My every other alternate year summer vacation since 2006,... but lately has been changed to a yearly affair going to this majestic land of Mongolia.... and this year I am back with my family traveling to Khuvsgul Lake at the North of Mongolia.....
Not much has changed since my last visit.... as usual traveling with a 4 X 4 mini van take a long drive from Ulaanbaaatar to the destinations.....
Our first stop was this Amarbayasgalant Monastery, a monastery that was build by the Enkh-Amgalan Khaan of Manchu empire between 1726 - 1736... and presently over 30 monks are residing in this restored monastery by UNESCO reopened in 1990....
Mesmerizing & intensely beautiful sights on top of the hills....
The front view of the Amarbayasgalant Monastery...
Continue our journey up North to Khuvsgul Lake....
Khuvsgul Lake, an alpine lake located at the 1645m above sea-level near the Russia border.... and it is a freshest and deepest lake in the Central Asia.... Thick pine forest and lush meadows with grazing yuks and horses, it is really one of the best scenic locations of Mongolia....
We did some fishing around the lake and rivers..... and all we caught were Graylings (Thymallus brevirostris)...
Plentiful catches but no biggie around....
Grayling feast for that night at the guest house....
Yummy! Drooling all the way looking at the fire place.... Dear where is my faithful beer?!...
Some of the heart stopping beautiful flowers along the journey....
Smoke fish stall along the road?!! Since when the Mongolians eat fish and started to smoke them??!.... Bought a few for a try but found it nothing special.....
My kid was crazy about the insects on the prairie....
First camping experience for my two kids....
Camp fire for that night....
Moving South West to central part of Mongolia....
Found a nice river at the Moron Delta area...
After trying a few casts, I managed to catch two nice sizes Mongolia Grayling.... What a beauty!!
Toward the upper section of the river....
Caught some small Lenoks.....
CK was so happy that he landed his first Taimen ever....
Nice!!...
Putting up tents and staying for another day at the river....
Enjoying camp fire and spending great moments with my kids and friends....
Beautiful sun shine the next morning....
Having a fun moment...
Hotel stay along the dirt road,...we don't want to get wet staying out in a tent...especially not on a rainy day...
But this is the most simple hotel I had ever stayed before and it cost USD12/ person that make us 11 persons to share this small space....
Like it or not this the best around here....
The hunter shot a Prairie dog (Ground squirrel) nearby... and we bought it over from him for our consumption tonight....
Preparing dinner for the night.... chopped vege for soup making...
Wondering how this ground squirrel will be prepared.....
And I was really intrigue to see that the Mongolian way of preparing it. First all the organs were removed and then steaming red hot rocks were stuffed into its belly together with some salt seasoning..... While the steam was bursting out from opening, the inflated belly was totally stuffed with rocks until full and then sewed up the opening with wire....
After done with the internal part, now removed the fur by scrapping with knife while torching it....
And this is the traditional Mongolian way which is practiced since 500 hundred years ago...
Ummm Yum! Yum! Not bad! Just a little bit tough but it tasted good indeed...
A sheep shearing feast with the a nomadic family....
Although we are different in language but it doesn't stop us from having a wonderful time with each other....
Sheep organs ready to be served...
Once in a blue moon having a heavy cholesterol meal should be all right, I think....
Well, the rest of the meaty part is going to be served for dinner....
Cooking outdoors is the way to go....
Everyone was so quiet engrossed with the mouth full of the meat shearing feast that night.... and very much thanks to our driver who had prepared it for us....
My first Taimen over the trip, it is small one but very satisfying...
A few more coming up....
Nice Lenok for CK!.... Good catch bro!...
Vultures lurking around on our way to another destination....
My girls are really blending in well with our Russian 4 X 4 van drivers....
Enjoying some of the local meals along the way... mutton in everything is a must in all Mongolian dish...
The White Lake (Terhiyn Tsagaan Nuur)....
Horse riding for our ladies....
A double rainbow greeting us over the lake....
Stopping at Olgii Lake on our way back to Ulaanbaatar....
A Mongolian Roach Fish.... Sweet!!...
Mongolian Perch...
Soaking water in a hot day is just rejuvenating...
Feast over that night...
Roach Fish steamed in Soy sauce and bean paste.... simple and delightful!!...
This trip was meant for my friend and family, choosing for the warmest month to travel there is the most ideal comfort for everyone but it is also the raining season of the year in Mongolia....
Resulting in murky water in most rivers.... So please don't ask me why there is no big fish in this trip....Hehehe!
Take a rest before heading back to the busy concrete jungle....
So sad, we have come to the end of our 16 days trip....
My kids are starting to ask when will we come here again..... "It is not the end yet my dear, we still have a day in Ulaanbaatar before we all go back home".... Bye for now and I will back to this grassland very soon.....
Thanks to a friend that helped me booked a good chalet at the beach side at the last minute.... it was not easy job at all since it was the Chinese New Year holiday season....
This was a long over due vacation with the family & friend... Kids and wife were overjoyed to holiday here.... Sunshine, sea breeze, white sandy beach and my family, what more could I ask for....
Beautiful scenes along the sea side.....
FISH FARM a famous seafood restaurant at the beach... recommended by a friend... The ambiance was nice but the food serving was too slow... Maybe because of the holiday crowd...
I let my kids play until very late in the night... Well, better than they play with their video game...hahaha...
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