Gorkhi Terelj National Park and area ....

Gunbaat Orgodol, front desk clerk at the Kempinski in Ulaanbaatar, offered to drive me to a most serene and beautiful place in the hillsides around the Hentii Mountains, along the Tuul River. I had earlier asked Gunbaat to arrange a driver and car, (there are no car rental agencies currently operating in UB, although some local outfits will happily rent you a car of some sort .... but it is still not a good idea! ..... A couple of Dutch tourists told me of a friend of theirs involved in a car accident a few years ago in UB, jailed until an argument was resolved determining who bore responsibility. I think he paid some kind of fee to get out of jail!! .... I read something along those lines in the 'Lonely Planet' as well ) ..... So, scratched off "rent car in UB and travel the countryside" off my to-do list"!! :) ....... Everyone in Mongolia is looking to make extra $$ on the side (the average wage is somewhere around $250 per month) ...... and in that vein, Gunbaat, who had been more than helpful with all kinds of information during my early days in UB (as Ulaanbaatar is called here by the locals and tourists alike) offered to drive me on his day off. He said he would not charge quite as much as their hotel driver :)

Must say though, the country generally is a safe one, and although, as I mentioned, I had at one point, naively contemplated driving on my own, it can still be a bit scary for a woman to go out into remote areas alone ........ so I was quite relieved, when he offered, as I had come to trust Gunbaat and enjoyed my conversations with him ...... he speaks English somewhat and understands way more ..... yeah!!! I crave a full conversation in English!!! ...... (oh heck, who am I kidding ....... at this point I will take any fraction of a conversation!!!) He showed up exactly at noon as prearranged, his car immaculate! It was quite obvious, from the fresh scent in the car, that he had just cleaned it prior to picking me up ...... Oh no, had my clean-freak compulsions and reputation followed me to remote Mongolia!!?? Had I undiplomatically at some point in my interactions with Gunbaat, mentioned that Mongolia is not as clean as I would have hoped, or some such thing???!! Please dear God, I hope I didn't!! ..... was poor Gunbaat trying to impress me, ensuring that I book him for the return journey back???? :) Well, it worked and I did!!!

After clearing out of UB and it's myriad traffic jams, the countryside was just mesmerizing in it's vast openness and clear blue skies ..... after the hustle bustle & pollution of Ulaanbaatar, this was such a blissful and welcome change of pace ...... such beauty, serenity, and hurray, someone to converse with in my own language!! I felt truly blessed and grateful .... it is invariably the little things that matter the most and warm the soul. We happily chatted as we drove along, Gunbaat sharing some of his life story. He left the little village of his childhood, like most young people in Mongolia, for opportunity. The nomadic herding lifestyle is something that may eventually disappear from the Mongolian landscape, hard as that is to fathom ...... more and more young people opt for the commercial life available in cities. Gunbaat started working at Kempinski Hotel some years ago as a doorman, and as his English skills improved, worked his way up to front desk clerk and floor manager. He hopes to eventually manage a hotel in UB and is taking English courses to ensure that it happens. Of course, he, like so many in the developing world, has a dream to eventually work and live in "America"!! ..... said with stars in his eyes ..... America, that golden land of opportunity! He is, I believe the oldest of four children ..... his father passed away last year ..... gentle soul that he is, Gunbaat became teary just in the telling ..... two younger brothers live with him while going to university and a sister, I think (translation problem here for me somewhat :) and her baby are in UB as well. His mother still lives in the small village of his youth in the Gobi Desert region and where she works as a seamstress. He visits once a year. I chanced to ask how old his parents were and he said, quote, "old" ..... his mother just turned 50 and his dad, he said was "quite old" when he died of throat cancer .... 56!! There is none of that North American nonsense of ..... "fifty is the new forty, sixty the new fifty etc. etc." business going on in Mongolia!!! They call the ages as they see 'em!! Bare in mind however, life expectancy is not quite what it is in Canada ........ I learned that for both sexes it is around 64 in Mongolia ..... The harsh conditions, a diet far too high in meat and dairy consumption, all contribute substantially to that figure .... that and the fact that way too many in the country smoke!! ..... I believe this is still a problem in Asia in general. North Americans and Europeans have more or less, long since quit these nasty habits, but the Asians continue puffing along, polluting their lungs.

