Inside Erdene-Zuu Monastery Mongolia is a land of boundless grassy plains and endless open skies.
Mongolia seems vast.
That’s probably because it is. Once you are outside the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, the plains and the skies go on forever. The “World Factbook”, published by the CIA, puts it in terms Americans can understand: Mongolia is “more than twice the size of Texas”.
Landlocked between its bigger neighbours China and Russia, Mongolia probably seems even more expansive because it is so sparsely populated. With less than 2 people per square kilometre, it is the least densely populated country in the world.
It is a land of hardy, nomadic people, dotted across a vast, rugged landscape that stretches out under those never-ending skies. Most of the land belongs to the state, and the people – with their herds of cattle, goats, horses, and sheep – wander the steppes in summer, unfettered by fences or property lines. Every Mongolian is entitled to a small plot of land to live on for free for life, so it is not uncommon to see gers (yurts) or modest houses with stone or wooden fences around them, but these plots are dwarfed by the surrounding grasslands that extend – boundless and boundary-less – to the distant mountains.
As immense as it is, the country feels even larger because of the parlous state of the roads. Towns are few and far between, and the roads between them often bear more resemblance to goat tracks or river beds than anything approximating a highway system.
Fortunately, I was travelling with a photographic group organised by Within the Frame, and our local guides G and Segi had fixed us up with Russian UAZ(Ulyanovsky Avtomobilny Zavod) four-wheel-drive vehicles. UAZs are not exactly luxurious – or even comfortable – but they (and our drivers) were up to the task of negotiating the bumps and ruts that pass for roadways.
The country’s history and its people are as resilient and rugged as the arid, rocky ground: our last stop after our first day’s driving was the Erdene-Zuu (Hundred Treasures) Monastery, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape of Central Mongolia. The monastery was built in 1585, just outside the ruins of Kharkhorin (spelling various): that town established in 1220 by the the infamous Chinggis Khaan, and later made theEmpire’s capitol by his son, Ögedei Khaan. The capitol was destroyed by Manchu soldiers in 1338; the Buddhist monastery of Erdene-Zuu was largely demolished during the Communist purges of 1939.
In spite of these waves of destruction, the people, the religion, and some of the old buildings and heritage sites, survive.
The View from the Truck The Mongolian landscape, as seen from the inside of a Russian UAZ four wheel drive (about the only thing that can reliably navigate the national roads!), consists of miles of grassy plains, extending to a backdrop of mountains. The rugged grasses cling to the arid, rocky ground, which is punctuated everywhere by inordinate amounts of litter. (iPhone6)
Small-Town Mini-Market Dusty streets takes us through small towns as we bump-and-rattle southwest. (iPhone6)
Bridge over the River Lün We make frequent short stops along the way – this one beside the River Lün in Töv Province. (iPhone6)
Lunch Stop Our next stop was for lunch: the trucks pull onto the hillside just off the road and staff set up our lunch tent while the rest of us wander off in search of rocks to use as toilet shields.
Rocky Hillside Mongolia is home to more rocks – and more different kinds of rocks – than I have ever seen in my life!
Lunch Stop From the rocky slope, I have a birds-eye view down over our lunch spot.
Bactrian Camels Our next stop is in Övörkhangai province, where Mongolian people lope in on their two-humped bactrian camels to offer us rides.
A Boy and his Camel
A Boy and his Camels
Tourist and the Camels One of the camel-riders farewells her bactrian. In addition to being much hairier in their winter coats than their dromedary cousins, bactrians are all-together better behaved and more comfortable to ride.
Door-Knocker Erdene-Zuu is probably the oldest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia.
Entry to Erdene Zuu Lion door-knockers guard the entry to the monastery, …
Inside Erdene-Zuu … which was built in 1585, using materials recovered from the nearby ruins of Chinggis Khaan’s ancient town of Karakorum (Kharakhorin).
Inside Erdene-Zuu The original plan was to surround the monastery with 108 stupas, built to resemble a Tibetan Buddhist rosary.
The Temple of the Dalai Lama At its peak, the monastery was full of temples and housed up to 1000 monks.
