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Travel Pictures - MONGOLIA - 2001 |
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| All images © Ron Miller |
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Mongolia has many different
landforms - forested mountains, treeless mountains, flat grasslands, and
desert -
central Mongolia |
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Looking through the paperwork for our
accommodations with our excellent host. I found Mongolia to be an
enigma -
despite being sandwiched for decades between two communist powers
(Russia and China), many Mongolians
revealed a deep appreciation for the free market as well as a strong affinity for America -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Window view of Ulaan Baatar below
mural at Zaisan Memorial, which honors Soviet soldiers killed in WWII -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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View from
the Zaisan Memorial of Mongolia's capital and the Tuul River -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Outdoor billiards is surprisingly
common in
this part of the world despite the cool to freezing temperatures
experienced throughout the year -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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A billiard hall with a view -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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A busy street in Ulaan Baatar's city
center -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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The past meets the present with this
"intersection" of
wardrobes -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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A run-down, Soviet-era apartment complex in the
capital city -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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East meets West as the free
market invades this former communist country
(note the flashy advertisement plastered onto this decrepit
apartment building) -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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One of several vibrant street markets in
the capital city -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Delicious fresh fruit can be purchased from these vendors -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Although much of the
capital city is disheveled and unkempt, the marvelous city center seems to borrow
the best from both ends of the Siberian
railroad. This enormous public square is nearly as large as China's Tiananmen and surrounded
by buildings with the colorful decor of St. Petersburg -
Sukhbaatar Square; Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Statue honoring Sukhbaatar,
the leader of
Mongolia's 1921 revolution -
Sukhbaatar Square; Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Close-up of the statue and some
local citizens "straddling the fence" -
Sukhbaatar Square; Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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A mongrel group of
revolutionaries preparing to set off and
re-establish the Mongol empire;
the Mongolian empire (during the 1200's) was the largest
contiguous empire in the history of the world -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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The cost in togrogs was very reasonable for
this photo of Genghis Ron -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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This stylish wooden entrance gate
frames the main temple of Mongolia's own Tibetan-style monastery -
Gandantegchinlen (Gandan) Khiid Monastery; Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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The Buddhist monastery is located within
the city -
Gandantegchinlen (Gandan) Khiid Monastery; Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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The temple's name translates into
"Great Place of Complete Joy" or possibly "Great Way to the
Cosmos" -
Gandantegchinlen (Gandan) Khiid Monastery; Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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The monastery was established in
1835 and suffered through communist atheism as well as Soviet oppression -
Gandantegchinlen (Gandan) Khiid Monastery; Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Vista of the capital from the
north suburbs (the Zaisan Memorial can be seen beyond the city at the base of the
hill) -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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A mixture of yurts and other dwellings
is typical of the poor suburbs -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Close-up of the mix of simple
dwellings interspersed with traditional yurts -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Hidden away just over a ridge from the capital is
an expansive cemetery -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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This corner grocery is a popular meeting
point and transit hub -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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These two distinguished gentlemen
welcomed us into their community as well as their country -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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The children are responsible for gathering water -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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The water must be hauled from the
community well to the individual homes -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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There are many small kiosks
scattered about the neighborhood that provide the essentials -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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I stepped onto this court for an
international basketball contest (I blame my defeat on home-court
advantage) -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Initially, we felt insecure
walking into this impoverished area, but the locals were overtly friendly
and welcoming -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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The children were curious and
eager to meet their foreign visitors -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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These handsome and well-dressed siblings were returning
home from school -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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More warm greetings and curious smiles from the
local youth -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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A picture of contentment as this youngster
grasps his
prized little truck -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Who needs a school bus with a
friend like this? -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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In all of my travels, I never
encountered more warmth and curiosity than that exhibited by Ulaan
Baatar's children -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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This photo is sure to brighten-up
your day and even put a smile on your face -
Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Photo of our go-anywhere, Russian-made jeep to travel into the countryside -
near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Even in Mongolia one
encounters urban sprawl! -
near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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The stunning countryside of rural
Mongolia -
near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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This pastoral landscape is reminiscent of Montana -
near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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The home of the family (typical
of rural Mongolia) that we visited on a day-tour -
near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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The family living in this yurt
maintain a herd of cattle (it was a breezy day!) -
near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Father, mother, and daughter
(their son was away at school) -
near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Despite a complete lack of
windows, yurts are surprisingly bright inside -
near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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We brought gifts of food to
supplement the traditional meal we were offered. The typical
diet of
rural Mongolians (in part) includes tea, yak milk, curds (coagulated sour milk) and
bread -
near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Family portrait at the dinner
table (note the fly in my brother's bowl of soured milk that he was unable
to
drink!)-
near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Mother and daughter seated in the
bedroom area; the yurt is a single-room dwelling
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near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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Close-up of mother and daughter -
near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia |
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The trans-Siberian train rolling
across the Mongolian steppe en route to China -
southern Mongolia |
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Dining car on the
trans-Siberian railroad; non-smokers could find relief only with their head out the
window -
southern Mongolia |
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Artisans displaying their works at
a train station near the Chinese border -
southern Mongolia |
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Chinese businessman returning to
China along with his
daughter -
southern Mongolia |
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All images © Ron Miller
For authorized use of these photos, please contact Ron Miller at TheHappyCannibal@gmail.com |
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