Few nations have had a more brutal and lengthy history as the Mongol people in central Asia. Squeezed between China and Russia, the alternating positions of occupied land and conquering victors define the character of this hearty people. One can see parts of many cultures throughout the land on Mongolian tours, providing access to an exotic land unlike any other.
With Russia as a northern neighbor and China to its south, the history of the region is long and filled with a back and forth tug of war of challenge and occupation. At some periods China ruled Mongolia, and at least once, during the Yuan dynasty, Mongolia ruled China. In 1924 the country was occupied by the Soviet Union, and when the Soviet Union collapsed and they departed they decades of brutality, they left very little in the way of infrastructure or wealth.
Traditionally the people of Mongolia live in Gers, a felt lined circular tent which can be dismantled or reassembled within a few hours. The climate is extremely dry, with humidity in the single digits most of the time, and experiences more than 250 sunny days each year. The extreme continental climate means the winters are brutally cold with the capital of Ulaan Bataar being the coldest capital in the world.
Over a third of the population have crowded together in the capital city of Ulaan Baatar, which has all the trappings of a metropolis. There are shops, banks restaurants and hotels just like in any other country, which also includes the concomitant seedy nightlife, for those inclined. But the real beauty of the nation is to be observed outside the city limits of the capital.
Historically the people who practiced religion were free to choose from many, including Islam and Christianity, but by the 12th century Tibetan Buddhist had become predominant, with ornate monasteries scattered throughout the land. During the Russian occupation religion was actively and brutally suppressed. Tens of thousands lost their lives in the purges and most of the beautiful golden artifacts were looted and taken back to Russia.
When the people get together on a number of occasions during the year, they hold festivals, none larger than the summer games called Nadaam. Horse racing, archery and Wrestling are the primary sports, with this style of wrestling being the origin to Japanese Sumo. Not only did Sumo originate here, the highest ranked Sumo wrestlers in Japan have been from Mongolia.
The Mongolian diet is dominated by meat and milk, as the nomadic lifestyle and extreme continental climate make growing vegetables extremely problematic. It is a mystery to most foreign visitors how they can survive almost literally without vegetables throughout their lives. The mystery deepens with the knowledge this third world nation has a life expectancy near 70 years, and that is with a high infant mortality rate.
Soon after arriving at the airport in Ulaan Baatar, one realizes this is a place unlike any they have ever experienced. The people are friendly and many speak their native language as well as Chinese and Russian and one has little to fear walking the streets in this city. The real value to Mongolian tours, however, is what one sees and experiences beyond the capital, where the land looks like most believe the wild west once did.
With Russia as a northern neighbor and China to its south, the history of the region is long and filled with a back and forth tug of war of challenge and occupation. At some periods China ruled Mongolia, and at least once, during the Yuan dynasty, Mongolia ruled China. In 1924 the country was occupied by the Soviet Union, and when the Soviet Union collapsed and they departed they decades of brutality, they left very little in the way of infrastructure or wealth.
Traditionally the people of Mongolia live in Gers, a felt lined circular tent which can be dismantled or reassembled within a few hours. The climate is extremely dry, with humidity in the single digits most of the time, and experiences more than 250 sunny days each year. The extreme continental climate means the winters are brutally cold with the capital of Ulaan Bataar being the coldest capital in the world.
Over a third of the population have crowded together in the capital city of Ulaan Baatar, which has all the trappings of a metropolis. There are shops, banks restaurants and hotels just like in any other country, which also includes the concomitant seedy nightlife, for those inclined. But the real beauty of the nation is to be observed outside the city limits of the capital.
Historically the people who practiced religion were free to choose from many, including Islam and Christianity, but by the 12th century Tibetan Buddhist had become predominant, with ornate monasteries scattered throughout the land. During the Russian occupation religion was actively and brutally suppressed. Tens of thousands lost their lives in the purges and most of the beautiful golden artifacts were looted and taken back to Russia.
When the people get together on a number of occasions during the year, they hold festivals, none larger than the summer games called Nadaam. Horse racing, archery and Wrestling are the primary sports, with this style of wrestling being the origin to Japanese Sumo. Not only did Sumo originate here, the highest ranked Sumo wrestlers in Japan have been from Mongolia.
The Mongolian diet is dominated by meat and milk, as the nomadic lifestyle and extreme continental climate make growing vegetables extremely problematic. It is a mystery to most foreign visitors how they can survive almost literally without vegetables throughout their lives. The mystery deepens with the knowledge this third world nation has a life expectancy near 70 years, and that is with a high infant mortality rate.
Soon after arriving at the airport in Ulaan Baatar, one realizes this is a place unlike any they have ever experienced. The people are friendly and many speak their native language as well as Chinese and Russian and one has little to fear walking the streets in this city. The real value to Mongolian tours, however, is what one sees and experiences beyond the capital, where the land looks like most believe the wild west once did.
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