The Great Wall! Banrinochocho!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Irkutsk to Ulan Baatar
Just a week ago I was working deep in the woods of Khamar Daban near Lake Baikal in Russia. From there I travelled via Trans-Mongolian railway to Ulan Baatar, Mongolia and then to Peking, China, from where I currently write. The difference between the three of these countries cannot be described shortly. The changes range from landscape to demography, politics to people, weather to food. It's remarkable!
Our trip to Mongolia was slightly tedious, because of various circumstances ranging from a unagreeable attendant to having only one bathroom to having an unpleasant odor from our carriage mate's feet. We made it, however, and it was worth all the trouble!
Mongolia... the one place on my journey I knew very little of and was hesitant to venture to! What a disappointment I would have had if I had missed this amazing country! Full of rolling hills, farm animals, and perhaps the last real cowboys on earth, I quickly fell in love with the place.
Our time was spent mostly on tour, west of the capital. It was expensive at $60 a day per person but worth it as the sites of the city are quickly exhausted. Our tour was well supplied with a guide/translator/cook and driver plus tent, food and supplies. Our driver also lived in Japan for 2 1/2 years and spoke some Japanese so we could communicate quite well even without our translator!
We stayed in a nomadic man's hut the first night and played a game much like Spoons. It was a bad game, because we had punishments for losing. It ended with me running into a neighboring family's yert in my boxer shorts asking if I could stay there for the night. I hope they don't shape their opinion of Americans based on me!:P
That was near the "little" Gobi Dessert, which is a slightly scaled down version of the "big" Gobi dessert, yet still desert-y. Almost manufactured in appearance, where the grass ended, the dunes began. That evening we had a lighning storm that made the sky turn orange at each flash. It reminded me of a pachinko parlor in Japan.
The following day we went to a Buddhist monestary and a lake, both that seemed surreal in their surroundings. At the monestary I drank a bowl of fermented mare's milk. It was sour but easy to drink. All of the young monks were drinking it during their study which made me wonder what exactly they were learning.
The lake was beautiful and from the peak where we first spotted it resembled a small puddle with the endless fields around it. We stayed there two nights and did very little except sleep, swim and eat. What a great tour!
Looking back, Mongolia feels like a dream; we didn't have much time there. Our experiences in that short period were incredible though and as we travel through Asia, contrasting the countries has been interesting. Maybe one day I'll find myself returning there (the translator said she'd marry me).
Our trip to Mongolia was slightly tedious, because of various circumstances ranging from a unagreeable attendant to having only one bathroom to having an unpleasant odor from our carriage mate's feet. We made it, however, and it was worth all the trouble!
Mongolia... the one place on my journey I knew very little of and was hesitant to venture to! What a disappointment I would have had if I had missed this amazing country! Full of rolling hills, farm animals, and perhaps the last real cowboys on earth, I quickly fell in love with the place.
Our time was spent mostly on tour, west of the capital. It was expensive at $60 a day per person but worth it as the sites of the city are quickly exhausted. Our tour was well supplied with a guide/translator/cook and driver plus tent, food and supplies. Our driver also lived in Japan for 2 1/2 years and spoke some Japanese so we could communicate quite well even without our translator!
We stayed in a nomadic man's hut the first night and played a game much like Spoons. It was a bad game, because we had punishments for losing. It ended with me running into a neighboring family's yert in my boxer shorts asking if I could stay there for the night. I hope they don't shape their opinion of Americans based on me!:P
That was near the "little" Gobi Dessert, which is a slightly scaled down version of the "big" Gobi dessert, yet still desert-y. Almost manufactured in appearance, where the grass ended, the dunes began. That evening we had a lighning storm that made the sky turn orange at each flash. It reminded me of a pachinko parlor in Japan.
The following day we went to a Buddhist monestary and a lake, both that seemed surreal in their surroundings. At the monestary I drank a bowl of fermented mare's milk. It was sour but easy to drink. All of the young monks were drinking it during their study which made me wonder what exactly they were learning.
The lake was beautiful and from the peak where we first spotted it resembled a small puddle with the endless fields around it. We stayed there two nights and did very little except sleep, swim and eat. What a great tour!