Inside Erdene-Zuu During the 1939 purges, the monastery and many of the other buildings in the compound were destroyed, and the monks were either secularised, interned, or executed.
The Golden Stupa Built in 1799, the Golden Stupa houses 100,000 different Buddhas. We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the stupa or the inner part of the monastery, where some wonderful ancient tapestries – telling the stories of local Buddhas and saints – survive.
Prayer Wheels A Mahayana Buddhist temple always features prayer wheels. The supplicant circles in a clockwise direction, spinning the wheels and saying prayers.
Buddhist Prayer Ger
Incense Burner
Golden Eagle Outside the monastery, there is a row of tourist shops. A woman with a photo-booth, complete with well-worn period Mongol clothing and a golden eagle, tries to get our attention. But, it is late, and it has been a long day. The best I can manage is a half-hearted photo of the giant raptor against the monastery wall.
Welcome to my Ger My first ger experience spoiled me somewhat!
Inside my Ger It was clean and roomy, with painted wooden furniture (with a horse-hair mattress and a barley pillow) and a rolled-out linoleum floor.
Fixing the Fire Once the wood-burning furnace was lit, the ger was quite warm and cozy.
I am not as hardy as the average Mongolian;Air China had lost my luggage and I had very little clothing to change into. So, the warmth inside my ger was a most pleasant surprise after an exhausting day.
Krathong after Dark An over-sized krathong (กระทง) – or banana-leaf floating basket – sits in the middle of Phuket’s Laguna Lake, giving off a cheerful pink light as the sun sets over Bang Tao beach.
Some days feel dark.
Very dark.
It is a truism that the best way to combat darkness is to shine a lamp or light a candle.
Loi Krathong (ลอยกระทง) is Thailand’s own festival of lights. On the evening of the twelfth full-moon of the traditional Thai lunar calendar, Thais – and lucky visitors – congregate around a body of water and float (loi; ลอย) krathong (กระทง), or banana-leaf boats.
There are a number of stories about the festival’s origins: the most popular being that it was started by a lady in the court of Sukhothai Kingdom (1238 – 1583) to give thanks to the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha(พระแม่คงคา). The more likely explanation is that it is a Thai Buddhist adaptation of an old Brahman festival.
Traditionally, the floats are home-made using sections of banana stem as a foundation, although modern versions might be built on styrofoam (discouraged because of the environmental effects) or bread. The base is covered with banana leaf, and then decorated elaborately with folded banana leaf and flowers before small candles and sticks of incense are added. Sometimes a small coin is placed on the banana-leaf boat as an offering to the water spirits, or hair and fingernail clippings might be included as a symbol of letting go of past transgressions or negative thoughts. The boats are set out on the waters, where they are carried off on the currents, or eventually sink to the bottom of the pools or ponds they’ve been launched in.
My husband and I made our own krathong one year from materials our Thai teacher had brought into class for us. While we had fun constructing them, they were neither as large nor as elaborate as the one’s Thais make for themselves every year.
Before setting your krathong afloat, you light the incense and the candle – the candle venerates the Buddha – and you make a wish or say a prayer. As the basket drifts away on the currents of the water, you let it carry away any hatred, anger, or negativity that was in your heart.
Please enjoy some photos from Loi Krathongs past.
Marigolds and a Paper Prayer Marigolds are a popular “good luck” flower in Thailand, and are often used in decorative floral arrangements for Buddhist festivals (Lumpini Park, Bangkok).
Contemplation Before floating your krathong, you need to make a wish or say a prayer. (Lumpini Park, Bangkok)
A Phone and a Smile It you can’t share Loi Krathong with your friends, I guess a chat on the phone is the next best thing.
Floating Krathong
Prayers
Light a Light
Twilight on the Lagoon The lake at Phuket’s Laguna Resort was calm and quiet ahead of recent Loi Krathong celebrations.
Night Lights A corner of the lake is lit up, ready for the evening’s festivities.
Mother and Son Selfie
The Krathong Once night has completely fallen, people launch their floats.
Elaborate Krathong In a tented pavilion, large krathong have been collected for judging.
