Outer Mongolia - Experiencing Mongolian Tent or Ger (Part 3)

Inside the local Mongolian ger - Bayangobi

When coming to Mongolia, it was a must-try thing to experience living inside the Mongolian tent (commonly said ger). In our itinerary it included 3 different places for us to stay inside the Mongolian tourist camp. All the 3 sizes of ger we stayed were different, letting us experiencing different feeling, although the number of people remained the same (max. 4 pax in one ger).

1. Bayangobi Tourist Camp

Bayangobi Tourist Camp - Outer Mongolia

This was the first tourist camp we stayed - Bayangobi Tourist Camp. Ger were set in few rows. Depending on your luck, those stayed near the toilet was considered good location as the toilet cum bathroom was located in separate area. Especially for those who often visited toilet break at nighttime, like me. But if your ger was too far from toilet, worry not, as you still could do your business around your ger (only small business please....) hahahaha.... :P

Outside our ger - Bayangobi Tourist Camp

This size of ger was just nice for 4 of us. Not too big and not too small. As you could see at the below picture, in the middle they usually installed the manual room heater (burned using woods). That night the coldness was bearable, and therefore, no heater was required. The blanket was enough to keep us warm.

Panoramic view inside our ger - Bayangobi Tourist Camp

In each tourist camp they provided us with separated toilet and bathroom for men and women, dining hall, and souvenir shop. Bigger one was equipped with bar. Below was the typical souvenir shop seen all over Mongolia (the wheels were installed so when they moved around, this portable shop could be pulled up by few yaks or cows).

Mongolian style souvenir shop - Bayangobi Tourist Camp - Mongolia

The toilet plus bathroom was surprisingly maintained really well. They employed a worker to standby there the whole day to ensure that the toilet was clean at all times - to ensure the floor was dry and clean, toilet paper was available, and so on.

Toilet plus bathroom at Bayangobi Tourist Camp - Mongolia

The bathroom was also equipped with water heater. However, due to the limitation of the heater system size, it could only satisfy the first few users. When the hot water had finished, the next user had to wait for a while before the heater started warming the water back again. That also including the availability of the water. Those who taking bath later, most probably they would run out of water. Unfortunately my ladies friends and I were among those people who took bath late.

I had to use the water drip by drip to clean my body, as if the water came from heaven, really had to treasure them very well. Luckily I managed to clean myself, even washing my hair and everything. In place like this, clean water was really a treasure and not for taken for granted!!!

Had a wonderful time at Bayangobi desert - Mongolia

This area was located not far from desert. We were brought there to experience desert life with its sand dunes.

With the Mongolian camel :) - Bayangobi Desert

Riding camels in a group - Bayangobi Desert - Outer Mongolia

Riding camel and visiting the local herdsman ger was also another activity offered. We sat there and were given opportunity to ask question regarding their nomadic lives, a life that was really different with what we were having right now.

Grassland nearby Bayangobi Tourist Camp (Photo courtesy: Jack Lim)

Beautiful nature surrounding Bayangobi Tourist Camp (Photo courtesy: Jack Lim)

Nearby the camp you could find the beautiful grassland as per shown at the photos above. From afar, the place looked like having nothing, but when we got closer, it turned out that the grass was not flat, but it looked more like small hills on top of another and decorated with small flowers.

Beautiful and quiet place to do meditation :D - Bayangobi, Outer Mongolia

Yoga too... :P - Bayangobi, Outer Mongolia

My friends and I could not hold ourselves but posing with this beautiful nature :D

Before sleeping :D Inside our ger at Bayangobi Tourist Camp

At night we spent our time together inside our ger tasting Chinggis Vodka with their chips, chit chatting about anything else that came up out of our minds. Even when the electricity was gone, we had our torch light ready within our hand to brighten up the tent. And yes, after series of drinking, all of us took our small business just outside our ger, instead of heading all the way to the beautiful toilet nearby... Hahahahaha.... (vodka effect) :P

2. Anar Tourist Camp

Panoramic view of the Anar Tourist Camp - Outer Mongolia

Endless photo session near the beautiful Orkhon River - Kharkhorin, Outer Mongolia

With the background of my favorite animals and surroundings (mountains and river) - Orkhon River

We moved on to Kharkhorin the next day and we stayed at the above tourist camp. The location was good as it was very near from the Orkhon River. The view was simply natural, beautiful, and amazing!!! All your troubles were sure gone away after quenching the nature thirst over this place!!! Because it worked on me!!! :)

Circling the Stupa on top of the hill - Anar Tourist Camp - Kharkhorin, Outer Mongolia

Posing with Mongolian students at the Monument for Mongol States - Kharkhorin, Outer Mongolia

It was within walking distance to reach the river, as well as to reach the Monument for Mongol States. We had a short hike to reach the top. Despite the rain, we all reached all over the place and enjoyed the view so much!!! :)

Inside our ger - Anar Tourist Camp - Kharkhorin, Mongolia

This time our ger was quite small though among the three. It was just nice as the weather was colder at night.

