From Milk Tea in Mongolia by Aaron & Katy

A land of rich culture, spiritual vitality, and a unique, desolate beauty, Mongolia is an often overlooked but fascinating travel destination. Aaron & Katy, Realtravelers from Boston, recently spent some time in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital city. Their journal entry is filled with observations:

“Chinggis Khan, known in other parts of the world as Ghengis Khan, is attributed with being the first to unite all of Mongolia’s nomadic tribes under one rule back in the 1100’s. He is an almost mythical figure of pride and respect here evidenced by a massive new $7 million monument in Shukbaatar square, as well as his carved visage on a hillside overlooking the city. Of course, his name and likeness are also used in association with travel companies, vodka and beer, and anything else that can be thought of.”

Later, they visited the Manzhir monastery:

“Our final day trip out of town was to the destroyed Manzhir monastery one and a half hours out of UB. Other than the occasional local relieving himself on the side of the road, we passed little more than a few ger camps and semi-wild horses along the way. The monastery ruins sit in the beautiful tree lined valley of Bogd Khan National Park surrounded on three sides by steep rocky mountains. Originally established in 1733 with 20 temples and 300 monks, it was actively in use with a population of thousands when it was destroyed in 1932. During that time period, organized groups in Mongolia such as this were seen as a threat to communism and were destroyed. The population of the area was given the option to join the ruling party or be sent to work camps or death. The empty hillside terraces sit as a memorial to those who were lost here.” (more…)

Follow these interesting Realtravelers through their adventures by reading their entire blog Katy and Aaron’s World Trip 2007, and read the rest of their informative entry about Mongolia here.

Every picture tells a story, and theirs are particularly captivating, so don’t forget to take a look at their photos.

Useful links:

Ulaanbaatar Travel Guide
Mongolia Travel Guide
Ulaanbaatar Tourism
Mongolia Tourism