There is a very short growing season making even root vegetables highly valued and of course, fruit is very expensive, having to be brought into the country from other parts of Asia or India. When you know this fact, you tend to really appreciate and savor every bite of kiwi, apple, orange, banana and the cherished wild cranberry/cherry type berries, only seen in the summer months. I have been offered these delicious little treats by many locals in the last few weeks. Mongolians seems rather proud of this one little tasty fruit that grows wild in their country.

But, meat and dairy are the Mongolian dietary staples! ..... that meat would encompass every kind of animal, and every part of that animal, from organs to ears, to feet ..... none of the animal is wasted!!! It is chopped and thrown into a large soup pot or grilled .... camel, horse, yak, goat, wild boar, sheep, cow and apparently, starting in late August, they roast marmots, fur and all, on open fires in the nomadic ger villages. I had originally booked a long 14 day excursion that would have taken me to a variety of different areas within the country, including touching on the Gobi but the tour was canceled unfortunately, but I may add here, maybe fortunately so!! It would have meant ten-hour days traveling on roads that are basically ruts in many areas, in a four wheeled Russian or hopefully a Japanese vehicle of some sort, ( long days sitting in vehicles, regardless of how remote and beautiful the scenery ..... hmmmmm, try to limit that kind of experience as best I can!!) sleeping in gers, eating local fare. Sounded like an adventure at the time of booking :) ...... would have been good for my weight loss :) ...... I was already practicing my Mongolian ....... "No thank you, I am vegetarian"!! ...... the gers are heated with coal/dung and wood, creating a somewhat smokey atmosphere inside ..... I have poked my head into several gers in the past few days as I hiked to the ger camps in the Terelj National Park on my morning walks. Smoke and diet aside, I have still decided to participate in that most quintessential of Mongolian experiences and sleep in a ger!!! ...... checking out the villages for availability today ..... It is still summer holidays for the children in Mongolia and many families come out to enjoy the "old ways" on their holidays, much as the handful of tourists like to do .... so pre-booking is essential!

Views from first morning walk around Terelj National Park

Luxury mixed in with the old style ger (basically felt tents) accommodation .... trying out both :)

Need I say I was in heaven with the scenery!

This gent on horseback offered me his horse to ride ..... told him I would be back later ....


Came around a corner and look who was staring me down!!

A sweet young man, Gunbaat Orgodol, same age as Sarah, who acted as my guide and drove me to Terelj Park, about two hours outside Ulaanbaatar, and a world away!! Turtle Rock stands solid behind him.....

First Days in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Views on outskirts of Ulaanbaatar, view from my hotel window of downtown apartments

A mixed Asian Lunch ... Korean kimchi soup, washed down with a Mongolian Chinggis Beer!

Janraisig (Chenresig in Tibetan), The Bodhisattva of Compassion




Mongolian dumpling, filled with beef, resembled a Finnish piirakka and outside breading is exactly the same mixture of rye flour my mother used ....

Y

Monk getting a boot shine

Young Monks in training at Gandantegchinien Khiid Monastery

Statue of Chinggis Khan in front of Parliament Building

Ulaanbaatar!

