Gobi Desert

From June 15 - 19 Judith and Scott travelled with their friends, Sarah and Simon, to the south Gobi Desert.  We flew from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad with our tour guide, Tsogii, then were picked up by our driver, Oogii, for the 66 km drive to the Three Camel Lodge where we stayed. The Lodge itself is constructed of wood and stone which is unusual in Mongolia; it is designed with strong Buddhist influences and does not have a single nail in its structure. It comprises a bar with a large sitting area leading out to a large veranda overlooking the plain. External doors off each side and at ground level lead to the washrooms. Guests stay in the gers such as that seen in the lower right of the photo above. The large ger with the orange door facing the Lodge is the Reception Ger and Gift Shop. Off to the left of the Lodge and attached by a covered walkway is the dining ger. The service was attentive and thoughtful and the meals were excellent!

The Lodge is hidden by a rocky rise behind the the buildings such that when approaching from the north one can't see Three Camels Lodge until well past the rise. We found distances and heights to be deceptive in the desert. Some of the rocky outcroppings show signs of the petroglyphs that are in evidence in several locations across the south Gobi. 

On our first full day we travelled to the Yol Valley National Park in the foothills of the Altai Mountains. An ancient river carved through the valley and the glacier ice was still in evidence once into the gorge . Yolyn Am (the Vulture's Mouth) is known for its varied birdlife and wildlife sightings. We were lucky to see 5 Ibex high on the ledges above us.

A herder had some of his horses near the entrance to the gorge. 

The ice was melting but we walked over a kilometre on its slippery surface. 

During our stay the weather was very un-desert-like, with some sun but often with cloudy skies. Near the end of the day the sun peaked out to illuminate the grassy plain leading out from Three Camel Lodge. The spring has been wetter than usual, accounting for a much greener and grassier desert. The herds will be fatter this year and better able to withstand the winter when it arrives. 

Day 2 saw us travel to Horgoryn Els, the Singing Dunes, which are among the largest in Mongolia. At their tallest they are 600 m high, 3 km wide and 180 km long. We did attempt to climb the dunes but only Simon made it to the top. Bactrian camels can be seen all over the south Gobi. Most have been domesticated but there remain 300 wild Bactrians known as khavtgais, now protected in Mongolia's national parks. It's clear to see why they are called the ships of the desert. 

Not originally on our itinerary but one of the many highlights of the trip was our visit to a "mini-nadaam" where horse-racing and wrestling matches took place after an ovoo ceremony at which the Buddhist monk chanted prayers to invoke rain and plentiful grass for the summer grazing. On the horizon can be seen the riders, all of them children on 3-year old horses racing towards the finish line .

Some of the riders rode bareback, some rode on traditional Mongolian saddles made of wood.

Some of the elders dressed in traditional deals waiting for action. 

Families came from their soums (villages) scattered throughout the area for the festivities but also for a day of socializing and catching up on news. 

Rain was prayed for and rain was what we got, along with several hours of thunder and lightning. The nadaam continued, despite the weather. The heaviest of the rain fell after the children on the 5-year-old horses had headed out to their 15 km race starting point. 

It was not sunny enough for the Flaming Cliffs to be flaming but they were spectacular nonetheless. These great red-orange sandstone formations that rise up out of the desert are known for the number of dinosaur bones and eggs found in the area. The Flaming Cliffs are rich with fossils and paleontological expeditions continue to make discoveries at this site. 

We were dropped off by our driver at one end of the cliffs and while he drove down the valley to meet us at the other end we walked along the top of the ridge.

No, that's not a mirage, it's an oasis. After the heavy rains of the previous day the water levels were a bit higher than usual but this really is a lake in the desert.

Greenery and flowers sprang up out of seemingly impossible conditions for growth. 

The oasis with the cliffs in the distance. 

We travelled everywhere in this Russian Fourgon. These vehicles are dependable, are easily repaired and can run on the most difficult of terrain. After several hours one feels significantly jostled but we always felt safe. There are no paved roads in the south Gobi, just desert tracks (and sometimes just desert, without the tracks!) 

Onon River Canoe Trip

During the first week of June Judith travelled with 2 colleagues and 17 students to the Khentii region of Mongolia on one of the school's experiential education field trips for 5 days of canoeing on the Onon River. The Khentii is the homeland of Chinggis Khan and is a 12-hour drive north and east of Ulaanbaatar. The first 3 hours was on paved roads, followed by 9 hours on dirt track over the steppes. We travelled in a school bus and 2 Russian vans to the village of Binder which was our starting point on the river. We camped in a large field beside the Onon River just outside the village. 

Russian Fourgon vans are extremely well-suited to travel on the steppes but they do break down. Ours suffered from a shredded fan belt but the driver had a spare fan belt in the vehicle and like most Mongolian drivers we've met, was adept at fixing his vehicle in record time. He waved on the other 2 vehicles in our convoy and caught up with us a half hour later. 

We forded several streams en route and while we saw almost no people we did see many horses, goats and sheep. 

Our canoe trip took us 120 km along the Onon River, with amazing views and sightings of many different birds. Each evening we hauled our canoes out of the water and pitched our tents on the banks of the river. Each day had a different, if equally stunning view. One of the vans held our camping gear and food, though we stowed our rain gear, water, lunches and camp stoves in dry bags in our canoes for our mid-day stop each day. The van met us at day's end, and with the exception of a couple of herders, our van driver was the only other person we saw along the river. 

