See all Posts in the Wanderlust – A Travel Blog Series
If you lived abroad and were planning your first ever trip to the United States, where would you go? Certainly, you would want to see iconic cities like the San Francisco, New York and Washington, D.C. You might want to see natural beauty like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon or the Florida Keys. You may consider Philadelphia or Boston for a taste of American history, or New Orleans for a taste of American food, or even Texas for a taste of American culture.
I am guessing that Wyoming might not make your short list. But why not? It has Yellowstone, Grant Teton National Park, Jackson Hole, the rodeo and cowboy culture of Cody and Cheyenne, Devils Tower, Bighorn National Forest, and so much more. There is a lot to see and do in Wyoming.
So now plan your first trip to Asia. I am going to make a case for visiting the Wyoming of Asia — also known as Mongolia.
Mongolia is nestled uncomfortably between China and Russia. Both China and Russia have made territorial claims and occupied the country at different times over the course of the 20th century.
A peaceful revolution in 1990 was followed by a period of isolation and severe economic difficulty. This resolved over time and today the country is an independent, social-democratic republic with a healthy market economy.
So, if you flew into the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, what would you see? For starters, you would see a safe, walkable, skyscraper studded, gleaming urban core accented with exotic Buddhist temples, occasional brutalist-style Soviet bloc buildings and a vibrant cultural scene. The Mongolian people are famously friendly and many speak English.
I call Mongolia the Wyoming of Asia because outside of Ulaanbaatar, it looks a lot like Wyoming. The high plains of the Mongolian Plateau are bordered by the Gobi Desert to the south and the Khentii Nuruu mountain range to the north.
Mongolia is the world’s 18th largest sovereign state, but like Wyoming it is sparsely populated. Only 3.5 million people live there, and half of those are in the capital.
Mongolia may be best known as the home base for Genghis Khaan and the “Mongol Hoards” that conquered and ruled most of Asia in the 13th century. Mongolians celebrate this rich history with a 130-foot-tall stainless-steel statue of Genghis Khaan riding a horse. Like our own Statue of Liberty, you can climb up inside the statue for a panoramic view of the Mongolian steppes. The Genghis Khaan Museum at the base provides a fascinating look at an Asian historical perspective that is unfamiliar to many in the United States.
Another striking similarity with Wyoming is that Mongolia is horse country. Some 30% of the population is nomadic. Small communities of ranchers pitch their yurts on the open steppes and practically live on horses to manage their livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels and pigs). When the nearby grass is thinned out, they pack up their yurts and move to fresh ground.
There isn’t much in the way of fences in Mongolia, so the horses and livestock are allowed to roam free. When horses are needed, the Mongolian horsemen use a long stick with a lasso on one end to capture and saddle up their steeds. It is quite a spectacle to watch them round up horses and go to work.
One more word about Mongolian horses. They are small. The Mongolian people are small. Mongolian horsemen fit their horses. I am six feet tall, and my weight is proportionate. Maybe even a little more than proportionate. Any Mongolian horse would reconsider his life choices if he had to carry me around for any length of time.
The nomadic tradition in Mongolia led to the development of yurts. While it is easy to dismiss yurts as little more than portable round tents, they are integral to Mongolian lifestyle and culture.
I was surprised to learn that they are also incredibly cozy and comfortable. They typically have low beds with animal hide blankets around the perimeter, with comfortable chairs and a fireplace/cooking area in the middle.mIn Ulaanbaatar, yurts can be seen alongside and even on the roofs of modern office buildings and apartment complexes.
If you can arrange to stay in a yurt for a couple days on the Mongolian steppes, you will understand why these simple round tents are so important to their culture. If you are lucky, you may even convince the locals to teach you to play Ankle Bones, a dice like game played with actual ankle bones from sheep.
Mongolia also has a long tradition of training various types of raptors for hunting and sport. It is fascinating to get up close and personal with giant birds like the Golden Eagle and various species of falcons. Every tourist spot in Mongolia has a couple locals standing around holding birds almost as big as they are. For a few dollars, you can get your picture taken with them.
If you have been to Wyoming, and you like Wyoming, add Mongolia to your list of places to visit. It has all the scenic beauty of Wyoming, remarkable history, big birds and small horses. And yurts. Don’t forget about the yurts.
(Dan Keyport is a CCLN board member and former Chaska business owner, now retired. His home base for international travel has been Chaska for more than 30 years.)
