Day 8

We started the day with a visit to the Erdenezuu monastery exhibition displaying appliques and Buddhist statues, then on to the reconstruction of the pavilion that used to be situated in the middle of ancient kharkhorin (Aka Ho-Lin/Qara Qorin). I found it very impressive how a whole city, not even just a city, one with the power and influence it had, ruling the great Mongol empire, can just disappear. It makes me want to grab a spade and dig in to find the hidden messages and treasures.

We stopped for a quick resupplying and the weather turned. We stopped for lunch (and ran into three French travellers also stuck by the weather) and decided to change plans, as we did the car broke down.

After trying to fix the car unsuccessfully, a local nomadic family Idra knew from the gobi in the summer came with their truck high with hay for the expectant harsh winter ahead. We piled in the front and Idra and Bimba clambered on top holding on tightly, as we drove through the snow to their winter camp, mongolian music blaring. Their gers and pens for their animals were tucked away sheltered by the surrounding rocky mountains.

The elder man and woman have the most amazing faces, wrinkled and dark by a hard life in the elements, but kind.

We camped by a cow dung fire (argal in Mongolian), suprisingly not so smelly, ate drank tea and enjoyed the new company. Graciously, the lady of the place kept the fire going for us during the night.Read more