Golden Krathong The winning floats are quite spectacular.
Making Krathong Around the grounds, smaller krathong are prepared for sale.
Coloured-Cone Krathong While most of the floats are constructed from traditional banana and flowers, there are some colourful alternatives!
Food Vendor Wherever people gather in Thailand, there is bound to be plenty of food.
Sushi Sushi is incredibly popular, …
Making Sushi … especially when it is freshly put together.
Choosing Sushi
Food Vendor Seafood is another popular food item; …
Grilling Seafood … freshly barbecued and served with a spicy dipping sauce.
Krathong Floating
This year, Loi Krathong is Monday November 14th; I think I might have to build myself a float.
Light a candle, say a payer, and hope for a better tomorrow.
Elephants The there is something magic about elephants with their young – especially in the wild!
Sitting on the benches overlooking the King Nehale Waterhole in Namibia’s Etosha National Park is a bit like being in a zoo in reverse: the people are fenced in, while the animals wander in and out freely. It is a great place for animal-watching.
I was thrilled to finally be there; I’d been in Namibia a week and a half, and pretty much the only wildlife I’d seen was in the distance out of the windows of our truck. Of course, I’d enjoyed some magnificent landscapes and met some fascinating people (q.v.: Ursula’s Weekly Wanders: Namibia), but I was looking forward to seeing some of the animals Africa is known for.
I was travelling with a small group of intrepid photography enthusiasts under the guidance of photographer Ben McRae and local guide guide Morne Griffiths. We’d had a very early start out of our bush camp in Kamanjab – where we had stopped for the night after breaking camp the day before at Epupa in northern-most Namibia (see: North to Epupa) – and had entered Etosha National Park just before noon. Our first animal sightings were at a popular salt pan: once the truck stopped, we all leaned excitedly out of the pop-top in the roof, firing our cameras in every direction. Oh, how I envied all those 400mm lenses!
After completing our drive across the park, we pitched our tents at Namutoni Camp, near the King Nehale Waterhole on the eastern side of Etosha. The camp boasts an elevated walkway along the waterhole, but this was closed for repairs while we were there. But the camp does have plenty of fenced space overlooking the water. Watching the animals come and go was absolutely mesmerising. Towards evening, after an afternoon of being enthralled by the elephants, I dragged out the tripod, staked a space on one of the benches, and just sat for several more hours.
Join me for some Namibian animal spotting:
Kamanjab Sunrise Our day started very early at a bush camp in Kamanjab, where we had stopped for the night. I’m not much of a morning person, but the tender sunrise over the veld made getting up early worth it.
Outjo Tourist Centre After our very early start, the charming gift- and coffee-shops of Outjo were a welcome break from the truck. (iPhone6)
Common (Blue) Wildebeest (Connochaetes) I was thrilled that the first animal I spotted when we stopped at a salt pan inside Etosha National Park was a wildebeest – otherwise known as a gnu… If you were raised in a British-influenced household, you might remember the Flanders and Swann comedic song: “I’m a Gnu”. I spent the rest of the morning with the tune in my head: “I’m a g-nu, spelled g-n-u… You really ought to k-now w-ho’s w-ho!”
Springbok (Antidorcas Marsupialis) I think the delicate springbok is my favourite antelope.
Zebra So much for black and white stripes! Namibia is home to Hartmann’s mountain zebras and the more common Burchells plains zebras: the brown shadowy stripes between the blacks one’s on the haunches suggests this is a plains zebra.
“To the Waterhole” Its a short walk from our tents, past the resort bungalows, to the King Nehale Waterhole.
Elephants and a Namibian Tree The elephants love the waterhole, and herds came and went while I watched. They seem to have a secret signal, with one group gathering together to leave just as a new group appears on the horizon. The single tree growing at the edge of the waterhole provides a landmark, but not much shade from the pulsating heat of the day.
Young Elephant The herds have a number of younger elephants. This one seems to get his legs tangled as he walks.
Elephants at the Waterhole The elephants are a joy to watch: they seem to be in almost constant slow motion…
Dust Bath … bathing in the waterhole one minute, showering themselves with dust the next.
