In August 2009, the leadership of the Translation Bureau was cleared, having allocated additional vacation for 15 days. Husband and children were eager to relax in the Mountain Altai. I didn't want to roam in the obedient places, the soul asked for mysterious gave. The solution was simple: adjacent to the edge, which my family adores, Mongolia. Placed its own in Gorno-Altaisk and went to Ulan Bator. In the evening, a long-awaited meeting took place.
Initially, the capital seemed too modern: near the pretty comfortable hotel "Tokyo Street" of structures, recreate an ancient national flavor, did not notice at the first moment. Only long enough to catch and smashing the streets on the streets, I found the erected Yurts, ancient gazebos-pagodas, in which in a sultry noon, and a rainy night, full of people. The neighborhood of frame dwellings and high-rise buildings is striking even among the eastern countries, not the fact that we, accustomed to the same-type solutions of Europeans.
In the old areas full of Japanese cameras. They, despite the rigor of the nature and the primacy of behavior, also can not hold back the exclamations of surprise. For the first time I saw a japanese treated Japanese here. Madame Ai Yatabe first long and loudly discussed the happiness to see such "fusion", and then dragged me in the yurt of his friends. From the street, the dwelling looked microscopic, but, letting inwards, struck the abundance of places.
The awkwardness passed immediately. New acquaintances met me extremely welcome, we were glad to be excellent tea with delicious baursaws (fried in ditch donkeys). Everything was nothing, until I was mentioned (the translator performed Madame Ai Yatabe): I want to climb Hanti to Mount. I instantly had to hear all the details of the life of Genghis Khan, whose grave, according to legends, is in this region. Plus, to get a warning that in Mongolia every elevation is a male or female, climbing the representatives of the other sex, promises. Here, indeed, the mountains respect the people. Therefore, they are clean on their vertices, quietly, beautiful.
No less well-groomed horses involved in horseback tours, which spent the time of centuries remain faithful friends of Mongols. By the way, outside the city met a lot of riders and kibilities. Where they are sent, I did not ask, because I don't know the language, and in the saddle always hold on terrible. I think it is precisely for such clumsy tourists within the outskirts of the Ulan-Bathanik, there are demonstration contests of riders, the battles of archers, Competitions to combat Boh.
Complete the first meeting with Ulan Bator decided to visit to Gobi on a special excursion jeep. The desert surprised only two moments: "Flying" of the herd of magnificent saigas and a modest amount of other prehistoric animals in the Dinosaur Valley. In the capital of Mongolia spent a lot in the bazaars. A few pairs of leather gloves brought from the journey, a sweater from camel wool, cashmere blouse, a decorative rug. All things are still "alive and healthy."