Looking back, Mongolia feels like a dream; we didn't have much time there. Our experiences in that short period were incredible though and as we travel through Asia, contrasting the countries has been interesting. Maybe one day I'll find myself returning there (the translator said she'd marry me).
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Two Weeks in Siberia
I just finished a two week work camp in Siberia near Lake Bailkal. We worked building trails in the jungle in the southern area of the lake with a team of 6 Russians and 6 foreigners. The organization is called GBT, for the Great Baikal Trail and is working towards maintaining as well as awareness of the lake's natural beauty.
The camp lay about 5 kilometers south of the lake and was in gorgeous, rather untouched jungle in the mountains. Near the camp and running parallel to the path we were on and were building was a prisitine river, perfect for bathing, swimming, drinking, etc.
Though I know almost no Russian, communicating with the locals was not a problem. We were provided with a translator, Julia, who quickly became known as Mama (well, at least among me and my friend Matt:). The people we were with were very hospitable and fun and almost every night was spent around a camp fire singing, or more often listening, to Russian songs. It made me realize how few songs I actually know the entire lyrics to!
I could spend a page thanking each person who I worked with but I for now, I'll focus on the man who bore the weight of the group on his shoulders. Our leader, Roma, was half man, all incredible. Every day he carried a chainsaw to and from the worksite wich was about 30 minutes from camp. On our return he carried the chainsaw, four shovels, a tent, two packs, and his own belongings! And boy could he laugh! He also brought his cat which would roam about the camp while we were working. Thanks Roma!
Spending time camping without electricity, running water, internet, etc. helped me simplify my life-style greatly and I began appreciating the simpler things more such as bathing and eating. Other things include singing, quiet time in the morning, sunsets, star-filled nights, bugs, soap, etc.
It was an incredible way to experience Russia and to meet its people but also a reality check. Without the daily distractions there seemed to be more time to think, pray, read, laugh, and experience life richly.
Tomorrow I leave for Ulan-bator, Mongolia. Two nights on a hot train! Yes!
J
The camp lay about 5 kilometers south of the lake and was in gorgeous, rather untouched jungle in the mountains. Near the camp and running parallel to the path we were on and were building was a prisitine river, perfect for bathing, swimming, drinking, etc.
Though I know almost no Russian, communicating with the locals was not a problem. We were provided with a translator, Julia, who quickly became known as Mama (well, at least among me and my friend Matt:). The people we were with were very hospitable and fun and almost every night was spent around a camp fire singing, or more often listening, to Russian songs. It made me realize how few songs I actually know the entire lyrics to!
I could spend a page thanking each person who I worked with but I for now, I'll focus on the man who bore the weight of the group on his shoulders. Our leader, Roma, was half man, all incredible. Every day he carried a chainsaw to and from the worksite wich was about 30 minutes from camp. On our return he carried the chainsaw, four shovels, a tent, two packs, and his own belongings! And boy could he laugh! He also brought his cat which would roam about the camp while we were working. Thanks Roma!
Spending time camping without electricity, running water, internet, etc. helped me simplify my life-style greatly and I began appreciating the simpler things more such as bathing and eating. Other things include singing, quiet time in the morning, sunsets, star-filled nights, bugs, soap, etc.
It was an incredible way to experience Russia and to meet its people but also a reality check. Without the daily distractions there seemed to be more time to think, pray, read, laugh, and experience life richly.
Tomorrow I leave for Ulan-bator, Mongolia. Two nights on a hot train! Yes!
J
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Toyama to Irkutsk
I am currently in the center of Siberia, in Irkutsk. We just got off the Trans-siberian train today after 3 nights and days. There were no showers, little food (bread,cheese,snacks,etc.), and no electronics; only time. It was amazing. The views were mostly of the Russian countryside which began much like the East with rolling hills and then became more like Oregon with dense pine forests. Russian people seem very nice and we haven't had any real problems yet. In fact, we were asked to have a drink with the train car attendants yesterday where we discussed American and Russian differences with the help of our guide book and hand-gestures. However, after they tried to charge us for what we ate and drink. That wasn't very friendly.
The ferry from Toyama to Vladivostok wasn't bad. We had pleasant weather and the seas were calm. There were various dancing groups on board too so we were given a free show! It was luxury compared to the dirty, dirty train!
Tomorrow we head out to our work project near the lake building trails for two weeks!
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