Inside the decorative dining room with my local guide at the background - Anar Tourist Camp

We had 3-course set meal for both lunch and dinner. They served continental dishes. Loved them all! :)

Turning the manual heater inside our ger - Anar Tourist Camp - Kharkhorin, Mongolia

We even had to ask the staff to turn the heater inside our room. Unlike other ger, luckily we had Bhutanese lady here who knew how to control the heat from this manual heater. Our room was kept warm until we slept because of her skill :D Thank you Sangay!!! :)

Waiting for the sunrise to come at 4.30 am - Anar Tourist Camp

I was awoken few times early in the morning as my friends wanted to see the sunrise. We were not sure when the sunrise began. That was why I woke up as early as 4 am and only to find the sky was still dark.

Sunrise at Anar Tourist Camp (Photo courtesy: Peggy)

Sunrise at Anar Tourist Camp (Photo courtesy: Peggy)

I finally gave up when it started to rain. I thought, would the sun still come when it was raining?? Moreover the friend who wanted to see sunrise at the first place was sleeping all the time. Hahaha... I got lazy and decided to continue to sleep.

Sunrise with the rainbow at Anar Tourist Camp - Kharkhorin, Mongolia (Photo courtesy: Peggy)

Only the next morning after having breakfast our tour leader said that there was a rainbow. Our tour mate, Peggy, managed to capture the sunrise and the rainbow. She had kindheartedly sharing the pictures with us. And I could not wait to share them with you all here on this post. Hope you enjoy the posts so far :)

Sunset Catcher

Treasure our precious - (Instagram: Rimareyka.writes)

These few days the weather was beautiful and it allowed me to go for cycling around the Waterway Park. If I was lucky enough (which I did), I could catch the sunset towards 7 pm in the evening. As I was still proudly calling myself as the 'sunset catcher', let me share some beautiful shots into this blog post. Hope you like it! :)

Sunset from Waterway Park, Singapore

Lush greenery and the beautiful sunset at Waterway Park, Singapore

The sunset from Waterway Point - Punggol, Singapore

With my loyal bike :) - Waterway Park, Singapore

Hidden among the bushes and trees - Sunset at Waterway Park, Singapore

Lucky people who always passed through this road!!! - Sunset at Waterway Park, Singapore

Tried hiding away??? I knew you would not!! - Sunset at Waterway Park, Singapore

Beautiful sunset allured me to catch its view non-stop!!! - Waterway Park, Singapore

Finally last view before saying good bye and see you again next time!!! Sunset at Waterway Park, Singapore

Pilgrimage place in Sri Lanka - Dambulla Cave Temple

Anuradhapura (old bus stand) to Dambulla - Sri Lanka

After browsing enough pilgrimage sites in Anuradhapura (took us 1.5 days to visit 6 places and Mihintale), we continued our journey to two other places - Dambulla and Sigiriya. There was AC van available from Anuradhapura old bus stand to Kandy, but we would drop in Dambulla. It cost LKR 200 per pax but worth taking as the weather was too hot outside and we sure got seat all the way.

The bus left at around 10.30 am and reached Dambulla 1.5 hours later. By the time we reached it was lunch time. We stopped at Ninu Restaurant to have our Sri Lanka food. I had Chicken Kottu (stir fried shredded roti with chicken, egg, chili flakes, and many other sauces) while Sonam ordered a set menu (his favorite veg fried rice with veg, Devil chicken, chili paste, and fried egg on top), and we quenched our thirst with a glass of orange juice each. The weather was really hot there!!!

Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka

We took tuk tuk to Dambulla Cave Temple from the town. The distance was less than 4 km away and we paid LKR 200. Foreigner had to pay LKR 1,500 per pax (it was expensive as it was the largest and best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka and also included in the list of World Heritage sites by UNESCO).

