Archives
September 2015 We left Kharkhorin about mid-day and our goal for the night was to camp at the off-the-beaten-path lake of Ogii Nuur. We pulled off the main road to make lunch and Hishka decided to stop at a Ger on the way back to the main road. We were warmly welcomed by the family, even though our guides had never met them before. This was a fairly prosperous family as they… Read More
September 2015 This day would be our last in the Gobi Desert, as our goal was the ancient capital of Kharkhorin (Karakorum). First established in the 13th century by Chinggis Khaan, it become the capital of the Mongol Empire under Chinggis’ son, Ögedei. Alas, it only lasted for 40 years, until Kublai Khan moved his capital to Khanbalik , now referred to as Beijing. Our last views of the Gobi included a… Read More
September 2015 It was a long day of driving through the flat, gravely landscape, but it was worth it when we finally rolled up to the fabled ruins of Ongiin Khiid in the late afternoon. This complex is actually two monasteries across the river from each other. The one we explored was called Bari Lam Khiid and dates from 1810. READ MORE…
September 2015 The Flaming Cliffs, also known as Bayanzag (Баянзаг) – Dinosaur fossils – Roy Chapman Andrews had been one of my heroes since childhood. A fantasy incarnate – our exploration of the Flaming Cliffs. READ MORE…
September 2015 Petroglyphs – this form of rock art is found all over Central Asia. On a recent expedition to Spiti, in Northern India, the archaeologist John Vincent Bellezza focused on documenting 24 rock art sites, and I highly recommend reading his detailed explanations of the meaning of various types of rock carvings. READ MORE…
(1977)
THE ARDENT ENTHUSIAST 