Friday, July 25, 2008

Hovsgol Lake

July 25 - This morning I awoke to a high overcast sky - looks like it's going to rain, I have picked up a cold, and I'm not looking forward to today's 10 hour drive to Hovsgol Lake. I know all those problems will pass, but I'm not greeting the day with any degree of enthusiasm. The drive does turn out to be trying, but not without interest. We stop at at small town to buy water & snacks, and are approached by a man looking for a ride for his niece to Moron, about 135 km north .


The uncle will be traveling with a buddy on his motorcycle, but thinks the weather (rain) would not be good for the little girl. So she joins us but it is not too far before we have to stop because she is carsick. Molor has the situation in hand and puts a piece of clear packing tape over her bellybutton - and presto! A cure I have never seen before. The day does turn out to be long with a steady light rain for most of the day. It clears later and we visit a site of deer stones - monuments placed around 600-800ad to mark the death of leaders and their passage to heaven as deer spirits. We continue on to our ger camp at Lake Hovsgol which is a long day - ended up being 11+ hours. The gers have wood stoves to heat the space, and mine is cooking away now. Planning on sleeping well.

July 26 - Our second day at the lake is a rainy day on & off - a lot cooler too so the wood stove in the center of my ger is put to good use. I use the day as a rest day and try to shake off the cold that is slowing me down. Dennis & Babs went on a horseback ride to a local family's ger and had a good time eating yogurt and watching sumo wrestling on their tv - Mongolians are making their way into Japanese sumo, and everyone was happy when the Mongolian won his match. Shower water is heated by a wood furnace which is started when you are ready to shower. Being further north, there are many more solid log built structures. We visit the town for a little while and see the visitor center for this national park area. The lake is sacred to many Mongolians, and is deep and cold. - we are camped near the outlet which drains into Lake Bakal in Russia. Right now it's late and the rain is really coming down. Hope it lets up by the time we get on the road tomorrow to get to the airport at Moron.









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