Chitika

Monday, December 24, 2012

To Visit A Long Isolated Nation Try Mongolian Tours And Visit History

By Corinne Hyde


Sandwiched between the Russian Federation and China is a vast and difficult land with a turbulent history. This vast landscape can be brutal and unforgiving, but it has nurtured a population for centuries. The experience of Mongolian tours allows one a glimpse into a truly ancient history.

One of the unfortunate results of what we call the global cold war was that this nation of colorful people was cut off from the the world for nearly a century. They are nomadic by nature, and the vast steppes make it a difficult environment to settle in any form. The ground is as hard as ice for 70 percent of the year, so growing crops is prohibitively difficult.

The diet of indigenous nomads is largely derived from the animals they herd, kept alive grazing in the oceans of grassland. How they know exactly what to eat to compensate for the lack of vegetables in their diet is a mystery handed down from their elders. They move frequently, and watching the people dismantle move and then erect their circular tents known as Gers is to see art in motion.

Throughout history, the Mongol people played a big role in central Eurasia, and there really were such things as a Mongol horde, a fearsome group that conducted many violent and brutal military operations. For centuries they fought against foreign people and one another, until they were united under a single leader, who took the name Genghis Khan. These nomadic people even conquered the Chinese for a period of time.

The history of the country is one of repetitive violent invasions, with the Chinese and the Russians virtually taking turns running the country. With a land mass nearly as large as Alaska and a population of little less than three million, the population density is nearly the lowest in the world. The wide open spaces the plains represent are truly wide open and a major reasons tourists find it so fascinating.

When visitors from the US take a long ride into the steppes, they are exhilarated by the openness that engenders a feeling of freedom. This was the spirit that was evoked in the western films so popular in American culture. Those that remain to see the night sky are mesmerized by the clarity of its unpolluted view of stars and the heavens.

The majority of the people some 53 percent, are Buddhists, and the second largest demographic segment, 36 percent are non-religious. Ornate temples can be found throughout the nation and the practice of Buddhist chanting has re-surged following the departure of Russian occupiers with the Soviet union fell. Unfortunately the Russians took with them some historic Buddha statues which have disappeared since.

There is much that feels foreign in this nation, but it also feels welcoming and exciting. Just knowing how few people from other nations have come over the last century is enticing. Mongolian tours now makes the trip and the adventure accessible.




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