Small correction to yesterday's post: it was not an American diplomat that visited Mongolia ultimately saving Gandan Khiid (the monastery) from destruction, but US Vice President Henry Wallace in 1944 (VP to FDR?).
Today was all about UB. I woke up at a reasonable time and left to go see the famous Gandan Khiid Monastery (or Gandantegchinlen as it is referred to locally), about a 3 km walk from the hostel. As I talked about in yesterday's post, this monastery was saved from destruction in order to use as a diplomatic showpiece and prove to the international community that the Communists of Monoglia hadn't destroyed every last remaining ounce of Buddhist culture in the country. In 1937, much like China's Cultural Revolution, Mongolia, due to the influence of the Communist party, purged itself of religion, executing thousands of monks and burning almost all of its monasteries to the ground. Intellects, poets, academics, all were similarly purged or exiled and although the Communists have been out of power in Mongolia for decades (in fact, many in the international community think Mongolia today is a shining beacon of democracy that the West hopes will rub off on its less than accomodating neighbors), it was only recently that many of these monastaries have been rebuilt. But now, Gandan Khiid is a booming monastery with over 600 resident monks.
The monastery itself is home to a university of Buddhism (like a seminary) and many resident temples where you will find students, all in crimson robes and shaved heads, reading, reciting, and chanting mantras from the sacred sutras. And if you visit the monastery in the morning, some of the temples are left open so you can observe the monks during their lessons.
I got to the monastery around 10 in the morning. Even though most of the city is completely shut down for the new year, the monastery keeps on and there were many pilgrims visiting this morning as well. I think I was the only "tourist" (at least I was the only one charged entrance). The pilgrims come from all over the country to visit the monastery, pray in the temples for prosperity in the new year, and talk to monks who are trained to read their future. I was the only one with a camera.
I wandered into the main temple first, Migjid Janraisig Sum, a large hall that houses a 26 meter high statue of the Buddha, coated in gold. It is quite a sight. The hall walls are covered by hundreds of miniature statues of Ayush, the Buddha of longetivity. Ususally you are not allowed to take photos in places like this and rightly so, out of respect for the reverent. But before I entered I was charged an entrance ticket (the only fee in the whole monastery - it was small, I was happy to pay it) and there were three options: normal, with camera, and with video recorder. I chose "with camera" and then afterward didn't feel too badly about taking pictures of the Buddha and around the hall. Inside, pilgrims were crowding around the entrance waiting their turn to bow, make an offering, and pray in front of the Buddha. After they prayed, they walked around the temple's outer walls, the walls covered by Ayush, and, walking clockwise, spun the prayer wheels and then exited the temple. I did the same but instead of spinning prayer wheels, I snapped photos.
I then moved on to the academic buildings, smaller temples filled with monks. I was lucky enough to observe one room filled with monks in chant. It was a small room ringed by a outer walkway where pilgrims (and I) could circle the temple. In the middle of the room were benches with long, thin tables where monks had books open and were reciting the words they were reading over and over again. They did this individually and it created an inharmonious hum throughout the space. But every once in a while, one monk would chant something loudly, above the other chatter, and then all the monks chanted together with him in unison. It was very peaceful.
I wandered around the grounds of the monastery for a little while longer but soon grew so cold, I could no longer move my fingers. I have thick gloves but I can't wear them and take photos at the same time. I needed to warm up. I walked back to the German cafe and ordered some cream of mushroom soup and some hot lemon water with honey (another excellent meal at this place - go to Sasher's Kaffe if you're ever in UB). I would normally regret not eating at a cheaper, more local place to try and experience some of the local food but considering this is the only place open in the city (besides a few other western cafes), I don't feel too bad. If the Mongolians wanted me to try their mutton and potatoes, they'd be open.
I then moved on to the center of the city, Sukhbaatar Square, named after the man who rose up and proclaimed independence from China, which is home to an iron statue of the man on his horse. It is the city's main square. It is ringed by the Parliament Building to the north, the national museum and Mongolian stock exchange to the west, some shopping malls to the south, and the Ulaanbaatar Hotel to the east. The UB Hotel is the city's original diplomatic hotel where all the VIP's stay. It is a very classy building with stately, Soviet style rooms. In front of the hotel is a statue of Lenin. But when I went there today, the base of the statue was there (it says ленин or Lenin) but Lenin himself was not. He appeared to have been torn away because you could see some of the wires sticking out from the top much like the iconic Saddam Hussein statue in Baghdad. It must have been torn away recently too because as far as this year's edition of Lonely Planet is concerned, he's still there. I wonder where he went?
In front of the Parliament Building is a massive, seated statue of Chingis Khan in all of his glory. He is very big and his demeanor demands attention. He's frightening even in statue form.
Then I wandered around Peace Avenue, the main thoroughfare through central UB that (normally) has shops and restaurants and is the most interesting street in the city to walk around. But I again began to freeze and, tired from having walked for hours, decided to go back to the hostel to warm up. But! What I forgot to mention is that before I left this morning, I knocked on the door to the hostel's office one floor below and lo and behold, the manager, Aninda, was present. So I finally got to talk to an employee for the first time and pay for my stay and plan my checkout for tomorrow morning. But before I left she asked me if I could surrender my key because she was expecting another group who planned to stay a long time and she had no more keys left (I didn't ask why she only had three working keys for a hostel that accommodates fifty or so people). My spidey senses said no but I said okay, recalling my first day in front of the hostel with no employees, staring at the doorbell sign with no doorbell. I didn't want to give up my key. But she ensured me someone would be around to let me in if I just knocked. And she was a super friendly Mongolian girl who also helps run an orphanage on the side so I obliged. But, go figure, when I got back from my outing there was not a soul around. I banged on the door and sat on the steps, angry at the world.
