Tags
blue sky, camping, gers, Mongolia, nomads, rare, simple life, steppe, Weekly Photo Challenge
I’ve always had a fascination with the word “steppe,” a term I’d read in various books to describe the land over which impossibly exotic characters ranged – legions of Russian soldiers, swarms of Genghis Khan’s archers on horseback, camel trains of nomads traversing a vast, empty plain. I pictured the steppe as a massive shelf, an unbounded plateau taking a giant stride down from Russia and Siberia into Central Eurasia. I might even go so far as to say that I went to Mongolia solely to see the steppe, with its grasslands and treeless plains that spread out for miles and miles under massive blue skies. I saw the foray into this land as a rare opportunity to step off the grid and into the pages of history right up to this day.
In my last post, I noted my surprise at the newness and modernity of Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar. While I took pleasure in getting to know that city, my real joy in Mongolia was heading out to the steppe land west of UB. With one of the lowest population densities on earth, Mongolia is literally wide open, and I wanted to get out there and breathe in the vastness and, maybe, see a little of the life that takes place there, a life that feels far removed from that in the city.
The Mongolian grassland plateau is part of the biggest steppe region in the world, one that stretches from Eastern Europe (Ukraine) through Central Asia – a number of the ‘Stans (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan), Russia, and others. While there are now paved roads connecting most of the country’s provinces, the majority of roads on the steppe are bouncy dirt paths, often with no discernible lanes or traffic patterns.
The verdant plains of summer spread out like ruched fabric, rising and dipping, folding and wrinkling like thick, crumpled velvet. Often, the greenish-yellow moors are framed by brown and purple mountains, unfolding in layers for miles on end. The vistas are like watercolor paintings, gradations of color and light stacked from foreground to background until they melt into the heavens.
Little white gers off in the distance dot the landscape, and herds of animals roam freely, the sheep with the goats, the horses alongside the camels.
Unlike the leap into the 21st century that UB has taken in recent years, much of life on the steppe takes place just as it has for centuries, with people living in harmony with the land. Nomadic families move with the seasons, packing up their gers and their animals at least four times a year to find new pasturelands. In summer, access to water is critical, while winter brings a need for grasslands with minimal snow cover. In spring, the herders look for early flora to nourish the animals before birthing time arrives, and in fall, they seek out later-growth foliage to fatten up before winter comes around again.
Both the livelihood and sustenance of these nomads depend on their animals – primarily horses, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats. The Mongolian diet is heavily based on meat and dairy products, and days revolve around animal care and putting up food for future seasons. On a visit to a wonderfully engaging nomadic family, we helped milk the mares and the cows, then cut huge blocks of soft cheese into smaller pieces that were dried on the roof for winter consumption.
We drank airag, a fermented mare’s milk, nibbled on mutton dumplings, and savored a creamy rice pudding made with the cow’s milk we had helped procure minutes earlier. Animal fur, hair, and skins can be sold for use in the city as rugs, the famous Mongolian cashmere, and other products as a way to earn money to buy agricultural staples the nomads cannot grow (rice and flour among them), animals to breed (the most expensive, a camel, costs about $750), or supplies, like the gers themselves ($1000 or so).
Traditional herding life is likely to change and fade out in coming years as pressures to join the global economy increase and as younger generations develop ambitions beyond a life in the country. The families who still make their home on the steppe may live simply and freely, but they take small bites of the world beyond. They use solar panels for energy in their gers, their children go to school (which is compulsory), and, of course, they own cellphones, which are almost as attached to their ears as they are anywhere else! The darling girls I bonded with one evening knew their way around an iPhone – insisting we take selfies together and then taking (many, many) videos of me riding their horses.
I didn’t get enough time on the steppe. I understand the difficulty of taking people out into such unpopulated, unsupported areas and I get that most people can only take the ger camps for so many nights before craving a real shower and some wifi! But I could have stayed much longer, waking at dawn to see horses wandering through camp, bouncing down the dirt roads into the green suede hills, stopping to photograph a shimmering, lemon-lime wheat field or a posse of Bactrian camels, meeting the industrious and endearing local people, and reclining outside my tent at midnight to see the entire Milky Way clouding up a night sky unpolluted by other light sources.
The steppe was a rare treat, a dream come true, a step out of time and place, a pause button in the universe that I needed to see and experience for myself. If history holds, I will crave a return someday soon, and I will add Mongolia to the list of places I’ve felt compelled to revisit.
Tom Schultz said:
Beautiful photos. Very reminiscent (in geography) of the prairie of western Canada.