I have arrived in Chinggis Khan country .... .great warrior emperor and founder of the Mongol Nation ..... a hero it would be dangerous to say anything negative about anywhere in Mongolia, as the ferocious wrath of a proud nation would come down on you rather quickly with, well, ferocity :)!! All subsequent Mongolian Khan successors were chosen from Chinggis's bloodline. To say he is revered here, is an understatement! The city, as well as the countryside, has numerous statues dedicated to this fierce, proud, popular historical ruler. The warrior foundation is evident in the very distinct Mongolian character. I don't think I have ever in my life met people so distinctly, distinct!!.... they appear Asian, yet are nothing like the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese,Thai, Malaysian ..... if I could describe the essence of the Mongolian, it would be a mixture of rugged, gentle strength, the strength part something one might not wish to cross. A country rich and vibrant in a history that I have only touched on, but captivates me beyond measure. A country bordering China and Russia (actually, sits in the middle somewhere)!! ..... they share the Russian cyrillic alphabet, yet Mongolian and Russian are each a distinct language, but to my ears, sound similar. I walk along streets, dotted with potholes, livestock lining the roads leaving the airport...... my taxi driver, Bodgul, artfully dodged cows and goats in equal measure, before reaching the downtown core. Ger settlements (circular wood-framed felt tents) dot the landscape around Ulaanbaatar's tall modern hotels and buildings. Cars are mostly Russian jeeps and trucks, Korean or Japanese cars, with a few American vehicles thrown into the mix. Steering can be either on the left or ride side, depending on what country they came from!! Driving however, is on the right side, regardless. Smoke is constantly in the air ...... gers are wood/coal/dung heated and factories (actually not sure what they are, but huge smoke stacks on the periphery of the city), burn coal, spewing black fumes into the air. So many old cars on the streets creates it's own little world of pollution. It may all accurately be considered third worldy to most westerners but is very evidently in the throes of intense development. I always ponder how a culture with a with such a strong and vibrant 5,000 year old history full of conquests and power, is now a somewhat backward country. In the ebb and flow of power, perhaps historically many countries have had their time in the sun as the king pins. Everyone takes a turn ..... power keeps circling the globe.



China, Japan and Korea and to a lesser degree, Americans and Europeans, are all represented here ...... trade missions or individual businessmen arrive daily, all scrambling to get in on the ground floor development of a country, or perhaps by now, it is into the third and fourth floors! ...... the tourism industry, not to mention the huge mineral mining potential, are the main focus for economic development. Corruption is rampant, creating new millionaires in an economy where everyone was pretty much on an equal footing financially, only a dozen or so years ago. The rich and poor are planets apart here, creating concerns all the way around ..... sadly, pickpocketing and bag slashing is becoming more common ..... vigilance regarding packs and purses is essential when in crowded situations. For the same distance via taxi (and I say taxi loosely here, as anyone within the mishmash of cars on the road, can be a potential taxi driver) ..... in all fact, including my first ride from the airport, I have not really seen a true taxi, with a running meter yet, although the guide books say they do exist!!) ..... but back to charges, I have paid anywhere from the equivalent of CDN $2 to $25 for the same distance ...... the arguments can be heated if you fail to pay what is asked. I have learned that if I just hand over the equivalent of what I think the ride is worth, there will be no argument .... so another lesson learned :) Hopping the bus is okay too, and have started to feel comfortable using them. Mongolia, just a short two decades ago, was a communist country, with Russian as it's main support. Now a declared independent democratic nation!! Progress .......

Ulaanbaatar, capital city, of almost a million, in a country that only numbers three million. The only international airport in the country is located on the outskirts ...... Mongolia remains one of the world's emptiest countries ..... 1.5 people to a square kilometer and in some remote parts, 0.3 people per square kilometer!! A little less than 50% percent of the population are still nomadic livestock herders but that is changing fast as more and more move into the city and towns for financial opportunities. The gers can apparently be taken down and assembled again in under an hour ..... hard to believe, as the wooden framing looks rather complex, but the nomads of Mongolia have lived this way for thousands of years, so imagine they have it down pat by now ..... camels are used to transport the gers to their next location. I imagine the summers are when most of the nomadic activity happens ..... winters are brutal, with temps hitting as high as minus 50 in some parts ..... those fur hats and coats are a necessity here! There are people who travel here in the winter (tourists if you can believe this??!!) just to experience the winter cold and solitude!! Hawaii anyone?? Somewhat sadly, I think the landscape of this country will be vastly changed in ten years. While wondering along on the main street, Peace Avenue, I met Irene, a Brit, selling antique Mongolian tapestries, a few of which I purchased ..... prices so reasonable I could not resist :) ...... She happily shared her stories of the "old days of Ulaanbaatar" ..... a mere eight years ago, when livestock ..... cows, yaks, goats, sheep were what you dodged, not cars, as is the case today! May I add that in Mongolia, pedestrians have absolutely no right of way! ...... I had my elbow scraped by a car on day one ..... rather a quick and painful way to learn that fact! A two lane road can easily become a three or four lane, with sidewalks used regularly to gain a bit of advantage over the car beside you or perhaps to avoid a pothole ...... traffic circles become a race to see who can get that extra inch ahead, ignoring any Western style road rules ....... the cell phone adds a whole new dimension to all this craziness ..... totally reminded me of my early days of learning to drive in Kuwait .... even today, I can get out of a traffic jam faster than anyone I know, having learned to expertly maneouver in just these kinds of driving conditions .....


