Today we’ll cross the border of Mongolia following the road of ancient monuments.

The hotel at the border offers nice home-made food.

Its amount leaves much to be desired unlike the total bill: 400 US dollars for a couple of pies and a cup of tea per person. Don’t forget to ask about the price before eating!

Mongolian roads are all unsurfaced which makes traveling more than inconvenient. Only 5% of the country roads are covered with asphalt.

The unusual taxi cabs can take you to any place in Mongolia. It will cost you 40 tenge (0.27 US dollars) per kilometer.

Advertising of cellular communication.

The Mongolian Kazakhs are practicing Islam and Buddhism.

Almost every house has one or two nomads tents in it.

The ethnic hotel offers an opportunity to have a rest at a nomads tent with beds, chairs, tables, electricity, heater and even Wi-Fi. WC and shower cabin are located in a separate building.

Ancient drawings.

Stone statues.

Total number of Mongolian Kazakhs is over 140 thousand people or 5% of the total population. Most Kazakhs here are Naiman and Abak-kerey. Thus, Abak-kereys live by cattle breeding.

In summer these people stay in tents, in winter they go back to warm places.

There are Kazakh schools in Mongolia but the native language is taught inside a family.

A bed for the little kid.

This drink prevents colds and tuberculosis.

Altay-kerey Hand Craft is a small shop where national Kazakh clothes are sold. One thing costs 3-45 thousand tenge (20-300 US dollars).

A workshop is on the second floor.

The things here are all hand-made. It may take several months to create one of them.

The goods are very qualitative and are actively bought by foreign tourists.

This is the national annual holiday which embraces 3 sporting games: shooting, racing and fighting.

Before the national fight starts, the guys dance in the center of the field copying proud birds. In the end of the competition the dance will be performed by winners only.

The fighters wear boots, shorts and an open waistcoat.

A legend says that many years ago all fighters were hit by an unknown warrior. Later it was found out that it was a woman. To avoid such a shame in future it was decided to fight with an open chest so that women could never come close to the battle field anymore.

A fighter who touches the ground with his elbow or knee is considered as a loser.

Mongol fighters are believed to be the strongest ones.

Approaching the city of Khovd.

A Buddhist temple in the nearby village.

Altay city in the morning.

A cab driver.

The Mongolian method of wool processing is famous all over the world.

Goat milk is much safer than the milk of cows as goats are more resistant to diseases. It is also used to make different kinds of cheese.

Stone statues are everywhere.

Kazakhs still care about their traditions. Everybody has national utensils and wears Kazakh clothes.

When a girl who is brought up in the family gets married she is supplied with dowry.

Thus, the box which is part of the dowry is used to keep things and clothes.

This concert was given by the Kazakhstani artists.

Local people remember their ancestors.

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Location:

via voxpopuli