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lexklein said:
Thank you! I could see that similarity – I also felt at times like I could be in North Dakota or Montana. Those high plains under big, high skies can all feel very similar in their geographic simplicity.
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Tom Schultz said:
Of course, I didn’t see any grain elevators, as would be common in Saskatchewan! 🙂
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lexklein said:
True! Not much planting goes on among nomadic peoples!
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LaVagabonde said:
That wide open space is just breathtaking. I can hear the soothing silence and imagine how close the stars must have seemed. What a voyage.
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lexklein said:
It was sublime. The highlight of the trip by far and the part that will draw me back …
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The Snow Melts Somewhere said:
Looks amazing, I can just imagine the fresh air in that vast steppe. Was it windy? That white horse in one of those pics looks so skinny! Great pics, though. And yes the landscape does look like a painting. Solar panels and iphones! Were you on an organised tour, maybe some kind of private tour?
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lexklein said:
It was extremely windy. Dry, hot, and gusty. The greens and other colors were so soft; everything looked impressionistic! I did join a small group once there – through a company that specializes only in Mongolia, owned and run by a Mongolian woman and her American husband. They were excellent. No big productions, lots of deep knowledge of the country. I was lucky!
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The Snow Melts Somewhere said:
Sounds (and looks) great!
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graphicrealestate said:
Lovely! Thanks for sharing.
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lexklein said:
Thank you! It was a very special place.
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arv! said:
Lovely pictures and lovely place
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lexklein said:
Thanks – it really was a little slice of heaven!
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arv! said:
Great! 🙂
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CompassAndCamera said:
Wow, seeing the Milky Way in Mongolia! Your whole experience sounds amazing. Can’t wait to go there someday.
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lexklein said:
I really did love every single thing about the trip! Well, maybe not some of the weird meat, but I did learn that taking even the tiniest bite of something offered is considered perfectly good manners. It’s the effort that counts, not the amount consumed (thank god!). Hope you can go someday; I think you would love it! And yes, that night sky was a highlight – literally!
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CompassAndCamera said:
Ah, so great to hear that even just a small bite counts for something! We have very similar eating habits. Thanks for leading the way so I don’t need to be quite so worried! 🙂
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Alison and Don said:
Great post! Oh I would love to do this! It looks amazing – all that space! and meeting people whose lives are so different. I love your comparison of the landscape to fabric – beautiful. I think Mongolia just went onto the bucket list!
Alison
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lexklein said:
Oh, Alison, I think you would love it! I had little frissons out there on the steppe like you had in Egypt. It is an old and fascinating culture. I thought my attraction was the land and sky and space (and still do to a great extent), but I realized while there that my fascination with horses in my youth was perhaps part of the allure of this horse-centric country. Whatever it was, it was a deep pull, and I think it has me even more firmly in its grasp after the fact!
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awtytravels said:
Hi Lexi
This is something I’ve loved to do for quite a while but, as you seemed to imply, I’d like to spend quite a long time there. How does it feel to be sitting out there, in the open, without the sound of a jet engine, of a car, or a siren disturbing the night? It must’ve been great.
One of my favourite artists – and a bit of an interesting sod, born die-hard Commie and now a newborn Catholic – spent months in Mongolia. The outcome was a great album (search CSI’s Tabula Rasa Elettrificata if you feel like it).
Looking forward for more!
Fabrizio
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lexklein said:
Fabrizio, the silence out there was a real treat. Interestingly, in the dawn hours one morning, we all thought we heard a jet high overhead. Someone was saying that without all the usual noise pollution, we would not have heard that plane at close to 40,000′, but I don’t know. All I know is that was just about the only sound I heard except for my ger fabric slapping the walls when the wind picked up.
I’ll have to check out your artist. We know a guy who spent months among the nomads in southern Mongolia and I’m waiting for his book, too. It seems people are captivated and inspired by this place – a feeling I understand now having been there for even a short time. Its spare beauty and ages-old lifestyle seem to send a message!
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sustainabilitea said:
What a rare opportunity and since I’m unlikely to ever go there in person, I really enjoyed your post. In Wyoming where we go each summer, it’s mountainous, so not the same feel of distance, unless up on a ridge. But the open sky and all the start are the same and of course there are horses. 😉
janet
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Janet. Another commenter mentioned western Canada, and I found the steppe terrain reminded me a bit of the high plains in the U.S. – North Dakota, Montana, and yes, I could definitely see parts of Wyoming having that look and feel as well. I guess it’s the big sky more than anything, and the sparse population – both just give that feeling of openness.