Sparrow It is easy to forget that the little creatures we see every day are – in their way – as special as the magnificent animals that get our attention.
Incoming Elephant New elephants, either singly …
Incoming Elephants … or in herds, approach the waterhole periodically.
The Grazers Kudu, oryx, and springbok share space around the waterhole, seemingly untroubled by each other’s presence.
Oryx Fighting Unfortunately, they don’t always get along amongst themselves.
Timid Giraffe The giraffes – almost invisible against the veld – seemed to be the most timid animals at the waterhole: they would stop, frozen in position, for ages, …
Giraffe Advancing … before advancing cautiously …
Giraffe Bending … and gingerly bending down to drink.
Young Elephant and Onlookers A young elephant parades in front of the barrier that separates “us” from “them”.
Elephants Elephants can drink up to 200 litres of water a day.
Splash! They also enjoy splashing themselves with it in the heat of a Namibian afternoon.
Elephant Afternoon The afternoon sun starts to angle in the sky, and the elephants are backlit as they continue to enjoy the waterhole.
Dust at the Leaving It’s a well-worn path the elephants take as they leave the waterhole.
“Feet on Fire” The lowering sun lights up the dust around the elephants feet.
Black-Backed Jackal at Sunset Other animals come into drink, …
Kori Bustard (Ardeotis Kori) … almost invisible against the lowering light.
Sunset Sunset over the waterhole is stunning – and quiet; everything goes still.
Elephants Under Night Lights But sunset is not the end of the day: the waterhole is illuminated with lamps that don’t seem to bother the animals.
Giraffes Under Night Lights Watching the animals in the almost-dark is eerie and spell-binding.
White Rhinos Under Night Lights A rhino-mum and her young one came out to drink, which was a special treat!
After the rhinos left, I took myself back to my tent: it was late and cold, and tomorrow was another day…
[…] insect noise, tranquillising me into a dreamlike state as I watched the animals come and go (see: A Day at the Waterhole; Birds and Beasts on the […]ReplyCancel
View to South Thormanby Island Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park is a 45 hectare marine park comprising the tidal sandy foreshore between South and North Thormanby Islands.
Is there anything better than woods and water on a sunny summer day?
Summer on Canada’sWest Coast is elusive and short. This year, my husband and I spent some time on the waters of Georgia Strait – the waters between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia (BC) – in a sail boat, chasing summer.
I love sailing. But, I love new harbours even more.
I especially love the relief of being tied up on a pier or being anchored in a sheltered bay.
This is – at least in part – because we are not very experienced sailors. Letting us loose on the water is as nerve-wracking as it is thrilling.
One particular July day, after a few short trips fraught with mechanical and other glitches, we left our home port of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island mid-morning. After we had raised the sails on Graystone, an old 38-foot Hughes, and set our heading almost due north out of Departure Bay, we could see dark rain clouds rolling in from the northwest over Georgia Strait and looming over the island behind us. We galloped across the 20+ nautical miles between us and the mainland at speeds of 7 nautical miles per hour or so – about the limits of our boat’s capabilities – riding the swells of the strait in 20 knot winds.
We managed to just outrun the rain, and it was with a deep sigh of relief that we ducked into the sheltered waters of Buccaneer Bay and anchored in time for dinner.
We had chosen Buccaneer Bay as a destination because it sits surrounded by North and South Thormandy Islands, about 20 kilometres off the BC mainland. The lay of the islands protects the bay from the winds that can rush up or down Georgia Strait, making it a relatively safe and comfortable anchorage.
We also chose it because we’d never been there.
It’s hard to resist the opportunity to explore new terrain!
Nightfall over Buccaneer Bay Once the anchor is set and dinner from the tiny galley has been eaten, a nightcap in the cockpit is a perfect way to watch night fall over Buccaneer Bay. (iPhone6)
Mosquitos as Big as the Moon Thank heavens for portable fly-screens across the companionway! The mosquitos were as big and as innumerable as we had been warned. (iPhone6)
It’s a Beautiful Day! Morning dawned warm and fair over our boat, so we rowed the dinghy to Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park, the small marine park of sand and water between North and South Thormanby Islands. The beach opposite, overlooking the Salish Sea, was already busy with campers and other visitors.
