That's what we experienced last night! I was lucky enough to catch it. Or should I say good enough!! hey hey! I'm quiet proud have to admit!!
28 August 2007
Monastery-Museum of Choijin Lama
The entrance. I love this picc! you can't really see but the sky was sooo blue!
The main temple "Maharaja Sum", which contains a great amount of statues of Sakyamuni (the historical Buddha), Choijin Lama and Baltung Choimba (mummified remains are inside the statue) If you wander who this people is... I wonder too! apart for Sakyamuni, my Buddhist knowledge is quiet poor.
The ceiling, amazing piece of work on the main temple "Maharaja Sum"
On the right hand side you can see a faded painting, with bloody heads and bodies, which represents hell. What I love is the care of detail, every little piece of wood is painted or sculpted. Beautiful!
I love this Buddha! He looks like a lunatic! I feel somehow related to him, "astonished" should I say!! Sorry is not blasphemy, but you have to admit is a great look!
"Hell" again, very expressive!
I wasn't supposed to be taking photos inside the temple, but couldn't resist, no flash - no harm!
I wasn't supposed to be taking photos inside the temple, but couldn't resist, no flash - no harm!
In front of the Zuu Sum, the temple dedicated to Sakyamuni.
Where only a few selected people were aloud!
The entrance on the way out, if that makes any sense!!
The entrance on the way out, if that makes any sense!!
And finally the little "art shop- library"...
26 August 2007
Gandantegchenling Khiid (monastery)
Meaning "the great place of complete joy" is the largest monastery in Mongolia. And not only it's beautiful on a sunny day like that, but it has such an interesting history. It was first started in !*£* but like most monasteries in Mongolia the purges of 1937 felt heavily. It's only in 1944 when a US vice-president (Wallace) asked the Prime minster (Choilbasan) to see the place, that they reopen it, and the place became a sort of show monastery. This until 1990, when full religious ceremony started.
The main building is Migjid Janraising Sum, with the new statue "Migjid Janraisig", build in 1996 (as the Russians remove the ancient one (some people believe they melted to make bullets)) and consecrated by the Dalai Lama on the same date.
The "kora" (I think) praying paths
Details, there were so many things, I want to go back with someone who has a wider knowledge of Buddhism to get some of it!
The monk and the praying old person! I couldn't help it but to take a photo hiding the camera! There was a better one but this blog does not like portrait format! in front of the Library of the monastery by the way!
The Ochidara Temple or Gandan Sum, where the most important ceremonies are held. inside that building there's a large statue of Tsongkhapa the founder of the Gelupa sect (Couldn't take photos). You can also see what I call the praying barrels, also known as the Kora, the pilgrim path.
That temple on the background is where the 13th Dalai Lama stayed in 1904.
I couldn't get away with the discreet photograph!!!! they spot me!
They sale grains for the pigeons.
Once again some praying spots, but I'd like to read more about it or bring someone with me to explain. They turn 3 times, sacred number, all I could spot!
With Gecca, my fellow tourist buddy!
Some people
The whole group that arrived last week. We were kindly invited by Joe for a Filipino dinner!
In the kitchen (from left to right) Jon, Gecca, Ruth
(front) Lesley and me
In the kitchen (from left to right) Jon, Gecca, Ruth
(front) Lesley and me
quote: "I have to look at you to be able to smile" (Gecca and Rob)
(they are looking at the screen while i write this!)
Bridge School
Here is where the martyrs arrive every morning , to learn some Mongolian!! 
The bus that picks us up in the morning and bring us back. The poor guys (driver) has to listen to our crappy practice, and get the "what's your name?" at least 10 time a day! Bless him!
The bus that picks us up in the morning and bring us back. The poor guys (driver) has to listen to our crappy practice, and get the "what's your name?" at least 10 time a day! Bless him!
The classroom, 4 of us, so no way of escaping. From tomorrow on Terry, an other volunteer that arrive today, will be joining us.