Did I say how much I am enjoying being here??!!! Totally and absolutely!! ..... When Brian and I moved back to Canada from the Middle East in 1980, it was primarily I who missed the insanity that was the Middle East in the 1970's. Now what does that say about me?? :) I love the contrast of old and new, chaos and silence, beauty (the hilly countryside) and homely (the smoke stacks and resultant pollution) ..... Mongolia resonates deeply! However ....... Ulaanbaatar's pollution is a bit of a concern! While wondering through the History Museum, I discovered that Mongolia's religious roots lie in Shamanism, differing significantly from that of Buddhism or Christianity!! It was the main religion during the early Mongol Empire days ..... sometime in the 13th century Buddhism gained in popularity and remains the main religion today. There is a small ethnic group from the Northern regions, the Tsaatan, also called the reindeer people, still practicing ritualistic magic, nature worship, meditation and natural healing as part of their shamanistic heritage. Are they perhaps related to the Finnish Laplanders, also known as reindeer herders to this day, that my parents spoke of so many years ago??? ..... a mythical reference perhaps, that thousands of years ago, certain tribes broke away from the Mongolian Empire, some settling in modern day Korea, Turkey, Hungary and Finland ...... My immagination takes a happy hold here!


My first Mongolian word ...... Bayarlaa ..... "Thank" you for listening/reading in on my journal :)

Views from my balcony in Okinawa :)

Shisso in Okinawa

Okinawa ...... birthplace of Karate!! Kiomi was right ..... Okinawa provided! Haisai .... this is a typical Okinawan greeting, very sing-songy and sweet ..... similar they say, to Hawaiian Aloha. It is a string of about a hundred and fifty islands, trickling into the East China Sea, forming the bottom of Japan and almost running into Taiwan :)!! Most are not inhabited. I am on a little cape near the middle of the main island of Okinawa, with the small village of Onna nearby .... clean turquoise water to cool off in, not a hint of traffic, not a city in sight ..... green tropical jungle as a backdrop ..... perfect. So much for my cultural exploration of Japan :) Okinawa is famous for the longevity of it's citizens ...... not too hard to figure why. No city pollution, a less harried lifestyle, plenty of fresh produce, plucked from their own gardens, fresh fish weekly but most importantly, a happier attitude ..... a way way more friendly one than that of the Japanese of Tokyo. Happy is good :)

It was a relatively peaceful serene week in Okinawa ...... although there were many families around (it is holiday time in Japan after all) ..... happy sounds of families reconnecting, spending time together playing, (I got bopped in the head many times by errant beach balls, emitting giggles from the little ones......Japanese children are just so darn cute!!) ) is a delight to be around. I was the only non Japanese on the flight to Okinawa and again the only non Japanese at my hotel. This was a first for me on both counts!!! ..... a bit strange but I adapted quickly ..... giving my vocal chords a break all week! A typhoon rolled/blew in on my second day ..... the hotel hunkered down, boarding here and there and everyone stayed in their rooms or in the closed off lobby area, until it blew over ..... the sky was totally gray, sideways rain pelted relentlessly for hours, the wind howled eerily, knocking branches off the palm trees ..... quite a mess by the next morning. Typhoons, I learned are common on the islands during the summer months :) Actually, it was quite something to experience within the warmth and safety of a hotel, well prepared for these storms .....I have always enjoyed a good thunderstorm and decided then and there that I will head to Tofino on Vancouver Island next year, for their legendary winter storms :) I will "ink" that one in!!

