We decided to go hiking up a valley that overlooks the city, Ulaanbaatar (UB). This is where Kelly plans on taking one of her classes for an intergrated eco/science/nature/art session. But first, we have to get there. Climbing onto our bikes, we only have to ride a few miles up hill...
...until we get to the entrance to Bogdkhan "Resort!" Well, you can call it a resort, if you want, we call it a campground...
We lock up our bikes, walk around a couple of busy sports fields, and we are transported into a whole different Mongolia than the one we find in UB...
Wow, trees! Water, nature, fall colors, and a little snow (no sign of this in town). No sign of any of this in the tree-less, dirty, rubble-strewn streets of UB!
As we walked through wonderfully familiar fir, birch, and oak trees, we find that Mongolia suprises, yet again. Most of the fir trees...aren't! They are larch. They are quite unique for conifers and another example of how you can expect the unexpected in Mongolia; your learning never stops. For example, last year we learned, first hand, that the Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature scales converge at -40 degrees. This week we learned that the larch is not only coniferous, but it is also deciduous... the needles change color in the fall and drop off for winter. Much of what looks to be fir in these pictures are actually larch...
Having escaped UB, we start our walk into an alternate Mongolia...
Soon, the trail begins to follow a lovely little creek...
The creek almost feels Zen-like in some places...
A glimpse, through the trees, of our objective...
This looks like a good place for a lunch...and it was!
Playing peek-a-boo with a couple of Birch trees...
Playing peek-a-boo with the city, over the tree tops...
We get to watch as a dark snow clouds descend the northern hills of UB, while ominous shadows also cover the south, leaving only the central ger district in sunlight.
Coming down the hill, a different peek-a-boo view of the far northeast side of the city...
This is nature...
Playing peek-a-boo with the city, over the tree tops...
We get to watch as a dark snow clouds descend the northern hills of UB, while ominous shadows also cover the south, leaving only the central ger district in sunlight.
Coming down the hill, a different peek-a-boo view of the far northeast side of the city...
Next, you can just see the blue, glass-walled Sail building downtown (click to enlarge the picture). It is the first architecturally interesting building that has been built since the Russians left. Completed last year, one corner is sinking due to shortcuts taken during construction of the foundation. It has been declared unsafe and now must be destroyed! We say, "TIM" - That is Mongolia
This is nature...
Still farther down the hill, the city comes more into view. In fact, in the foreground (in shadow), you can make out our school... a low, orange and blue building just in front of a large, cream-colored apartment complex. The apartment complex is where most of the teachers live, including us. Home sweet home...
Back on our bikes, we are nearly home before we stop to look back at the valley we have just been hiking in. At the valley entrance, Chinggis Khan watches over all...
His presence must be a powerful one. Since the death of Chinggis, Mongolia has been invaded by Chinese, Japanese, and Russians. But, since his return to this hillside, there have been absolutely no invasions! All is well!
Back on our bikes, we are nearly home before we stop to look back at the valley we have just been hiking in. At the valley entrance, Chinggis Khan watches over all...
His presence must be a powerful one. Since the death of Chinggis, Mongolia has been invaded by Chinese, Japanese, and Russians. But, since his return to this hillside, there have been absolutely no invasions! All is well!
