biscuit stalls at the local market...hello? hello?
 



Baikal Lake!

Absolutely vast! Clear and very cold water.. The myth goes that if you take 100 steps in the water along the shore, you shall not become sick for one whole year!.. and if you really want to go for it, you could swim in the (freezing) lake, and prolong your life by 25 years.. Looking at the clear water, I really fancied a swim - but seriously, it's REALLY cold!

The next day, on the Circum-Baikal Railway; spectacular views!! The whole route is one big tour..the train stops at places of interest, plays picturesque movies of Baikal (at one point karaoke..) Seemed a very popular tourist attraction for both Russians and visitors from abroad.
Delicious home cooked food in a tiny villege..(They have what they call 'Social' train that transports food, other commodities!)
But, too slow!! I swear I shall never be on another slow train...ever.. And once the novelty of the Russki smell of smoked fish and roast chicken and all sorts of eating, drinking and card playing, it became a complete bore!! hmmm...




Staying at a 'charlet' - banya on first night - the whole place to myself!

Buryat Grave(coffin) - first type (@ Forest Museum of Wooden Architecture)
A camel(?) at the zoo of the museum
They are EVERYWHERE! beautiful.
Circum-Baikal

Lunch time! The Chef on the right..

Spot the luncheon house
Briges, retaining walls, galleries - All deigned by Italians