30 June-10 July 2023
“May the Mongol nation exist by its own right.”
This idea is expressed in the Mongolian national symbol of the Soyombo. It is attributed to Zanabazar, the 17th century leader of Mongolian Lamaism, a great statesman, and the father of Mongolian art and script. There are various interpretations of the Soyombo and the symbol is prominently displayed on the Mongolian national flag.
Part One – 10 July 2023
Sleeping in gers draws many travelers to Mongolia. We hear a lot about this form of camping but just how authentic, or what level of glamping, is it? Obviously, one’s experience depends upon location, amenities, and quite possibly the physical condition of one’s back.
(more…)3 July 2023
I know next to nothing about Mongolia. So I visit.
Mongolian history dates to the Stone Age, its first recorded empire dating 3rd century BCE. The rise of Chinggis Khan in the early 13th century spread the Mongolian Empire across Eurasia. Difficult to imagine what drew the Khan and others to cross this vast expanse of desert. Dark splotches are shadows of clouds drifting across a bleak landscape.
After Chinggis Khan’s death, his grandson Kublai Khan founded the Yuan Dynasty which ruled for a century before fragmenting into several Khanates, most notably being the Golden Horde. In the 17th century the Qing Dynasty ruled until a series of independence movements broke up the dynasty. The Soviets moved in around 1911 until a peaceful democratic revolution occurred in 1990. Today, Mongolia is a democratic country and a developing economy and attracts over 300,000 tourist a year. In 2023, I am one of them.
(more…)1 July 2023
When one is in pain, one needs distraction.
That was the case while visiting the Third Tunnel of Aggression in the DMZ north of Seoul. Walking down the 11 degree ramp, noting the distance to my destination, it occurred to me how challenging the climb out would be.
The tunnel is 358 meters in length, thankfully cool because it is also 73’ underground. Dripping water everywhere. But that ramp up is long and daunting. So I thought, what if….
(more…)26-29 June 2023
I knew little about South Korea. What first came to mind was Psy’s catchy 2012 K-pop song “Wop Wop Gangnam Style.” My second thought was South Korea survives and thrives under the constant threat of a crazy man. Can’t be too critical about that second thought, as since 2016 the U.S. suffers its crazy, too.
(more…)23 Feb – 8 March
It feels good revisiting London. Historic sights, museums, art galleries, and monuments are never tiresome. While much remains the same since I visited over 30 years ago, there are new things to learn and neighborhoods to discover. And one can’t get luckier than having a local show one around.
The biggest change is London’s skyline. The sky is studded by architecturally stunning glass and steel buildings like the Shard, Gherkin, BT Tower, the Cheesegrater, Boomerang, Strata, and Sky Garden known by Londoners as the Walkie-Talkie. Old standards like Big Ben, St. Paul’s and the Tower Bridge seem to tolerate these upstarts capturing far more photographs in the process.
(more…)23 Feb – 8 March 2023
Several years ago, I tested a male sibling for Y-DNA. When one does such things, one needs to prepare for the unexpected. The Unexpected was my sibling didn’t match our male cousin. It seems we have illegitimately carried the surname Bunyard all our lives. A more pleasant surprise was I met my closest male cousin. He lived in Bulgaria, but being the inveterate traveler I am, that posed no problem.
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