We paddled 2 to each inflatable canoe, with a rubber raft bringing up the rear. Of the 13 grade 6 and 7 students, only 1 had been in a canoe before. We had 4 grade 11 leadership students with us who all had some canoe experience. No one capsized and we paddled the 120 km without incident, despite a few tricky sections of the river. 

Lunch stop on Day 4

It was a fabulous week!

Sunset in the Khentii, next to the Onon River. 

Spring Break in Turkey

During spring break Judith travelled with 2 colleagues to Turkey. They flew first to the Cappadocia region and stayed for 3 nights in a cave hotel in the village of Goreme. The region is geologically unusual with rock formations and fairy chimneys in evidence everywhere as a result of lava flows from ancient volcanoes. This is the view from just outside Judith's room, taken in the early morning just as the hot-air balloons were rising from the valley floor. Apparently balloon travellers get a magnificent view of the landscape but neither Judith nor her colleagues were tempted. 

Spring had sprung in Turkey but our first day in Cappadocia was windy and cold at -9 degrees. Ironically it was 10 above in Ulaanbaatar that day. On Day 2 we went on a tour of the area which included passage through and into some of the rock cut homes and churches dating back to the Byzantine era. The area was originally settled by the Hittites (1800 to 1200 BC), followed by the Persians, then the Romans. Early Christians took refuge in the region perhaps because there were so many safe places to hide. Underground churches date from the 4th to the 11th century. 

Turkey is known for its beautiful carpets and they are in evidence everywhere. On that first cold day Judith and her friends spent a few hours in a carpet shop in Goreme that had been recommended to them, enjoying the ritual of selection over endless cups of Turkish tea. And yes, we did come away with carpets. 

This is an extreme example of the results of lava flows that have occurred in the same place but have cooled at different rates and times. 

We stopped for a walk on the trails in one of the many valleys. Our tour guide referred to this as "Imagination Valley" because many of the shapes of the fairy chimneys are reminiscent of real-life objects. 

All of the openings in the rock faces are entrances to cave homes or churches that were carved out for use in centuries past. In most of the villages and towns there are bylaws in place that prohibit new buildings from using materials or colours that deviate from those of the natural landscape. 

Across the street from a winery that we visited a vendor was selling these evil eye charms. According to superstition these charms are intended to reflect back any evil looks given by anyone who carries a negative force. Tourists buy them as souvenirs but superstitious Turks still believe in the malevolent force and display these charms in their homes and shops. 

Long dormant, the volcanic Mt. Erciyes stands at 3916m. 

We visited a number of sites that featured magnificent examples of frescoes and mosaics but none so concentrated and so beautiful as those in the Chora Church. The building itself dates back to the 11th century; it was sacked during the Fourth Crusade and restored and embellished during the Byzantine Renaissance period in the 14th century. Many historical sites in Istanbul have at least some portion of their edifices under restoration, evidence that the country takes its history and its art very seriously. In addition to the Chora Church we visited the Aya Sofya and the Blue Mosque. The Aya Sofya was built in 537 by the Roman Emperor Justinian. In 1453 it was converted to a mosque by Mehmet the Conqueror and was proclaimed a museum by Ataturk in 1935. The Blue Mosque, so called for its extensive interior use of blue tiles, is the unofficial name of the Sultan Ahmet Camii. It took 10 years to build (1606-1616) and features 260 windows, 6 minarets and an enormous courtyard. 

Istanbul was in full bloom and early April is Tulip Festival time. There were mass planting of tulips everywhere as well as beds of hyacinths and pansies. After a visit through the Museum of Archeology we took a break at an outdoor café that looked over this park. 

It took us awhile to realize that there were parakeets flying in and out of the trees in the park. 

A visit to the Spice Bazaar is a treat for the senses! Many of the stalls carry a variety of merchandise but some are single item vendors like this olive seller. Samples may be tasted on request and just like the olives we felt we'd had only a small taste of Turkey in our 6 days there. Just enough to know that we'd like to return to capture some of the things we weren't able to fit into our short visit. 

Seoul, Korea

During the school fall break in October Judith and Scott travelled to Seoul, South Korea and spent 5 days exploring this Asian city of contrasts. The weather was perfect - in the high teens and low 20s - and we spent as much time outdoors as possible. We discovered this small city park not far from our hotel. 

Many small cafés and restaurants are either below street level or located on floors above. 

Each panel along the walkway through this park depicts an historic event.

This detailed and precise painted underside of the roof on a pagoda in a neighbourhood park is indicative of how well maintained the government keeps the parks, monuments and buildings. 

A walking path has been developed along this creek on both sides, with multiple entry and exit stairways to the street and the city above. The walkway meanders for several kilometres, with occasional stepping stones across the creek. It is frequented by walkers, runners and cyclists. 

A roving bookmobile, set up on a busy city sidewalk. 

There were many delivery scooters in Seoul, but not many were as beautifully adorned. 

The multiple street vendors were a fascination!

A re-enactment of a traditional Korean wedding ceremony in an historic replicated village.

The garden view from one of the traditional homes in the village.

The National Museum is built on the site of a park allowing visitors the opportunity to tour the museum and to enjoy the park as well. This is a view of the front of the museum from across across the pond on one of the park pathways. 

A beautiful example of original celadine pottery. 

We found the parks in Seoul to be numerous and well-designed, thus allowing many visitors without seeming too crowded. Many included small vegetable gardens as well as fitness circuits, along with unexpected and unusual objects of art. 

It was a city trip but we were happy with the opportunity to balance the busyness of this welcoming Asian city with many walks in multiple parks.