Sleeping in the ger was very difficult because of the bitter cold. I piled my coat and scarf on top of the comforter, and wrapped my head with a sarong, and all that didn’t help much. So, when Steph and Jessie complained that neither of their single beds had a comforter, we felt really sorry for them. I would have died if I had to sleep with only the thin top blanket. Urnaa said she will talk to the manager and make sure both their beds have comforters that night. Uncle was waiting to take us to the Khogno Khan Mountains. We’ll be visiting two restored monasteries, built by Zanabazar in the 17th century, and destroyed by the Oirats.
It was SUPER FREAKING COLD!
After Tibet submitted to Mongol rule in the 13th century, Buddhism flourished among the Mongols. Zanabazar was born in 1635 to a Khalkha Khan. By then, the Mongol Empire had shrunk, and The Khalkhas and The Oirats were fighting for what was left. China was about to switch dynasty again, this time into the hands of the Manchus who would rule until 1912 as The Qing Dynasty.
Erdene Khamba Monastery.
Ovgon Khiid Monastery.
Zanabazar, wise beyond his years
When Zanabazar was only four years old, he was recognized as a Saint because he displayed unusual intelligence. At 14, he was sent to Tibet to receive training from the 5th Dalai Lama who confirmed that Zanabazar was the 16th reincarnation of one of Buddha’s original disciples. That’s why Zanabazar was so wise beyond his years. When Zanabazar returned home, he made Buddhism more accessible to the common people. A gifted sculptor, painter, scholar and linguist, he built many monasteries and trained the monks to make sculptures and paintings for the monasteries. He created the Soyombo script so that he could translate Tibetan and Sanskrit texts for his people.
Today, the Soyombo script is mainly used for religious purposes, and the Mongolian language is written using the Cyrillic alphabet. The symbol Soyombo lives on in the Mongolian flag, emblems, money, and the extra-smooth Soyombo vodka. Zanabazar is one of the most revered figures in Mongolia, and there’s even a species of dinosaur discovered here that’s named Zanabazar.
The Caretaker Lady at Erdene Khamba Monastery.
Ovgon Khiid Monastery.
Monasteries of the Khogno Khan Mountains
The first monastery we visited was the Erdene Khamba Monastery. The ladies rolled some animals ankle bones to predict their fortune. The caretaker lady told them their fortune based on how the bones landed. I wasn’t nearby so I don’t have photos and can’t give you a fortune. I hope everyone’s fortune was good. The small monastery was very beautiful and colorful.
Looks like someone got a good fortune!
Erdene Khamba Monastery.
We then hiked up to the Ovgon Khiid Monastery. It was not an easy hike, and I thought about Zanabazar and his monks making the same trip. Yuka must have gotten the key to unlock this monastery from the Caretaker Lady. It’s also beautiful inside and very well-kept.
I thought we were going for this white stupa, but the monastery is actually behind it and much further up. Ovgon Khiid Monastery.
Descending from Ovgon Khiid Monastery.
The view from the Khogno Khan Mountains is unforgettable. It was cold, misty and windy. The violently fluttering prayer flags added to the tranquility. Steph found a kind of aromatic leaf and was in love with it. Uncle’s van was too far away. By the time we got back down, the Caretaker Lady had closed the monastery for lunch, and Uncle was chatting with another driver who had just arrived with his guests.
Erdene Khamba Monastery.
Unforgettable view from Ovgon Khiid Monastery.
Our next stop was a spot with big beautiful boulders. Yuka found a tiny frog. She surprised Kenric with it. There’s no water around so no one knows how the little guy got there. Zanabazar?
The camel ride? What camel ride?
We were told to rest up after lunch for the camel ride. What camel ride?! I really didn’t know if I could do it. They are very tall. You can read about our camel ride in my post from last year. When we got back, we were treated to a hair wash at the salon ger. A hair wash is no shower, but we all felt much cleaner. I wish I had gotten some of that natural shampoo.
It’s been an awesome day and I really liked hanging out with these six people. The best part of the day was Urnaa having to tell Steph and Jessie very delicately that they had been sleeping ON TOP of the comforter. Hysterical laughter. These ladies must have only been staying at fancy hotels with turndown service! They were really embarrassed and couldn’t believe they both made the same mistake. It took a long time for Steph to stop blushing. Uncle who’s usually quite stoic had a good laugh too while mentally lowering his bar for us.
The table above is listing 10 out of 19 markers (sorted by ID ascending)
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