The next day, I had a call from "Kiomi concierge" from Tokyo ..... someone had turned in my camera!! It was sent via express post to Okinawa, all wrapped in bubble wrapping, gift boxed .... unbelievable!! The universe must have liked my "let it be" attitude :)

As interesting as the external journey may be when traveling, the inevitable internal one is what becomes most interesting & illuminating! I have had opportunity for many quiet times to ponder, reflect, review. The issue of living in a city versus a smaller, more nature based locale keeps resurfacing ..... I guess I am just not much of a city dweller. Perhaps if one had no choice, we adapt and create a home with serenity wherever we hang our hats ..... I think that is what the Japanese do in their concrete world, with all the lovely little gardens on their balconies and perhaps in their homes as well. I think the key ingredient is nature ..... somehow, weaving it into our lives .... something living, that can be cared for.. It is quite telling about me, how in every home I have lived in, I have plants or a vegetable garden or fresh flowers for a dining table. Out for a morning walk in Okinawa, I chanced on a very spry elderly lady weeding and cleaning out a flower garden ..... I was tempted to ask if she needed help ..... Good God, I am missing weeding!!! :) But it is missing family that is as intense as things get ... I am moving into my fourth month away, the longest by far that I have ever been away .... There are so many days that I just want to go for a long family hike in the mountains, or enjoy a nice dinner with Brian, Sarah, Tim, Rob ..... with Dexter leaping for leftovers! My nomadic spirit has taken a bit of a beating as I move into my fourth month away.

