Chinggis Kahn

Notice the name on the monument and the airport building? I first became aware that I’d been spelling and saying the name wrong my whole life as I left the airport in Ulaanbaatar and looked back. Ok, It’s no surprise I’d spell it wrong, but really, have you been spelling it right?

This launched our first mini lecture from our tour guide. Chinggis gets referred to a lot in Mongolia. He’s a national hero much the way George Washington is in the USA. The guide said he’s the father of the country, and most people will try to trace their ancestry back to him.

This is easier said than done because the Manchurians didn’t want Mongolians to have that kind of heritage, and outlawed last names. Even now many Mongolians have a first name, and then take their parent’s first names in place of last names.

Anyway, back to Chinggis. You all know he united most of the continent in his lifetime, right? He had three sons who inherited different sections of the country when he died. Things didn’t stay united all that long. But he still left an impression of power and worth hundreds of years later.

To commemorate his memory, they built a statue to him. It’s huge. Think Statue of Liberty. There’s an observation deck built into the mane of the horse from which you can see for quite some distance. But all you’ll see is a few buildings around the statue, a closer view of Chinggis’s face, and mountains. They built it several miles North of Ulaanbaatar.

It’s been out there a while. When they first built it, there was nothing at all in the way of human habitation. Now there are plans to put up over night accommodations. Besides the tent pads for gers I mean. I mean, they’ll probably even include plumbing.

When we arrived, the guards wouldn’t let us in. The power lines were down so the elevator wouldn’t work. After a while we managed to get in, and even climbed the steps to the observation deck. I was a little late because I’d gone the entire circumference taking pictures. I went up in the dark. Only after I got back down did I learn they’d just white-washed the walls. I had chalk dust all over me.

BTW, if anyone wants to see a big, mettle butt, just let me know. I’ve got pictures of every angle.