I dont know where to start, if I should explain Tsaagan sar or the Gobi trip.
Very briefly. Tsaagan sar, which literally means "white moon" is the lunar new year. This with Nadaan in the sumer is the main festivals in Mongolia.
In a way is the equivalent of Xmas and new year together. Lamas decide of the day the new year will start (very complicated somehow, as some days of the week are not good to start things). Life stops during those days. Is the moment to visit/greet family and eventually give presents. During those visits you are supposed to eat and drink like 10. To it loads of traditions intricate. Such as the way you greet people: arms underneath if you are younger while sniffing one another.
Food and vodka flood and the "no thanks" is not considered as an answer! Do you remember the "buuz" I showed you at the beginning? That's part of the traditional food, and i can assure that after 10 mouton tails you dont feel al that great!
So with the idea of avowing these as well as to escape from a dead city (i could actually cross the street without having an adrenaline shot), with some friends we decided to get out and do some visits. The final vote went to the Gobi (pronounced Govi in mongolian). Is common belief that you need to travel far to see the sand dunes so well known, but North Govi a few hours away (6 hours, all is relative huh?) has an amasing landscape. I'm not gonna spread the beauty of this place, you'll get a glimpse through the photos. however, I just need to point out (probably once again) the immensity of this land. It does take my breath away every-time, infinite and so stunning. Makes you realise how small you are, I know is a big cliché, but there's a reason why cliché exist.
The idea of the trip was to live it like nomadic. We had a driver (the best!) a guide and a russian van (my next property i reckon!) Off we went, we had food and were counting on mongolian hospitality for the accommodation (the reputation is based on true fact "yes come in, you can spend the night in our ger, it's gonna be 11 of us but it's ok!)
We drove for hours in the middle of nowhere, stopped when we felt like it, the best picnics views ever. All that with a lot of humor and a few giggles (check youtube: sophievda79)
Overall, amasing few days!
Very briefly. Tsaagan sar, which literally means "white moon" is the lunar new year. This with Nadaan in the sumer is the main festivals in Mongolia.
In a way is the equivalent of Xmas and new year together. Lamas decide of the day the new year will start (very complicated somehow, as some days of the week are not good to start things). Life stops during those days. Is the moment to visit/greet family and eventually give presents. During those visits you are supposed to eat and drink like 10. To it loads of traditions intricate. Such as the way you greet people: arms underneath if you are younger while sniffing one another.
Food and vodka flood and the "no thanks" is not considered as an answer! Do you remember the "buuz" I showed you at the beginning? That's part of the traditional food, and i can assure that after 10 mouton tails you dont feel al that great!
So with the idea of avowing these as well as to escape from a dead city (i could actually cross the street without having an adrenaline shot), with some friends we decided to get out and do some visits. The final vote went to the Gobi (pronounced Govi in mongolian). Is common belief that you need to travel far to see the sand dunes so well known, but North Govi a few hours away (6 hours, all is relative huh?) has an amasing landscape. I'm not gonna spread the beauty of this place, you'll get a glimpse through the photos. however, I just need to point out (probably once again) the immensity of this land. It does take my breath away every-time, infinite and so stunning. Makes you realise how small you are, I know is a big cliché, but there's a reason why cliché exist.
The idea of the trip was to live it like nomadic. We had a driver (the best!) a guide and a russian van (my next property i reckon!) Off we went, we had food and were counting on mongolian hospitality for the accommodation (the reputation is based on true fact "yes come in, you can spend the night in our ger, it's gonna be 11 of us but it's ok!)
We drove for hours in the middle of nowhere, stopped when we felt like it, the best picnics views ever. All that with a lot of humor and a few giggles (check youtube: sophievda79)
Overall, amasing few days!
Sur la route nous avons croisee un groupe de gazelles. Impressionant!
Enfin arrives au dunes de sable et neige! Le groupe, Richard, Chris, Ruth Senior, Ruth junior et Enkhe (la guide)
Le sable etait gelee, des que l'ont marchais dessus une sorte de neige glace apparaissait!Ce qui nous a rendu la tache (grimper la dune) presque impossible!
Enfin en haut
Nous avons du change de trajectoire pour y arriver!
