When people think of Mongolia, aside from the name Ghengis Kahn, few have any real idea what the place is like. The last century has seen it as an isolated nation where few westerners ever went, especially during the Russian occupation. Mongolian tours can open an exotic, fascinating window in the past one will always remember.
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.
There are cities throughout the country with the capital, Ulaan Baatar, being by far the largest and most significant. It was given its current name, which means Red Hero, following the communist triumph in 1924. This began the Soviet influence, square buildings and heat infrastructure transmitting steam for heat quiet inefficiently in exposed over-ground pipes.
The national religion is primarily Tibetan Buddhism, but more than a third of this population does not practice any religion at all. Ancient Mongolia practiced complete religious tolerance. During the Russian occupation, all religion was harshly repressed, with thousands of people killed in purges, but upon their departure, Buddhism returned in force.
There are a number of festivals celebrated through the year, none bigger than the Nadaam (Games) festival of summer. The key events are horse racing, archery and wrestling each with accompanying pageantry full of color and excitement. Mounted archery is still demonstrated at the festival, and watching the wrestling one can see it as the ancient beginning to Japanese Sumo.
Eating in Mongolia can be interesting, though there are restaurants in the capital, anywhere else one is likely to have access only to mutton and a number of dairy products produced from their animals. Owing to their genetic makeup and the lack of arable land, vegetables are rarely eaten. Although they are quite creative in the products they can make from their herds, meat is dominant.
If one is to make a trip, one could hardly do better than taking Mongolian tours and witnessing one of the remaining unadulterated cultures. The colorful costumes exciting festivals, and fascinating Gers, make for a lot to see. Once one has gone beyond the borders of the capital, out into the country and looked back the only question is why did they build that city?
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.
There are cities throughout the country with the capital, Ulaan Baatar, being by far the largest and most significant. It was given its current name, which means Red Hero, following the communist triumph in 1924. This began the Soviet influence, square buildings and heat infrastructure transmitting steam for heat quiet inefficiently in exposed over-ground pipes.
The national religion is primarily Tibetan Buddhism, but more than a third of this population does not practice any religion at all. Ancient Mongolia practiced complete religious tolerance. During the Russian occupation, all religion was harshly repressed, with thousands of people killed in purges, but upon their departure, Buddhism returned in force.
There are a number of festivals celebrated through the year, none bigger than the Nadaam (Games) festival of summer. The key events are horse racing, archery and wrestling each with accompanying pageantry full of color and excitement. Mounted archery is still demonstrated at the festival, and watching the wrestling one can see it as the ancient beginning to Japanese Sumo.
Eating in Mongolia can be interesting, though there are restaurants in the capital, anywhere else one is likely to have access only to mutton and a number of dairy products produced from their animals. Owing to their genetic makeup and the lack of arable land, vegetables are rarely eaten. Although they are quite creative in the products they can make from their herds, meat is dominant.
If one is to make a trip, one could hardly do better than taking Mongolian tours and witnessing one of the remaining unadulterated cultures. The colorful costumes exciting festivals, and fascinating Gers, make for a lot to see. Once one has gone beyond the borders of the capital, out into the country and looked back the only question is why did they build that city?
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