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daveply said:
Looks like a fascinating, once in a lifetime experience. How long were you actually there?
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lexklein said:
It really was a special trip – one that I’d anticipated for a very long time. All told, it was two weeks, but that included some time in the capital, the Gobi Desert, etc. I could have spent the whole two weeks (and more) on the steppe alone!
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Bama said:
That vast steppe under majestic skies! It always fascinates me to learn about human’s ability in adapting to the harshest of the environment. The Mongolians are truly strong people. After all, from the heartland of its steppe once emerged an empire who controlled lands in Asia, the Middle East and all the way to Europe.
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lexklein said:
As you can tell, that whole ambience fascinates me, too! What I also learned and found really interesting was that the horse was the game-changer for the Mongols. Domesticating the horse and using it to travel over those wide-open plains and deserts was the development that spurred the empire-building more than anything. These days, horses continued to be revered and a huge part of everyday life.
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Bama said:
That’s really fascinating! Human’s ingenuity is boundless, although it often leads to tragedy. On a lighter note, did you watch any cultural performance in Mongolia? They have a very unique way of singing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXlExgh-YcU
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lexklein said:
Yes! I did watch these throat singers one night. It is very weird, but fascinating at the same time. What I really liked was the horsehead fiddle, which is also featured in your video. Thanks for sending it along – it was fun to see those wonderful people again!
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Marie said:
Lovely photos. It looks so quiet and serene, even though I imagine the wind howls when it blows.
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lexklein said:
Thank you, Marie. It really is incredibly peaceful, but you are correct that the wind is fierce out there. Some nights the only sound I heard in my ger were pieces of the canvas wrap slapping the walls of the tent. There is precious little out there to break the wind, so it comes through like a freight train on occasion! (Honestly, I could have used a little more wind in our first camp, where the thermometer hit 40 C – over 100 F!)
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Debbie said:
wonderful to see these photos and reminisce, Lexi. I used to wonder about directions: you could be in the middle of the grasslands, in the middle of seemingly nowhere, and after some time driving over grasslands, another car appears, and your driver stops and asks directions. I used to wonder what they said, how they gave directions.
was it like “go straight ahead till you see a patch of spikey grass about half a centimetre taller than the rest of the grass, turn left till you come to a clump of slightly brownish grass and turn right” ? etc… whatever it was, it worked. we got where we wanted to go.
Mongolia gets under your skin. for me, its something much much much more than just the amazing wide open spaces, the incredible vistas that pop out of nowhere and are picture perfect, the horses… sure other countries have them, but the culture and the whole feel of the place is nothing like Mongolia.
Mongolia is like nothing else on this earth. I loved it.
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lexklein said:
You sound as enthralled as I am with Mongolia! I agree with you – it is more than just the geography, but I think that physical openness has an effect on the culture and overall feeling, too. Have you been to Tibet? My initial interest in Mongolia was driven by my infatuation with Tibet; I thought they would have some similarities (which I still think having been there now). Both are permanently under my skin for sure.
As for the directions: we did get lost! Even with an experienced local driver, we stayed out with a nomadic family too late one night and tried to find our un-illuminated camp well after dark. It should have taken an hour, but it took three! Finally, someone from the camp drove out and found us and led us back. Quite the adventure! Did you go to the Gobi down south? That is where I really found it astounding that anyone arrived anywhere – nothing but flat scrub for miles and miles and miles!
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Debbie said:
I had to go to a Lake – Lake Khovsghol. I cant even describe the feeling of getting there, finally. the roads, the national highway – dirt tracks, the herds of camels appearing out of nowhere, the horsemen, the friendliness of the people, the stars, the stars, the stars so close. yes, maybe i’ll g back.
never been to tibet. a lot of similiarities with the buddhist monasteries.
the rock cairns – did you see them? if I knew how to put a picture in a reply to a post, I’d do it here. maybe i have to just do that blog post! 🙂
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lexklein said:
Yes, we saw a number of rock cairns. We picked one to walk around three times, pitching in our own small offerings with each circumambulation. You should do a Mongolia post!
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Debbie said:
finally done the mongolian post, for the rare photo challenge Lexi…. not a big story, just fotos and some poetic ramblings…. you said to give you a nudge if you didnt, find it… its here…. https://spaceshipchina.com/2016/08/24/as-rare-as-a-mongolian-moon/
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jewey said:
your photos are amazing! i especially like the one of the horses against the mountain background.
it feels weird to read the word “steppe” again after so many years. the first (and probably the last) time i heard it was from my english teacher back in the fourth or fifth grade or something. of course i had no idea what it was, or even how to pronounce it correctly. i’m glad that i have your blog and photos to give me an idea of what they look like in real life — beautiful!