Konnichiwan from Tokyo

In my lose goose itinerary, I had penciled in Japan for a quick ten day peekabout, and now, hmmm, wonder what I was thinking, probably wasn't ..... my one dimensional travel plans :) ..... translation ..... total lack of planning, winging it ..... can at times, to quote Martha, "not be a good thing"! Thankfully, I am rather kind and forgiving of myself :) ........ I can hardly make the weather work for me everywhere :) .....So, here I am in Tokyo, land of the people who wear those masks of propriety so well, a mix of reserve and politeness ...... all while surviving and thriving in this dense commercialized concrete world that is modern day Japan ........... smack in the middle of August, temps in the high thirties, major humidity wilting my spirit not to mention my hair, clothing, toes .... but heh, plumping up the wrinkles with all that moisture :) .... I finally decide to actually read my Japanese guide book and there it was, in black and white "stay away from Japan in August if you can.....best time to visit, April\May or October"!! Oh well, win some, lose some :) ...... A preferred mode of transportation would always be my own two feet whenever distances allow...... a method that mostly works to explore cities, countrysides, shorelines, mountain trails, little villages!! ..... but not when I am drenched and dripping after a mere fifteen minute jaunt in this busy little city :) My directional dyslexia kicks in as usual, on my first foray into the jungle, or maybe the heat got to me........I was lost within fifteen minutes, soaking wet, and grumpier by the minute and no Mickey Gibson in sight to alleviate the grumps ....... few in Tokyo, beyond some service industry personnel and even then, not a guarantee, speaks anymore English than I do Japanese, "dozo, domo and arigato" ..... won`t get me far, much beyond a polite bob of the head and an even more polite smile (the Japanese "own" polite!!..... they are a fundamentally courteous culture) .... they may pretend to understand whatever jingle jangle you are attempting to communicate, but you know very well they have no clue what you are saying, nor I, them!! .... so we both ramble on in a mixture of our own and each others languages, all the while wearing polite clueless expressions, getting nowhere fast ....... despite the jet lag ..... (it had been a long eleven hour flight to Tokyo from Auckland).....thankfully, my brain was still switched on, leaving me with the good sense to grab a few business cards from the hotel check-in ..... Beyond this first misstep, I did eventually start to observe and appreciate the "beauty" in Tokyo ..... took a few city tours, visited some beautiful gardens, Asakusa temple, a cruise along the Sumida River, all the while quite surprised how much greenery is actually mixed in with the concrete and granite ..... a room on the 30th floor, allowed for great city views ..... lots of balcony green gardens scattered throughout, as well as amazingly ....... tree lined streets in and amongst all those skyscrapers!! Who knew??? The Japanese are renowned for their love of beauty and it is prevalent everywhere .... the gardens, food presentation, manners....so polite that it is beautiful to observe and be the recipient of.....the clothing...the tea ceremonies, the decor, the art and the love of "shisso" (simplicity) is wonderful ...... part of the whole culture ..... the Japanese themselves are also, I think, a handsome people physically ..... well proportioned within their smaller stature and sumo wrestlers aside, one rarely sees an overweight Japanese. Fast food is sushi on the run and even then, it is normally eaten indoors ...... considered rude manners to eat outside anywhere .... what I notice particularly, is the respect they have for each other .... be it in everyday conversation, how they interact with tourists, family, friends, and particularly, their children ...... how wonderful to see a whole culture, give or take the odd one, treating their children with kind respect. "Saving face", part of the Japanese way of life, is just so dignified in every way!! The constant bowing ........ kind of cute, respectful and all, although really is a relic left over from feudal days, I think?! Could use a reno ..... A few days later, I decided to head to Ginza area for a look about in a shopping district, recommended by a few tourists I had met as well as hotel staff ..... Not one for subways if I can avoid them, opted for, well, a short walk and a taxi if need be ......... In Matsuya, I found a great replacement for my last hat, lost in Auckland and for a bit of whimsy thrown into the mix, a lovely Japanese made scarf ........ almost had to sell the family jewels to pay for them ....... in a shop resembling a Japanese version of Holt Renfrew......... shopping, the national pass time for too many and not mine as a rule, but had to give it a go in Tokyo :) ..... On the top floor, I discovered a series of restaurants, with displays of very realistic plastic food in front windows, making selection easy, and enticing the appetite ...... I happened to walk along a street district selling these plastic products just the day before ...... this is an industry in itself ..... literally dozens of shops selling plastic food!!" A tempura restaurant took my fancy ..... as I was reaching to take a picture of my exquisite lunch presentation, oops, no camera!! 　After an unrewarding retracing of my steps throughout eight floors of the department store, I made my way to an information booth to report the loss ....... all my pictures since May 19th gone in an instant and no back up!!! .... lesson learned! It was an experience just to relay this to a young lady at the Information booth ...... But, with the help of a guide book, pen and paper, aahing and oohing and whatever else I could think of to use as a communication tool, I think she got the message ..... that and oh yes, ...... the business card from the hotel :) .... taking a philosophical outlook on it all, left the recovery of the camera ...... or not, up to the universe to deal with. I was booked out of Tokyo the next afternoon ...... I waited overnight, hoping for good news, but alas, no ....... so, off I trekked again early that morning before my flight, to a discount store to look for a new camera, this time, with instructions in Japanese written out for me, should I need help (always!!) thinking, well, is Tokyo not a great place to purchase one??? (Not!! more expensive than at home and the darn things are made here!!) ..... hmmm. Took me the better part of an hour to find the "store" ..... I had walked past it a few times because it just looked like another shop selling all manner of junk, from clothing to facial cremes, suitcases to furniture, shoes, phones, purses, all manner of junky toys and charms galore (Japanese seem to love these little things ..... keeping the Chinese factories working overtime) and finally, success on the 7th floor, cameras!! ..... Silly me, I was still in Canadian mode, and had been looking for something resembling a Blacks Camera store, not a mishmash store, tucked away in a tall building with not a single picture of a camera on it's storefront!!! Must admit here though, I cheated!!! I enlisted the help of someone on the street, making good use of my, by this time, superior charade skills ..... the young fellow, being sweet and polite as the Japanese are, walked with me to the store .... "eight floors of store" I may add ..... in a tall narrow walk-up .............. another hour later, having tried out various cameras, picked out a Canon, had the clerk set the camera to "English mode" it was time to high tail it to Haneda Airport and catch a flight to peaceful (hopefully) Okinawa for my next stop! Grumpy old me was ready go somewhere with hopefully not a single skyscraper, few people, no pollution, ocean fresh air and above all else, no more of the mass "people-moving" trains, boats, subways, taxis ........ and an ocean to swim in!!! This may be a bit much to ask of a country of almost 130 million in a space that could almost fit into half of Alberta!! I decided to leave Japan and all the historical cities such as Kyoto, Osaka for another trip ..... best to explore with friends, a smaller suitcase (or rather one instead of two!!), a guide of sorts to help navigate the maze and have way more time to do so. I am hmmmm, not a Japanese tourist :) ....... With the help of Kiomi, the concierge, we both decided that Okinawa would suit me admirably....

More of Tokyo....

Scenes from Tokyo