Swim Weather The shallow waters of Buccaneer Bay are warm, and attractive to swimmers.
North Thormanby Logs wash up onto the low sandbar of Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park between North and South Thormanby Islands.
Fallen Log Water, sand and weather polish the logs smooth over time.
Tangled Roots
Gumweed (Grinvelia Stricta) The plants here are not commonly found in the rest of BC, but they are well adapted to this terrain of shifting sand and water.
Dune Grass (Leymus mollis) and Beach Pea (Lathyrus japonicus) Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park was designated to protect this rare coastal ecosystem.
Row Boat – South Thormanby The islands – and the Provincial Park between them – are accessible only by boat: water taxis or private vessels.
South Thormanby The foreshore of South Thormanby Island is dotted with private holiday cottages. There is no public access through this land, which separates Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park from Simson Provincial Park, on the other side of the island.
Low Tide Buccaneer Bay has a sandy foreshore …
Sand Worm … which is home to all manner of creatures.
Shells on the Beach
Sandpipers Small sandpipers wade in the waters of low tide, looking for food.
North Thormanby Even at low tide, …
Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park … pools of water remain on the sandy spit between the islands.
Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park Standing in the waters at the edge of the Salish Sea, visitors to the park enjoy the quiet.
Western Red Cedar It is a steep kilometre climb up from the beach to the public road on the ridge of North Thormanby Island.
European Black Slug (Arion Ater) The recent rains have brought out the slugs: black slugs …
Pacific Banana Slug (Ariolimax Columbianus) … and yellow.
Fallen Fir The road is little more than a track, bordered by trees …
High on the Ridge – North Thormanby … and multi-million-dollar properties with killer views. We didn’t trespass too far, but we could just see the mast of our boat far below.
Canada Geese Back in our “home” on the waters of Buccaneer Bay, we were joined by Canada geese looking for dinner.
When we weren’t on the islands, we sat on the boat watching the oystercatchers skimming across the water, we marvelled at the bald eagles as they dove down from the trees, and we laughed as the sea lions frolicked.
Chiusi on a Hilltop It seems that every hilltop in central Italy – that region where Umbria and Tuscany border each other – is home to a fortified medieval town or city.
Late summer last year, my husband and I were in central Italy enjoying the sun – and the sun-drenched olives and tomatoes and grapes – that Italy is known for.
We were holidaying Italian style: we rented a wonderful villa in the tiny town of Gioiella, Umbria (Villa Gioiella), practically on the border of Tuscany, and packed the rooms with three generations of friends and family. We filled the house with wine (so many bottles that it took more than one trip to the recycling depot!), fresh food, late nights and laughter.
The days were long and lazy – but we did get out to explore some of the local countryside, albeit not very efficiently, thanks to many “lost in translation” moments. For example: we drove two hours to the medieval hilltop village of Roccatederighi to take part in their “Medieval Times in the Borgo of Roccatederighi (Grosseto)”, which happens on the first weekend of August – only to discover that we were a week early! It seems that “the weekend” starts on Friday in Italy. On the other hand, we were late for (and therefore, missed out on) our pre-paid visits to the Etruscan tombs near Chiusi because we understood we were to arrive some time after 4pm, not by 4pm.
But, the sun was shining, the wine was good, the food was fabulous, and there were so many places to visit that I think we had more than our fill of culture and history.
Join me for a few highlights from the medieval towns that sit amid the rolling hills and vineyards of central Italy.
Around every Medieval Corner… As the roads crossed back and forth between Umbria and Tuscany, we were treated to repeated scenes of red roofs against dusty green olive orchards and fluffy white clouds against blue skies. (iPhone6)
Steps to the Citadel Castiglione del Lago, Umbria, was the city closest to us, so it was where we spent much of our time. Like other medieval cities, the best access was on foot: we’d park in the “newer” neighbourhoods, and walk up to the old walls of the “Castle of the Lion on the Lake.”