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lexklein said:
Thanks! The horses were another beautiful part of the magnificent scenery. I felt the same way about the mere word “steppe.” It felt like something mysterious from my past – reading, geography class, etc. And then I was there, and it was as magical as I’d anticipated.
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jewey said:
oh, it’s magical, alright! it’s the kind of nature sceneries you’d wanna use as your desktop background.
looking forward to reading more of your posts.
have a great day!
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lisadorenfest said:
I want to walk into your post and stay there for a long while. Every picture a winner, but my favorites are the Camel with the Ger and the little Girl with the Ger. I never had Mongolia on my list, but now I do! Hug!
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lexklein said:
Lisa, that’s just how it was – a giant piece of scenery to walk into and never come out. Even as my travel mates nodded off to sleep on the bouncy roads, I could not get enough of the views. That little girl was my favorite; as much as two people with about 10 words in common can bond in an afternoon and evening, we did! She was adorable, but even better, she was a sporty little tomboy as I was at her age and we had a great time together!
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lisadorenfest said:
I too was a tomboy! No wonder we get along 🤗
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lexklein said:
My daughter, too. Tomboys rock!
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Mabel Kwong said:
What a beautiful place Mongolia is. Vast plains and rolling plains. Interesting to hear the locals moving their gers around ever so often. As you said, it is probably to adapt to the seasons as different parts of the region change as the season change. They must live minimally in order to move around so frequently and seamlessly. It is the first I’ve heard of them having iPhones. Then again, we live in such an ever changing world. That girl is so cute to have posed for your camera. Sounds like you and her and the others had a good time 🙂
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lexklein said:
Thanks for reading, Mabel! They do live minimally, but I was actually surprised at the heavy, sturdy furniture they have in their gers, given that they move at least 4 times/year. The family we spent time with was just getting ready to move to their fall pastures. It takes at least three camels to move everything, we heard, but now some families have a pickup truck to help with the moves each season. Nomadic life is fascinating to me. As I said to Lisa above ^, I really bonded with that little girl!
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Curt Mekemson said:
I’ve often had the experience you describe, Lex, wandering into remote back country with a backpack on, particularly in Alaska where you can step away from civilization and not see a soul for days, or weeks. I might add that the backcountry of Alaska, looks much like your photos of Mongolia.
I really like the way you caught the experience in both words and photos. And cellphones… how our world has changed.My favorite photo has to be the camel grazing. Perfect.
One other note, I am very lucky to live where there is little light pollution. Except for full moon nights, the Milky Way is available every evening. Thanks for your series. –Curt
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lexklein said:
I am a backcountry, backpack kind of gal! I absolutely need to get away like that at least once or twice a year. Thanks for your nice comments about the post and the photos; I appreciate it. And how lucky you are to live somewhere with good, dark nights. I never get to see that unless I travel, but it does make for some special memories of the trails or the campgrounds!
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Curt Mekemson said:
Yes it does, Lex. When I first started backpacking I live in Sacramento, CA and nothing was more magical than a clear Sierra Nevada night. –Curt
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twobrownfeet said:
Loved this post for two reasons, Lex. I’ve been dreaming of Mongolia for months (I’m so close and yet so far) and also, because your writing has taken me there virtually. It’s every bit of what I expected your experience to be. Your pictures are a treat. I loved the capture of the little girl with her peace sign. Such a peaceful and serene location. It’s a place I would love to stay in as well. Thanks for sharing this experience! 🙂
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lexklein said:
I’m glad you got a little vicarious enjoyment before you can pull this off yourself. You are so close physically and you’ve done so much thinking and research, too … hope the day soon comes that you can go! I loved spending time with the family, especially this sweet girl.
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darwinontherocks said:
I’ve watched a lot of documentaries about the steppe and how people were hunting over there. It was fascinating so in a way I share you interest with this ecosystem. It looks amazing to see it in real.
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lexklein said:
What were they hunting? I wonder if it’s more to the west, in the European steppe near Ukraine. I didn’t hear much about hunting in this area (more herding), but it could well be here, too. I do know they hunt marmots, but I’d be curious about your documentaries. Glad you enjoyed seeing a few pics!
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darwinontherocks said:
They were hunting fox with eagles and it was just amazing ! It was a documentary with David Attemborough. It’s called the human planet, there are different episodes and one of them is about Mongolia.
