Day 7: Klowning @ the Kuraltai Council!
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The quaint little cabin from the last evening was not so quaint in the morning! During the evening a horde of mongolian beetles acted like Chinggis hordes of old and tried to overwhelm Mie and Bone! The damned critters were everywhere!! Bone by sheer happenstance had his luggage zipped up, but poor Mike had them in his luggage! And that wasn't the half of it.
This Morning, Mike and Bone were Bugged!!!
The damned critters were everywhere!! Bone by sheer happenstance had his luggage zipped up, but poor Mike had them in his luggage! And that wasn't the half of it!
"Bubble! Bubble, Toilet Trouble?!"
The Shower was littered with them as well, and didn't drain, and the toilet, bubbled blue gross liquid across bathroom! Mike and Bone were grossed out as well, quickly packed their gear and dragged it out to the car before they had their morning ration of boiled beef and onions!
"The Lovely Salt Lake of Khenti on the open Steppe!
This morning ,the quartet was headed out of the buggy camp, driving by the beautiful salt lake the attracted the Winter Campers. They headed west on their way to the Burkhan Khaldun Mountain, the site of the famous Kurutai, where Temüjin, became Chinggis Khan!
Burkhan Khaldun Mountain, Site of the Kurultai!
The kurultai, a political and military council of ancient Mongol and Turkic chiefs and khans, played a pivotal role in the rise of Genghis Khan. It was at a kurultai in 1206 that Temujin, was proclaimed the 'Great Khan' of the Mongols. This event marked the unification of the Mongol tribes under a single leader, a crucial step in the formation of the Mongol Empire.
The kurultai was not just a ceremonial event; it was a democratic assembly where decisions were made by consensus. The chiefs and khans who attended the kurultai had the right to debate and vote on important matters, including the election of a new khan. This democratic process gave the kurultai a high degree of legitimacy and authority. When Chinggis Khan was elected at the kurultai, it was a clear signal that he had the support of the majority of the Mongol chiefs and khans. This widespread support was crucial for his successful leadership and the expansion of the Mongol Empire.
Moreover, the kurultai also served as a platform for Chinggis Khan to outline his vision and plans for the Mongol Empire. He used the kurultai to introduce new laws and reforms, to organize his military forces, and to plan his conquests. The kurultai thus played a key role in shaping the policies and strategies of the Mongol Empire under Chinggis Khan. XXX The site for the Kurutai was Burkhan Khaldun, which means the "God Mountain" and is also called Khentii Khan (The King of the Khentii Mountain range), and had religious significance for the newly minted Chinggis!
Mike and Bone at the Kurultai Monument!
Chinggis In the Secret History of the Mongols, Genghis Khan, who later became the "World Conqueror" believing in his own destiny, said:
I went up Mount Burkhan, Though I was frightened and ran like an insect,
I was shielded by Mount Burkhan Khaldun,
I will honor Burkhan Khaldun with sacrifices every morning and pray to it every day:
my children and my children’s children shall be mindful of this...
Khan then started his campaign to unify the land and people of Mongolia as a strong force. He gave Burkhan Khaldun the status of a royal sacred mountain. Now the only insects that Mike and Bone noticed, were not royal ones, but goll durned skeeters and horse flies!!! The Kurultai National Park was thick with the critters!
All 13 Khans of Temujin's Family !
In between swatting flies Mike and Bone were able to check out a totem for each descendant.
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Ögödei Khan (1229-1241): Genghis Khan's third son, Ögödei, was chosen as his successor and continued to expand the empire, with successful campaigns in Persia, the Caucasus, and Russia.
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Güyük Khan (1246-1248): Ögödei's widow, Töregene Khatun, acted as regent after his death until her son, Güyük, ascended to the throne. Güyük died in 1248, before he could fully consolidate his power.
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Möngke Khan (1251-1259): Another grandson of Genghis Khan, Möngke, took the throne in 1251 with the approval of Batu Khan, and ruled until his death in 1259.
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Kublai Khan: After the death of Möngke, Kublai Khan, another grandson of Genghis Khan, established the Yuan Dynasty in China, which was a successor state to the Mongol Empire.
After the death of Möngke, the Mongol Empire began to fracture into separate khanates, including the Yuan Dynasty in China, the Ilkhanate in Persia, the Golden Horde in Eastern Europe, and the Chagatai Khanate in Central Asia. The last known descendant of Genghis Khan to rule an independent state was Sayyid Mir Muhammad Alim Khan, the last Emir of Bukhara. He was overthrown by the Russians in 1920, the same time Stalin was conquering Mongolia! After the tour, the flies got the better of Mike and Bone and chased them out of the Park!
The Sacred Lake!
Before they left, the Boys walked down to the very cool lake for a quick pic of the very beautiful lake and the sacred mountain, now it is lunch time, which meant time for more boiled beef and onions!
Outdoor Lunch with the Flies!
The lunch was a good news bad news scenario: a beautiful view of Burkhan Khaldun, and "enjoy" a bevy of horseflies and mosquitos! After lunch Baatar turned the battered SUV back to civilization, UlaanBataar! After a few more hours on the outback or steppes, the SUV slided onto asphalt much to the Boys battered a**es enjoyment! Only then to dodge the crazy drivers in rush hour. By now the Boys were done and rescheduled their flights to boogie a day early. Soon enough, they were checked into the same hotel they started there Mongolian vacation lo those many days before!!
Back in UlaanBataar!
