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The
name Mongolia stirs up visions of an untamed and exotic country of warlord
Genghis Khan, wild horses, infinite steppes and camels wandering across
the Gobi Desert.
Today,
Mongolia remains one of the last great adventure destinations in Asia
and as soon as you step outside it’s sleepy capital Ulaan Baatar, you
begin to wonder if you haven’t stepped into another century.
The
Transiberian Railway branches off after lake Baikal and nears the border
to Mongolia, a huge, landlocked
country about 3 times the size of France, squashed between China and
Russia. Ulan Baatar is laid out lavishly, as if it was thought to grow
indefinitely, and features cows and sheep on the streets, laid back
locals in traditional dresses and gers, the traditional mongolian mobile
home, right in the centre of town. After a couple of days spent sightseeing
and in the Museum of Natural History, where two complete dinosaur skeletons
are displayed, I’m lucky to find a driver who speaks some english and
is ready for the thousand mile trip I had planned.
Paved
roads end soon after Ulan Baatar and are replaced by mud tracks that
cut through the endless grassland in many directions. I must have misinterpreted
the red and yellow lines indicating “major roads”, when I studied the
map. The scenery doesn’t change much, but is fascinating to watch nontheless.
The
light and colourshades change constantly. Eagles and hawks circle over
us, preying on marmots that start to run when we pass by and herds of
horses and yaks are driven across the meadows by wildly galloping mongols.
Observing
them, the nordamerican plains indians come to mind. During a time, when
they where free to roam the country on horseback, hunting buffalo. The
white domes of the mongolian felt tents look like teepees and the long
sticks in their hands seem warlances.
And
warlike indeed they where: it was during the late 12th century, when
a 20 year old boy named Temujin managed to unite most of the Mongol
tribes. In 1189 he was given the honorary name of Genghis Khan, meaning
“universal king’. He then went on to unleash his cavalry armies: against
the whole world, establishing the biggest empire ever know to mankind.
From then on it went downhill for the Mongols and only a century ago,
there were so few of them left that it seemed their ancient, nomadic
civilisation might disappear altogether. Now the country has a constitution,
multiparty elections and governing democratic istitutions. And for the
first time in centuries the Mongolians are no longer colonial subjects
of the Russians and Chinese.
One
night we are offered hospitality in a mongolian ger. Since a related
famiiy had just arrived, I get the chance to watch how a felt tent is
set up. It’s really the ideal home for a nomad. Easily moved, quickly
erected, stable and warm. The inner and outer covers are made of animal
hide or canvas; an insultaing felt layer is placed in between and all
is supported by a collapseable wooden frame. The layout of the interior
is universal: the door allways faces south; towards the west is the
place of honour for the guests, while the back of the ger is the place
for elders and the most treasured possessions, Buddhist images and family
photos. Then the women serve shorlog, a mongolian type of shish kebab
and khuushuur, large fried pancakes made with flour and mutton, that
sit in the stomach like a lead brick. As the evening wears on, I am
offered shimiin arkhi, an awful tasting alcoholic beverage obtained
through distillation of fermented horse milk. Breakfast, the most important
meal for Mongolians, consists of guriltai shol, a brew of boiled mutton,
lotg of fat and noodles; aaruu, a type of milk curd as hard as a rock
and about as tasty and aarts, fermented cheese with a smell that clears
your sinuses instantly.
The
whole meal is washed down with salty tea and airag, the mildly alcoholic,
fermented horsemilk known to Mongolians since thousand years before
their conquests. The driver claims to be able to tell of what part of
the country a particular airag comes from and buys a couple of gallons
from our hosts. The next day we reach Erdene zuu, 230 miles east of
Ulan Bataar. This imposing monastery, whose construction started in
1586, lies at the exact spot where Kharkhorin, the ancient capital of
the mongol empire used to be.
Nothing
of that city remains and whatever was left, helped build the monastery,
considered to be the first Bhuddist Lamaism centre in Mongolia. Badly
damaged during the Stalinist purgesl today the monastery retains much
of its former glory and serves as an active buddist temple. Mongolians
have always taken Tibetan Buddhism wholeheartedly and the links between
Mongolia and Tibet are as ancient as the country itself. We leave Erdene
Zuu the morning of the following day under a blue sky. Turning north,
we pass the hotsprings of Tsenkhendrin Khallun and continue towards
lake Khovsgol Nuur, 480mi north-west of Ulaan Baatar where we arrive
after four days of a bumpy drive. The lake is sacred to the locals who
refer to it as “mother”. 1t’s full of fish and the area is home to wild
mountain sheep, ibex, bear and moose, as well as over 200 species of
birds. You can kayak on it or ride a yak or horse around it. But you’ll
need a compass, plenty of water, food and cold weather gear, as sudden
thunderstorms and icy winds can come out of nowhere even in summer.
This
is the furthest I’ll get during this trip. During many nights I have
slept in my tent, so 1’m glad to be invited again into the ger of a
mongolian family. After the formal exchange of gifts and compliments
I feel immediately at home. The mongols are a high spirited, good natured
people. The next day I ride along with a group of youngsters who watch
over their herd of animals. They are excellent riders and pleasant,
humourful company. The Mongolian way of life is intimately connected
with the animals. Without them they could not survive, since they provide
food, clothing and transportation. Still today yaks and camels carry
one third of the whole cargo in the country. Most wintercoats and boots
are made of jakskin. And the diet consists almost exclusively of animal
meat and animal dairy products.
(traduzione
dell'Autore)
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