Je vais me repeter souvent, mais le paysage etait a coupe le soufle!
La montagne d'argent
La legende veut que ce lac se soit forme par le gaspillage de lait de jumente d'une femme ... Le vent etait tellement fort qu'il nous faisait glisser sans le moindre effort de notre part! on a meme fait une course...
Et voila les ofrandes de Tsaagan sar, oui c'est une tete de mouton! Ds la photo de groupe l'espece de gateau change de taille en dependant l'age de la tete de famille. Plus d'annee plus de couches, les trucs blancs audessus sont sensee etre mangeable, et ils sont tous a base de beurre ranse! un vrai regale! (c'est de l'ironie au cas ou!)
La famille avec laquelle nous sommes restes le premier soir, en plus du guide et chauffeur. En fait, le pere vit la pendant l'hiver avec se 2 fils, car il garde le camp des touristes. Et sa femme et autres enfant vivent dans un autre endroit.
Le paysage etait a tomber par terre et le soir je n'ai jamais vu autant d'etoiles! NB: Le chien de garde, aller au ptt coin (ou voir les chevaux comme ils disent ici) etait un traumatise pour ma pauvre personne. Ce chien est enormeueueue! Bon j'ai survecue, alors on va pas s'etaler!
Le lendemain nous avons decide de grimper et aller voir la grotte qui se trouvais au somet. Le froid nous brulant les poumons nous sommes arrives!
A l'entree de la grotte! Nous avonc crut comprendre qu'on pouvait ressortir de l'autre cote de la montagne, mais ce fut un malentendu. Apres avoir galeree a mort pour y rentrer il a fallut grimper pour y resortir! Comme quoi ca aide de parler la langue hein? Ca nous a fait bien rire en tout cas! bon c'etait ca ou pleurer, rester dedans et mourir gelees!
In this country it's so cold during winter that the animals need coats!We stopped at this farm as we needed directions on the best way to go, to avoid getting stucked on the snow!
This lovely guy helped!Il fait tellement froid que meme les vaches ont des vestes!
On s'est arrete la car on avait besoin des conseils, sur quel route (c'est un grand mot) prendre pour ne pas rester coincee ds la neige!
Ce gentil monsieur nous a aide
Ce gentil monsieur nous a aide
Road signs! very impressive when is nothing around!
From there we found 3 gers and spend the night with them (3 families), loads of kids around playing with the camera, eating and drinking. Trying to communicate.
Some buuz!?
Candel light, no electricity!The proud grandma!
Pas d'electricite donc ce fut une soiree au chandelles
et la tres fiere grand-mere!
La famille au complet!
Vodka, food that's what you do as a tourist when hanging out in the ger!
I tried to make them turn their hands, explaining with gestures but no success!
Arghhhh! j'avais reussit a tourner quelques unes pourquoi pas celle-ci! je l'adore. Le lendemain matin on s'est reveillee et la dame a fait rentrer la chevre au moment du ptt-dej! j'adore!
Le groupe et la vue! A couper le souffle je vous le dis!The group and the view! Breath taking!
In the midle of nowhere a massive rock formation, which once held a monastery (sadly distroyed by the Russians) and transformed into a sort of resort. Now completely abandoned, although still a sacred place and people come from milles away. Au milieu du desert entre un masse des rochers se trouvait un monastere que les Russes transformat en un espece de resort. Aujourd'hui il est completement a l'abandon. Bien qu'il soit toujours considere comme un endroit sacree.
Ca reste un endroit saint, des gens viennent s'y recueillir et poser les soies blues dont le nom m'echappe pdt que je tape ceci!
You can see the monastery in between the rock formation.Le monastere est entre les rochers.
As it happens after driving for hours you come across a fantom town!
When driving in the middle of nowhere i asked to stop to take a few shot of the camels... The driver not only stopped but also went and grabbed one! He then wanted us to ride it! I'm a wimp! On roulait au mileu de nulle part, j'ai demandee a que l'on s'arret pour pouvoir prendre des photos des chameaux, meais le gars non seulement c'est arrete mais il a ete en chercher un et m'a demandee de m'assoir dessus. Chose que je n'ai pas fait! c'etait un chameau sauvage! J'aurai pt-e du!
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