Gobi Desert

A mongolian pool table at the ger camp.


The inside of our Yurt.


We stayed at the Gobi Sunrise Ger Camp.


Our Yurt.


Yes! In the desert! It feels so good!


Khamaryn Khid monastary. We got a tour from one of the monks. He learned English while studying in India.


The Khamaryn Khid monastray and temples.


We went to this place called Breat Rock. Women go and throw milk on it. It stunk like sour milk. The reason it is white is because the milk dried on it.


People tied scarves to breat rock.


On our way to enter Shambhala land.


A photo inside one of the meditation caves. Monks seal themselves inside the caves for 108 days of meditation.


We had to stike this bell three times before we could enter Shambhala.


Shambhala is one of the largest energy centers on Asia. We laid on the ground and soaked up the energy.


This is the ovoo in the Shambhala land.


There are 108 stupas in Shambhala land that connect to other worlds or demensions. Danzan Ravja was a famous Buddhist poet and author. People in Mongolia believe that he was a living god. He could fly to tibet and back. He said that when he died people could come to this land and be with him.


The jeep driver and monk took us to some sand dunes. It was so hot.


We had a Russian jeep drive us around the desert. It was fun.


Inside our jeep.


A path we walked to get from one area of the city to another. It was very dry in Sainshand.



Mnay of the houses had beautiful gates.


We got a hotel in town one night. The only room that was open was one with 5 beds. Yeah, we had some room that night.


The Gobi Desert's Effiel Tower.


A view from the train station. The culture center is the green building in the background.


The Sainshand sign entering the town.


Dog cooling off in Sainshand.

Camel Day

Ellen and I went for a camel ride in the Gobi. It was fun.

We went into the herders yurt and were given camel milk and cheese. I was getting kind of tired of horse milk and and to gather myself.


The camels milk was much cleaner than the horse milk. it was way more sour and really frothy.


This is the herders ger camp.


Getting on my camel.


Lots of photos of the camels and us.

Trans Mongolian Railway

The trains in Mongolia were wonderful. We had some trouble...noisy neighbors and sticky doors in the deluxe sleepers...


We got the deluxe sleeper. No more neighbors!


Ellen and I got stuck in our sleeper and had to yell for help. This girl and her brother helped us. After that they stayed on us because we were stupid foriegners. The little girl would stand in front of our door and play music for us. It was cute.


Dancing to our music.



Leaving the station.


The trains we rode. They look great.


Ellen took the top bunk.


Trying to read.


Our neighbors. The mother was from Mongolia but had lived in Austria for a long time. The kids were cute, but noisy.


Our train table. Our neighbors ate alot of weird food. The little boy ate a box of sugar cubes.

Mongolian Temples

Not alot of temples servived the communist purges. Almost 30,000 monks were killed. Thousands more were sent to work camps in Siberia. Over 700 temples were destroyed in the purges. We went to the Museum for Victims of Political Persecution and saw photos of the mass graves and many skulls with bullet holes. It was a very sad time. Buddhism is being restored, but it is difficult after being an athiest nation for so long. Buddhism has an influence on Mongolian law including strict no hunting laws. Mongolia is the only UN sancationed nuclear free country.


This is part of Gandan Khid, which tranlates to great place of complete joy. It is one of Mongolias most important temples. The statues that were inside were melted down by the Russians for bullets in 1937. New statues were donated by Japan and Nepal in 1991. This monestary was saved when US vice president visited Mongolia and asked to see a temple. Prime Minister Choibalsan opened it up after ordering the destruction of hundreds of temples. It was used as a show temple until the 1990s. It is now an active temple with 600 monks.


Migjid Janraising Sum. Very Tibetian.


This is the door to the Migjid Janraising Sum.


Caves inside the Choijin Lama temple.


Vampire from the the Choijin Lama temple.


Skull mask from the Choijin Lama temple.



We got to use a band with throat singing at the Choijin Lama Temple. Throat singing is called, khoomii. It was really nice.