Fifteen minutes later, a friendly, old Australian woman found me and let me in. She was staying on the hostel's second floor where the office was located (I had no idea there were rooms down there), and she remembered me from that morning so she let me in on her floor where I could warm up and we chatted awhile. She had just arrived last night and was staying in UB for two months to volunteer in a shelter for kids with special needs. She had traveled much of the world herself, and was at the point of her life where she wanted to start giving back. She was really nice. After talking awhile, I decided to go again and knock on the door and this time my Bangladeshi hostel mate was around to let me in.
So now I'm warming up, collecting my thoughts over some delicious instant coffee. In my wanderings today I found another spot that is open until late this evening called Cafe Amsterdam. Supposedly they make sandwiches and serve beer. I'll be heading that way later on.
Tomorrow is my last day in UB. My train leaves the station around 9 in the evening bound for Russia. I'm very excited.
Today was all about UB. I woke up at a reasonable time and left to go see the famous Gandan Khiid Monastery (or Gandantegchinlen as it is referred to locally), about a 3 km walk from the hostel. As I talked about in yesterday's post, this monastery was saved from destruction in order to use as a diplomatic showpiece and prove to the international community that the Communists of Monoglia hadn't destroyed every last remaining ounce of Buddhist culture in the country. In 1937, much like China's Cultural Revolution, Mongolia, due to the influence of the Communist party, purged itself of religion, executing thousands of monks and burning almost all of its monasteries to the ground. Intellects, poets, academics, all were similarly purged or exiled and although the Communists have been out of power in Mongolia for decades (in fact, many in the international community think Mongolia today is a shining beacon of democracy that the West hopes will rub off on its less than accomodating neighbors), it was only recently that many of these monastaries have been rebuilt. But now, Gandan Khiid is a booming monastery with over 600 resident monks.
The monastery itself is home to a university of Buddhism (like a seminary) and many resident temples where you will find students, all in crimson robes and shaved heads, reading, reciting, and chanting mantras from the sacred sutras. And if you visit the monastery in the morning, some of the temples are left open so you can observe the monks during their lessons.
I got to the monastery around 10 in the morning. Even though most of the city is completely shut down for the new year, the monastery keeps on and there were many pilgrims visiting this morning as well. I think I was the only "tourist" (at least I was the only one charged entrance). The pilgrims come from all over the country to visit the monastery, pray in the temples for prosperity in the new year, and talk to monks who are trained to read their future. I was the only one with a camera.
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| Migjid Janraisig, the 26 meter tall Buddha in the main hall |
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| Temple prayer wheels, spun clockwise |
I wandered around the grounds of the monastery for a little while longer but soon grew so cold, I could no longer move my fingers. I have thick gloves but I can't wear them and take photos at the same time. I needed to warm up. I walked back to the German cafe and ordered some cream of mushroom soup and some hot lemon water with honey (another excellent meal at this place - go to Sasher's Kaffe if you're ever in UB). I would normally regret not eating at a cheaper, more local place to try and experience some of the local food but considering this is the only place open in the city (besides a few other western cafes), I don't feel too bad. If the Mongolians wanted me to try their mutton and potatoes, they'd be open.
I then moved on to the center of the city, Sukhbaatar Square, named after the man who rose up and proclaimed independence from China, which is home to an iron statue of the man on his horse. It is the city's main square. It is ringed by the Parliament Building to the north, the national museum and Mongolian stock exchange to the west, some shopping malls to the south, and the Ulaanbaatar Hotel to the east. The UB Hotel is the city's original diplomatic hotel where all the VIP's stay. It is a very classy building with stately, Soviet style rooms. In front of the hotel is a statue of Lenin. But when I went there today, the base of the statue was there (it says ленин or Lenin) but Lenin himself was not. He appeared to have been torn away because you could see some of the wires sticking out from the top much like the iconic Saddam Hussein statue in Baghdad. It must have been torn away recently too because as far as this year's edition of Lonely Planet is concerned, he's still there. I wonder where he went?
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| Lenin statue with no Lenin - in front of the famous UB Hotel |
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| The mighty Chingis Khan |
Fifteen minutes later, a friendly, old Australian woman found me and let me in. She was staying on the hostel's second floor where the office was located (I had no idea there were rooms down there), and she remembered me from that morning so she let me in on her floor where I could warm up and we chatted awhile. She had just arrived last night and was staying in UB for two months to volunteer in a shelter for kids with special needs. She had traveled much of the world herself, and was at the point of her life where she wanted to start giving back. She was really nice. After talking awhile, I decided to go again and knock on the door and this time my Bangladeshi hostel mate was around to let me in.
So now I'm warming up, collecting my thoughts over some delicious instant coffee. In my wanderings today I found another spot that is open until late this evening called Cafe Amsterdam. Supposedly they make sandwiches and serve beer. I'll be heading that way later on.
Tomorrow is my last day in UB. My train leaves the station around 9 in the evening bound for Russia. I'm very excited.
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