The Fortress and the Fountain The Castle of the Lion was built on an island in the southwest region of Lake Trasimeno in the mid-1200s. Over time, the growing city extended beyond this original island by land-bridge, leaving the well-preserved medieval fortress and historical centre bounded by water on the remaining three sides.
The Fortress of the Lion The pentagonal-shaped castle was built by Emperor Frederick II and finished in 1247 CE.
Inside the Old City The old fortified city and its three piazzas are now filled with shops and restaurants.
Old City Gate Three gates lead in and out of the old city.
Bell Tower There are three churches within the old city walls; the bell tower of the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena is the most visible. (iPhone6)
Saleswoman It is the people that make a city. The people in Castiglione del Lago are passionate about their food: …
Saleswoman … their wine, their olive oil, their soup mixes, and in this case, their truffles. The truffles here were the absolute best, she assured us.
Painted Ceiling The Renaissance style Palazzo della Corgna or “Ducal Palace” was predominantly painted in the late 1500s. It now operates as a museum.
Window over the Fortress From the Ducal Palace you can look to the walls of the fortress…
Through the Corridor … or you can walk to them through the covered corridor, built in the early 1600s.
Castle Courtyard From the Medieval Fortress, looking back to the Ducal Palace, the most predominant feature is the olive grove.
On top of Castle Walls We enjoyed glorious summer weather as we walked around the ramparts.
The Lake Beyond There are great views over Lake Trasimeno and the surrounding countryside from the top of the castle walls.
Up a Castle Turret The Castle of the Lion (Castello del Leone) features square towers in four of its five corners and a triangular shaped bastion in the fifth.
Looking over Lake Trasimeno
Sun on the Ramparts
Castle Ramparts
Olive Grove Ancient olive trees grow in the shelter of the ancient walls. They may well have been planted when the fortress was new: olive trees often grow to be centuries old.
Castiglione del Lago Street Outside the museum/castle grounds, the old streets are cobbled, narrow and charming.
Scooter Nothing says “Italy” to me like a scooter – even if it is a Japanese model!
Tile City Map Outside the old walls, there is a ceramic tile map of the city sights and surrounds.
The Citadel A late evening sky makes the Castle of the Lion (Castello del Leone) look even more imposing.
War Memorial Of The First And Second World War (1923) Chiusi, only thirty minutes away in Tuscany, is another charming medieval city who’s origins date back even further, to the ancient Etruscans and the centuries before the Modern Era.
Chiusi Arch The cobbled laneways in these old, medieval cities are narrow, winding, and often covered with arches. They are also well lived in: festooned with laundry and decorated with colourful plants.
Inside “Saint Secondiano the Martyr” The history in the buildings goes back for years: the Saint Secondiano the Martyr Cathedral dates to the 6th century.
Chiusi Street Tourists admire the old, narrow, streets. (iPhone6)
Statues in the Atrium Chiusi is known for its National Archaeological Museum which houses priceless Etruscan artefacts.
Canopus Headed Urn The Etruscans, from whom the name “Tuscany” is derived, had a complex civilisation. Although little is known about their origins, they left behind artworks in terracotta and bronze, and elaborate underground tombs. This beautiful bronze canopic jar dates to the 6th Century BC.
Etruscan Canopic Urn A terracotta head and other pottery, dating to 675-650 BC.
Etruscan Sarcophagus An ancient sarcophagus, dating back to about 800 BC: the sarcophagus itself depicts the battle of the Greeks against Gauls. Many of the sarcophagi were carved from la pietra fetida, a type of limestone that smells due to its sulphur content.
Roccatederighi Another medieval city on another hillside, Roccatederighi comes alive for its annual medieval festival; what a shame we missed it!
Sunset Many were the bottles of wine we drank as the sun went down over Gioiella, Umbria, Italy.
- Performing the Ganga Aarti from Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi
- Buddha Head from Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
- Harry Clarke Window from Dingle, Ireland
- Novice Monk Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, Myanmar
Packets of 10 for $AU50.
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What a wonderful place to put down anchor!
Food, family, friends…