Dambulla Cave Temple in Sri Lanka

"The area is thought to be inhabited from as early as the 7th to 3rd century BC. Statues and paintings in these caves date back to the 1st century BC. But the paintings and statues were repaired and repainted in the 11th, 12th, and 18th century AD. The caves in the city provided refuge to King Valagamba (also called Vattagamini Abhaya) in his 14-year-long exile from the Anuradapura kingdom. 

Buddhist monks meditating in the caves of Dambulla at that time provided the exiled king protection from his enemies. When King Valagamba returned to the throne at Anuradapura kingdom in the 1st century BC, he had a magnificent rock temple built in gratitude to the monks in Dambulla. 

The rock towers 160 m (520 ft) over the surrounding plains.There are more than 80 documented caves in the surrounding. Major attractions are spread over 5 caves, which contain statues and paintings. This paintings and statues are related to Lord Buddha and his life.

There are a total of 153 Buddha statues, 3 statues of Sri Lankan kings and 4 statues of God and Goddess. The latter 4 include two statues of Hindu Gods, Vishnu and Ganesh. The murals cover an area of 2,100 m². Depictions in the walls of the caves include Buddha's temptation by demon Mara and Buddha's first sermon." - Source: wikipedia.org

The first cave - Cave of the Divine King at Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka

The first cave was called Devaraja lena (lena in Sinhalese meaning cave), or also called "Cave of the Divine King." This cave was dominated by the 14-meter statue of the Buddha. It had been repainted countless times in the course of its history. At his feet was Buddha's favorite pupil, Ananda, while at his head, Vishnu, said to have used his divine powers to create the caves. Source: wikipedia.org

The second and largest cave - Cave of the Great Kings at Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka

In the second and largest cave, in addition to 16 standing and 40 seated statues of Buddha, were the Gods Saman and Vishnu, which pilgrims often decorated with garlands, and finally statues of King Vattagamani Abhaya, who honored the monastery in the 1st century BC., and King Nissanka Malla, responsible in the 12th century for the gilding of 50 statues, as indicated by a stone inscription near the monastery entrance.

Statues of the King inside the Cave of the Great Kings at Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka

This cave was accordingly called Maharaja lena, "Cave of the Great Kings." The Buddha statue hewn out of the rock on the left side of the room was escorted by wooden figures of the Bodhisattvas Maitreya and Avalokiteshvara or Natha.

Dagoba or stupa inside the second cave at Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka

The spring which dripped water from the crack ceiling (inside the cage) - Dambula Cave Temple in Sri Lanka

There was also a dagoba and a spring (inside the cage), which dripped its water, said to have healing powers, out of a crack in the ceiling.

Beautiful tempera paintings above the cave ceiling - Dambulla Cave Temple in Sri Lanka

More ceiling painting inside second cave at Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka

Distinctive tempera paintings on the cave ceiling dating from the 18th century depicted scenes from Buddha's life, from the dream of Mahamaya to temptation by the demon Mara. Further pictures relate important events from the country's history.

The third cave, the Maha Alut Vihara, the Great New Monastery at Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka

The third cave, the Maha Alut Vihara, the "Great New Monastery" acquired ceiling and wall paintings in the typical Kandy style during the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747–1782), the famous Buddhist revivalist. In addition to the 50 Buddha statues, there is also a statue of the king.

The fourth cave at Dambulla Cave Temple in Sri Lanka

The fifth cave at Dambulla Cave Temple in Sri Lanka

The above were the fourth and fifth cave.

Dambulla Cave Temple - Sri Lanka

And the above showed you the outer part of the cave, how it looked like. The expensive ticket, climb under hot sun was worth it! :) From there we walked down through the road path that led us to the Golden Buddha Temple. It took us around 10 minutes there.

The Golden Buddha Temple - Dambulla, Sri Lanka

We went up to see the Golden Buddha statue and circumambulated one round. There was small book shop inside the building but most books were in Sinhalese language.

The Golden Buddha Temple - Dambulla, Sri Lanka

People offered the alms to monks statues - Golden Buddha Temple at Dambulla, Sri Lanka

At the front part of the temple, there was a golden stupa. Fyi, the toilet there was charging so expensively!! They charged LKR 100 per pax while usually public toilet charged us LKR 20 ^^"

Sonam and I with the Golden Stupa at Dambulla, Sri Lanka

With the above picture, our visit to the Cave and Golden temples in Dambulla was over. We moved on to another site. Stay tune! :)