Back in Ulaanbaatar!
September 2012. The last time I visited Mongolia was in Autumn of 2009. Back then, the Mongolian economy has been enjoying rapid growth mainly spurred by a boom in mining but was facing serious risks from the global financial crisis. The price of copper plunged, economic growth grounded to a halt, and the huge construction projects that were rapidly changing the Ulaanbaatar skyline stalled.
The Mongolian flag flies proud above the Government Palace
But that was just a brief hiccup. The economy quickly recovered and zoomed to an extraordinary growth in 2010 and 2011, making the country the world’s fastest growing economy. And the Ulaanbaatar skyline was rapidly evolving once again when I got back.
But some things have stayed the same. The Mongolian weather is still cold. Big skies still rule over the Mongolian steppes. And the intrepid nomadic herders still roam the vast countryside.
The Sukhbaatar Square in front of the Government Palace remains as the main strolling ground for tourists and locals alike
Russian era apartments still dominate the residential areas.
Cultural shows reminiscent of ancient days are still the main features of public theaters
The Silk Road, an old favorite, remains as busy as before
Huge projects are underway to upgrade these aging power plants to cope with the rapidly-increasing urban population
The Chinggis Khaan International Airport is also waiting for an upgrade to cope with a rapidly increasing air traffic
The boundaries of the capital city continues to expand
Ger (yurt) communities continue to mushroom around the city
The Tu’ul River, which is considered by many locals as sacred, still faithfully runs through Ulaanbaatar. But how much more strain can it take from the growing populations on its banks? Only time can tell.
The drag of endless mental work in a strange land takes its toll. Fatigue can kill so petty escapades provide hopeful deviations from the brewing madness. An aging DSLR keeps good company to a walk around the neighbourhood, a short drive to a scenic place, or a silent recollection in a quiet nook granting that the host community and the elements of nature would allow one a safe passage to solitude and contemplation. Loneliness quickly turns to joy when something exciting gets captured by the cam’s shutter then set free into the laptop’s screen followed by electric words that rush from the fingers to the keyboard in an effort to describe the moment. Alas, the brain is alive once again!
I have always dreamed to visit that place… In the meantime, I’m looking at your nice photos…
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This is going to be a long series, Gilles. So, hold on. 🙂
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Me too.
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They’re not at all shy about color are they?
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Yes, I also think their quite generous when it comes to colors.
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What a location of contrasts…..and colours.
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My only post about the capital city for this series. All the rest, which is quite a lot, will be about the great Mongolian countryside.
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Wonderful photos and post – so colorful and proud. New and old standing side by side and melt so well together. Very exciting place to be today. Sad that not everybody are able to enjoy living in proper homes. So so sad. Love this post.
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Thanks, viveka. There has been a rapid migration to the urban centers these past years. Almost half of the country’s population now reside in Ulaanbaatar. The ger (traditional tent) areas which surround the capital city, are where most migrants from the rural areas have settled.
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What a fascinating part of the world. Thank you for sharing the text and pictures.
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Thanks for visiting, Richard.
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I don’t know what you do for a living but whatever it is, I wanna be just like you when I grow up. Visiting all of these fascinating places and taking such beautiful photos… yeah… I wanna be like you when I grow up.
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🙂 Thanks. As a young boy, I always wanted to travel and I loved photography. I guess I was lucky to land a job that allowed me to do both.
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Such an interesting mix of the ultramodern and the traditional lifestyle.
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You have really captured the contrast between the old and the new Jessie. There are some amazing buildings here. Hope the renaissance keeps on going.
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Looks pretty dire for a nomad … What do they think, did they say?
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I watched a documentary this year called the Hockey Nomad and the narrator/subject visited, among other places, Ulaanbaatar, where there are some people who are nuts about the sport there. It looked so cold and depressing there, but the people seemed happy enough. Your photos are really quite nice and seem to give the city a lot of color that I never would have imagined there. Great shots.
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Beautiful post! I also dream about going to Mongolia, it is such an interesting place and the one that is under the spotlight. What are those signs on the hills in one of your photos, a Mongolian version of Hollywood? 🙂
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This is a fantastic blog with so much unique content. Loved the photos of Mongolia and I’m now following you. Thanks for coming to http://www.chloeboulton.com and liking my page!
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Hello, Chloe. Thank you so much for returning the visit, for leaving a kind comment, and for clicking the follow tab. I hope to visit your site more often. Regards.
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Wow. There’s been some change. I was in Ulan Bator in 2007, and there was nothing like the skyline in your first shot. (Most of the rest looks familiar.) But there were construction cranes all over the place then.
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Hi Bernie. Mongolia experienced a rapid economic growth since then and with that the UB skyline likewise rapidly transformed. Any chance of coming back?
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writing this from Astana, Kazakhstan…. it’s interesting to see the similarities / contrasts with Ulaan Batar ….. will be following you with interest x
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Hello, Wendy. Jealous, I’ve been itching to see Kazakhstan as well. I’ve read and heard some of the contrasts and similarities with Mongolia. Thanks for deciding to follow this blog. Looking forward to having frequent interactions with you. Cheers!
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I remember reading an article on the Mongolian capital on NatGeo a few years ago. It seems like despite the rapid economic growth, people are still attached to their nomadic lifestyle. Gers are abundant in the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar and some workers go to the city in the morning and call their gers home to rest at night. Such a unique way a living!
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Very true. Mongolia is now one of the fastest growing economies in world but still around 40% of the population are nomads and the rest would go back to their nomadic roots every once in a while especially during big holidays. And yes, there are ger districts surrounding the capital city and these gers use firewood for heating thus the city is enveloped in smoked by late autumn until early spring!
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I just discovered your blog… I just had to see your photos from Mongolia: after my trip to Armenia, I’m the more and more interested in the former-Soviet world. So bad I don’t really speak Russian.
Really great work!
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Hello Skarbimir. Thanks so much for visiting and for leaving a kind comment. Yes, there are lots to (re)discover in the former Soviet world. Mongolia has always been my favorite. Never been to Armenia but had a really wonderful time photographing Georgia in the Caucasus — historically the second country in the world to adopt Christianity after Armenia. Check out my post, It’s Warm and Easy in Tbilisi. Cheers.
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beautiful photos of a far off place for me. I’d love to visit Mongolia!! Modern structures and yurts side by side. Amazing images!
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Thanks! Yes, Mongolia is one of the most exotic places I’ve ever visited. You should visit Mongolia. You won’t regret it. Cheers!
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