Ulaanbaatar, MongoliaMonday, August 24, 2009
On Sunday mid-morning, we were whisked away to UB’s famous Gandan Monastery by a colleague and her driver. Rain clouds threatened (August is the rainy month here) but we were able to see a bit of the place before the rain really started. We learned that Sunday was one of several auspicious wedding days in the Mongolian calendar for weddings, and decorated "wedding cars" were all over the place.
We were able to enter one of the smaller temples briefly to see part of a ceremony in progress. It was a wonderful old building with monks of all ages chanting away. Of course, with a two year-old in tow, you never plan to stay long in such places.
Prayer wheels were spinning and butter lamps were glittering, but what A found truly enchanting about the place was the pigeons. Everywhere children and old women offered to sell us bird seed to feed the pigeons. But all A wanted to do was to run after them. Sadly, the chase was over when she ended up front-first on the cobblestones, covered in pigeon feathers. But the fall did not dampen her enthusiasm.As we carried her off to the main building to peek at the 75 foot high buddha, A wailed: "A's birdie! A's birdie!"
Prayer wheels spinning:
A chasing pigeons:
Prayer wheels spinning:
A chasing pigeons:
