So that my parents would have a chance to get out of UB and
see the countyside we took a day trip out to Gorkhi Terelj
National Park (about 50-60 km east of UB). Gans' brother,
Ganbut, was our driver / guide for the day.
Samuel kindly offered to drive the van.
The national park's most famous landmark is Turtle Rock.
I wonder why they call it that?
We stopped for lunch just near the Turtle Rock and had our
first Mongolian culinary experience.
Little boy outside the ger in which our lunch was
served.
Yum!
Yep, he's everywhere.
Terelj monastery high up on a hill. We walked from the
bottom of the vallery up the the temple. The view was well
worth the walk.
Giddy up, dad!
Everyone enjoying the walk.
This is the caretaker of the monastery. He took great
pride in pointing out that the temple's door handles were
in the shape of two mice by pointing to the doors and
announcing - "mouse, mouse". He then dubbed Samuel
"mouse" and would call out "mouse, mouse" each time he
saw him.
Little boy looking pleased with himself.
The detail of the monastery was gorgeous and had
a particular Mongolia flavour to it. Note the winter scene
of daily activities outside a ger.
Poor elephant.
There are 108 (an auspicious number in
Buddhism) prayer wheels around the
monastery. Samuel insisted on spinning
them all...twice.
Buddhist graffiti above the monastery.
A family adventure, well worth the walk.
The view of Terelj from the Monastery.
Everyone having a rest before the walk back.
Priorities.
The little boy who lived down the lane, perhaps?
There were plenty of smiling faces along the way.
A family's ger and animals on the Steppes of Terelj. The
tire tracks leading to the ger were typical of the 'roads'
we travelled.
Along the way we stopped at another family's camp (note the
solar panel in the background).
We were invited into the family's ger for a cup of salty
milk tea - steamy on the ger's stove in the foreground.
Samuel unfortunately wasn't the most gracious guest.
The ball cheered Samuel up very quickly. Anyone who
has seen Samuel lately will be familar with Samuel's
fondness for balls of all shapes and sizes.
The family's trusty horse...
and his beautiful saddle.
Ganbut chatting to the family's calves.
On the way out of Terelj our van overheated. We
waited until it cooled down and moved on. If you take
in the landscape in the background, you'll get some idea
of the predicament we would have been in if it
hadn't started again.
Ganbut was surprisingly unconcerned
about the van losing its cool.
About half an hour from UB, we came across
this big Chinggis. You can't quite tell how big
it is from this photo but it's not far off Statue of
Liberty proportions. It's still under construction
but when it opens you will apparently be able to take
an elevator up to the horse’s tail and then take stairs
into ol'Chinggis' head where there will be an observation
deck.
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