On the pic Lesley (left) Aimee (middle) Zuhura (right) and the Teacher Chinguei. And me behind the camera!Chingis Guesthouse
The nice little guest house, I've been staying and will be staying till the end of he training. The amazing view from the balcony! Where I have my tea and cig. The blocks look quiet grim from the outside they are actually quiet nice from the inside!
Every morning there's some people exercising in this park, it does make me feel guilty but not enough to make me go downstairs!!!
Every morning there's some people exercising in this park, it does make me feel guilty but not enough to make me go downstairs!!!
And finally the block very Russian style, apart from the smell (sort of cheesy with rubbish) the inside of the flat is nice. The trick is to go really quick on the staircase!
24 August 2007
It's been a week!
Ok writing this blog has been an experience... Hmmm is when I realise that either this technology has a mind of it's own or I'm just getting old and I just don't get it! More likely to be the second option!
Anyway, let's keep on going!
So Ulaanbaatar! the city of the "red hero", found @ 1500m. I do not intend to give you a history, geography, sociology lesson. But out of my astonishment as a new arrival, I do find amazing that such civilization is so bad know by the general public.
This city (I can't really say country yet as I haven't seen much of it) is outrageously incredible. How couldn't they not be if they survive such extreme temperatures and conquer the world!?
As the summer season the whole city is being rebuild, the extreme cold not only doesn't allow such work during winter but also it damages the strongest structures. So as a consequence the roads are up side down and builders work 24/7. And to add some movement, it has been raining since i got here (no seriously this is not funny, I was in such bad mood when i saw the rain this morning! isn't this supposed to be the 300 days a year of blue sky!!!!!), the roads are quiet epic! I'll try to get some pictures!
Something funny, well not funny but impressive. Is the way the city is build, you have a few main boulevards in a russian style. And between them is a total mess. You need to know your way as names are not an option here, and shortcuts here are the thing, in between buildings and between fences!. I've learn a couple but there's a bunch to discover.
I've tried, quiet hard as we have a pretty full time table during this 5 weeks of In-Country training (language courses in the morning and training in the afternoon and some stuff night time: the fun bit), to go around the city: in discovery trips. And I have to say that I very much like it. It's a total mess, it's dusty (when it's not raining!!!!!!), the traffic is chaotically dangerous (the crossing the road has a code of itself: the jungle!!!). I can't really communicate with people (you should've seen me in the market trying to buy some fruit!!! it was sign language!), I don't get what people say around me, blah blah blah, but I love it! It's certainly the novelty but there's something about this city. I've been to an art gallery which was closed but we were invited in by the artist who was taking all the work out the walls and had a great conversation in polish (!!!!!! seriously, he didn't speak english but did some polish and Rob one of the guys is half polish) he explained all the symbolism he tried to project, it was amazing and quiet surreal. And tonight was the folk night "Tumenekh", with some dancers (I know what I'll be doing for the next 2 years! so beautiful and charmant), a throat singer (woawwwww seriously i never heard it live! bloody hell that was serious singing, not only the sounds are amazing and you have the feeling the person is connect with a 4th dimension, but the power, the strength of it, I think i had my mouth open all the way) and then the contortionists (this 3 girls, seriously it wasn't physically possible!) Check the photos!
Also, I love waking up in the morning, going to the balcony with a cup of tea and a cig (I know I was supposed to stop! no comments!) and watch the people passing by or exercising in the park/square in front of the building with a beautiful mountain on the background (I tried to take a photo today but it was all foggy and rainy! so it'll have to wait! if it does stop raining!).
Well that's all for today, I've done quiet well, let's see if i can download the photos now!!! Or I'll feel sorry for myself again!!! Why doesn't it want to download the portrait format one!!!
Anyway, let's keep on going!
So Ulaanbaatar! the city of the "red hero", found @ 1500m. I do not intend to give you a history, geography, sociology lesson. But out of my astonishment as a new arrival, I do find amazing that such civilization is so bad know by the general public.
This city (I can't really say country yet as I haven't seen much of it) is outrageously incredible. How couldn't they not be if they survive such extreme temperatures and conquer the world!?