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lexklein said:
I’ll have to check it out. I know eagles are very big in western Mongolia. Thanks!
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darwinontherocks said:
It was so interesting ! It was free on BBC i player, maybe you can try to have a look.
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wanderingcows said:
I liked staying in the yurt. Maybe you know, but I didn’t figure out why sometimes they’re called yurts and sometimes ger. Your photos bring back wonderful memories … particularly as my camera broke early in that trip!
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lexklein said:
They are very cozy and comfortable places to stay! Yurt is a Russian word (originally Turkic), while ger is the Mongolian word. I’d be so bummed if my camera broke there! Now our phones are really decent cameras but in the past, that would have felt more like a true catastrophe. Glad my photos bring back good memories.
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thirdeyemom said:
This is so fabulous Lexi! What kinds of challenges lie ahead for keeping up with their traditional lifestyle? And how was the food given you don’t eat meat? Can’t wait to hear more. Gorgeous pictures!!!
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lexklein said:
I think there are certainly many herders who won’t give it up, but there are economic pressures and just so much hardship involved in living a nomadic life, especially now that they can and do get into the cities to see their alternatives. Just as the children of U.S. farming families have slowly left that lifestyle, so too are the Mongolian nomads moving into an easier city life. Herding is still a viable lifestyle there and a big part of their culture, though.
I learned that simply trying what is offered is just as polite as wolfing it all down (luckily), so I nibbled a mutton dumpling (“accidentally” spilled and didn’t eat the meat inside). Also, our wonderful guide told various people that I did not eat meat and they all made me something different. It was so sweet. When I visited the nomadic family, I did try all the food, but they made me a rice pudding with fresh milk from the cow outside, and it was delicious! We had a few people with us who did not even take an offered bowl of fermented mare’s milk (not horrible at all, surprisingly!) and that was just plain rude. I took everything they offered – even a snort of snuff! That’s the fun of traveling, I think – nothing’s gonna kill me!
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thirdeyemom said:
Wonderful Lexi! I can’t wait to hear
More!!!!!
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Photography Journal Blog said:
Great photos!
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lexklein said:
Thank you! The landscape there is so beautiful it’s hard not to get a few good ones!
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Peta Kaplan said:
Oh this is wonderful!! What an incredible exerience to have. The landscape of the steppe looks simply stunning. The round dwelling is very cool. Your description of nomadic life is so well written, so engaging. I just want to keep reading you……!
I have been to Bedouin life in the dessert in Israel, and had not thought much about Mongolia …but now I am. Thank you.
I have been “out of the loop” for a few weeks and look forward to catching up on your other posts of Mongolia!
Peta
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lexklein said:
Oh, thank you, Peta – you are very sweet! I need to catch up on your doings as well. You know, I had seen Bedouin life in the desert also (Jordan), but this was different – I can’t totally articulate it, but I think the greenness was a big part of it. It just felt so much fresher than the brown/red/yellow desert habitats, even though Mongolia IS really dry. I think it’s the Buddhist vibe also; it felt like Tibet sometimes, and there is a joy in the people that felt different from other nomadic people I’ve met. Anyway, it was marvelous and I highly recommend it as a destination for intrepid travelers such as yourselves!
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Amy Sampson said:
Beautiful images. I’m happy to learn that you survived meat eating. 😀
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Amy! It was such a pretty place, in a very simple way. As for eating, I was kinda hoping for very few food choices and some rapid and effortless weight loss … alas, there were more veggies and good dairy products and noodles and … you get the picture: no Mongolian diet for me!
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AndysWorldJourneys said:
i experienced the steppe on a long train journey northwards in Kazakhstan. It’s a truly unique and special part of the world. youre photos are amazing!
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lexklein said:
Thanks, Andy. After being in central Mongolia and reading a book about western Mongolia and all the Kazakhs there, I have a newfound interest in seeing Kazakhstan as well. Did you enjoy it? Did you spend time there or just ride through on the train?
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AndysWorldJourneys said:
i spent 3 weeks in Kazakhstan, but I didnt get to experience the steppe really except from the train and bus. i guess at the time it wasnt really on my radar, why im not sure…
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Shelley @Travel-Stained said:
Lovely words. You had me right out there on the steppe with you. We’ve yet to visit Mongolia, though it’s relatively close for us, but it’s definitely on the list.
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lexklein said:
Oh yeah, so easy for you! Well, maybe not with a baby! 🙂 I really, really loved my time there and recommend it highly.
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