As the summer season the whole city is being rebuild, the extreme cold not only doesn't allow such work during winter but also it damages the strongest structures. So as a consequence the roads are up side down and builders work 24/7. And to add some movement, it has been raining since i got here (no seriously this is not funny, I was in such bad mood when i saw the rain this morning! isn't this supposed to be the 300 days a year of blue sky!!!!!), the roads are quiet epic! I'll try to get some pictures!
Something funny, well not funny but impressive. Is the way the city is build, you have a few main boulevards in a russian style. And between them is a total mess. You need to know your way as names are not an option here, and shortcuts here are the thing, in between buildings and between fences!. I've learn a couple but there's a bunch to discover.
I've tried, quiet hard as we have a pretty full time table during this 5 weeks of In-Country training (language courses in the morning and training in the afternoon and some stuff night time: the fun bit), to go around the city: in discovery trips. And I have to say that I very much like it. It's a total mess, it's dusty (when it's not raining!!!!!!), the traffic is chaotically dangerous (the crossing the road has a code of itself: the jungle!!!). I can't really communicate with people (you should've seen me in the market trying to buy some fruit!!! it was sign language!), I don't get what people say around me, blah blah blah, but I love it! It's certainly the novelty but there's something about this city. I've been to an art gallery which was closed but we were invited in by the artist who was taking all the work out the walls and had a great conversation in polish (!!!!!! seriously, he didn't speak english but did some polish and Rob one of the guys is half polish) he explained all the symbolism he tried to project, it was amazing and quiet surreal. And tonight was the folk night "Tumenekh", with some dancers (I know what I'll be doing for the next 2 years! so beautiful and charmant), a throat singer (woawwwww seriously i never heard it live! bloody hell that was serious singing, not only the sounds are amazing and you have the feeling the person is connect with a 4th dimension, but the power, the strength of it, I think i had my mouth open all the way) and then the contortionists (this 3 girls, seriously it wasn't physically possible!) Check the photos!
Also, I love waking up in the morning, going to the balcony with a cup of tea and a cig (I know I was supposed to stop! no comments!) and watch the people passing by or exercising in the park/square in front of the building with a beautiful mountain on the background (I tried to take a photo today but it was all foggy and rainy! so it'll have to wait! if it does stop raining!).
Well that's all for today, I've done quiet well, let's see if i can download the photos now!!! Or I'll feel sorry for myself again!!! Why doesn't it want to download the portrait format one!!!
Now you'll be able to see the difficulties i've been envcoutering!!! this bloddy machine keeps turning my photos, no matter what i do with them!!! Well I put them anyway so you can have a look at it !
Those girls where amazing seriously, it was no physically possible, try to spot the different parts of the body!!!
22 August 2007
The National Park (Saturday 18.08.07)
The place was amazing unfortunately it rained most of the time, so visibility and colours are a bit lost. I'll definitely be coming back there soon, and with not on a horse!
A river for everyone and everything! It was cold I try, just try to go in but after I felt the water with my toes I drop the idea!
A river for everyone and everything! It was cold I try, just try to go in but after I felt the water with my toes I drop the idea!
Is it our next meal??
At the National Park, with Greg and Zuhura, whom arrived at the same time, and I should be sharing accommodation with Zuhura (we'll know more in a few weeks)
And this is what 4x4 are for! Should show the pic to some Chelsea owners!!!
The food we got, and where it came from! pretty gross I know!, but we literally found the head close to the kitchen!!! But hey! no way i can be a vegetarian in here! I'll starve! Or eat rice and egg for 2 years! (NB for the vegetarians willing to come and visit i'm exaggerating, although is quiet hard as people here dont understand the concept of vegetarians!)
A last shot!
The group of NEW volunteers with some OLD (as in time spend in the country of course!!!)
Ok I tried, but i cant anymore, this machine has a mind of its own and i don't have time for it now!! So I'll try to download some more piccies an other time!
It's seriously doing my head!!
Ok I tried, but i cant anymore, this machine has a mind of its own and i don't have time for it now!! So I'll try to download some more piccies an other time!
It's seriously doing my head!!
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