OCT 12, 15 .. DOWNTOWN ULAANBAATAR .. CHINGGIS KHAAN / SUKHBAATAR SQUARE ..

This one post really shows downtown Ulaanbaatar. It has one hundred and fifty nine (159) photos and was one of the most difficult posts I have ever published. Patti really helped me put it together.

A promise made is a debt unpaid and the trail has its own stern code .. Robert W. Service .. The Cremation of Sam McGee ..

As I completed my posts of THE BLUE SKY Hotel and Tower Parts 1 and 2 .. 'I promised' my next post would show more of the heart of downtown Ulaanbaatar Mongolia.

As is always the case .. For more than you will ever want or need to know .. Our pal Wikipedia has all of the answers to both my own and also to your questions. 

CHINGGIS KHAAN / SUKHBAATAR SQUARE is truly the very heart of downtown Ulaanbaater. 

One map .. one tourist brochure .. calls it CHINGGIS KHAAN SQUARE. The next one calls it SUKHBAATAR SQUARE. CHINGGIS SQUARE or GRAND CHINGGIS KHAAN SQUARE are also sometimes seen.

In 2013 it officially became .. CHINGGIS KHAAN SQUARE. However, many locals still call it SUKHBAATAR SQUARE.

I will refer to it as THE SQUARE. This way I will not offend either Chinggis THE GREAT Khaan or General Damdin Sukhbaatar a true Mongolian Hero or the locals who call THE SQUARE what they will.

This part of the world seems to love their SQUARES. Moscow's Red Square and Beijing's Tiananmen Square come to mind. 

I will begin with several aerial views of THE SQUARE.

It is .. in a word .. ENORMOUS!

The dominant building you see on the upper right of the above and below photos at the North end of THE SQUARE is the Saaral Ordon. The Saaral Ordon is more commonly called The Government Palace or Parliament House.

A little closer view of THE SQUARE and the Saaral Ordon.

A front-on view looking North.

The below photos are a compilation of photos that I have taken since July the 20th. You will see good weather and you will see rain and gray skies. My memories encompass both equally. 

I will begin with several photos taken from my downtown Ulaanbaatar Bus Stop. 

Why begin with my bus stop? If not daily .. then several times a week I ride the bus from my apartment downtown to the central post office to mail post cards. You are seeing one-of-my-places!

Several photos of my downtown Ulaanbaatar bus stop.

It has its very own name.

Some rain ..

When I exit the bus THE SQUARE is directly North .. to the left in the above photo.

Some sunshine ..

Fifteen (15) Ulaanbaatar bus routes come through my bus stop. All bus stops have names and their routes are on the below route maps.

WOW .. A brand-new state-of-the-art articulated-configuration bus. See my post office building in the background?

Below is my bus stop looking South across Peace Avenue. THE SQUARE is 180 degrees directly behind me.

Looking North across Peace Avenue from my bus stop. Ah yes .. The Saaral Ordon!

The Saaral Ordon is the absolutely dominant building of THE SQUARE.

You will have to squint to see it but immediately across Peace Avenue before you enter THE SQUARE there is a green park strip.

Looking to my left from my bus stop I see my post office building.

Looking to my right up Peace Avenue I see the below scene. Notice to the left center in the first photo below the pink building. This is the State Ballet and Opera House. The tall modern building in each of the two photos below is the Central Tower. This is a luxurious shopping mall with many international name-brand shops. 

Don't lose your nerve now Captain Kanbaatar. Take this post just one photo at a time. But .. You aren't learning here Captain. Just STOP snapping so many photos.

Lord? .. Let there be sunshine! .. Please .. Pretty please ..

Notice more clearly above the green park strip in front of THE SQUARE.

Peace Avenue is a major road in Ulaanbaatar with a median strip and three traffic lanes in each direction East and West.

Above and below is our green park strip between Peace Avenue and THE SQUARE proper.

IF I get into saying to myself .. "This isn't a very pretty photo." .. Then I am going to slowly sink down into paralysis trying to decide on each and every single photo .. "Are you pretty?"

It is what it is .. An actual photo of how it looks on this day at this time. There really is traffic on Peace Avenue.

"Well Dad .. I still think that I am pretty Dad." .. /signed/ The Saaral Ordon with traffic ..

A look at the beautiful median strip on Peace Avenue. That is my post office building in the center left below.

The below photo looks due East up Peace Avenue. THE SQUARE is to the left.

"Well Dad .. Truth be told .. I truly AM oh so gorgeous." .. /signed/ The Above Photo ..

O.K. .. We have crossed Peace Avenue. Now I am going to show you photos of the green park strip that I have mentioned several times previously.

It is really a very nice park strip. Oh Hello BLUE SKY Hotel and Tower.

The Saaral Ordon is to the left above and the pink Ballet and Opera House is visible to the right above and to the left below. Peace Avenue is off to the right.

The below photo looks due East.

Straight up the sidewalk to the left is The Central Tower.

In downtown Ulaanbaatar there is no getting away from the magnificent BLUE SKY Hotel and Tower. The green grass of the park strip is along the bottom of the below photo.

Looking West. The central post office building is visible on the right below.

A mural on the side of a building in the park strip.

Above I have shown you the park strip immediately in front of and adjoining the South end of THE SQUARE. This park strip continues East down Peace avenue for the next several blocks and I want to show several photos of its beginning as well as of some of the buildings along Peace Avenue East of THE SQUARE.

First I will show a photo of another of Ulaanbaatar's beautiful buildings .. THE CENTRAL TOWER. 

The park strip in the next block East of THE SQUARE and along Peace Avenue begins below. On the left edge of the photos that follow you will see the lower reaches of The Central Tower.

Downtown Ulaanbaatar Mongolia. Oh My you are beautiful!

A few photos of the above buildings going East down Peace Avenue follow below.

A touching mural on the side of a building.

I cannot tell you what I was expecting when I came to Ulaanbaatar. But what I have found has been so phenomenal I am barely able to believe it. 

Now a closer look at THE SQUARE and at the Saaral Ordon.

The first photo below looks 'due North'.

The Saaral Ordon is really magnificent.

The time has now come to go for a walk out into THE SQUARE.

I am sorry! I do not have-a-clue as to what this green camel is all about.

Nor its different buddies below!

 In the background is a prominent monument to General Damdin Sukhbaatar.

I cannot emphasize too strongly the importance of the horse in Mongolian culture and history.

In reading about Damdin Sukhbaatar I was deeply touched by his short life (he passed away at age 30) and of his contribution to Mongolia. 

How can you miss THE BLUE SKY Hotel and Tower in the background!

"Dad! This post is about me Dad! It is NOT about THE BLUE SKY Hotel and Tower." /signed/ CHINGGIS KHAAN SQUARE.

Looking back South to the right of the above photo .. In the distance you can see my post office building which is almost dead center. Notice the blue-in-color tower in front of the post office building.

You can also get-a-feeling for the ENORMOUS size of THE SQUARE.

Below is a photo of the East side of the post office building. I show this photo to give you a perspective of the blue-in-color tower on the right that you have been seeing in the previous photos.

Looking South West across THE SQUARE you again get a feeling for its size. In the distance you can see the tower I mentioned above.

Walking South up THE SQUARE from the Saaral Ordon we see General Sukhbaatar still up on his high-horse! On the right side of the below photo is the Mongolian State Ballet and Opera House a most colorful and prominent building across the street to the East of THE SQUARE.

The first photo below clearly shows you the street that passes to the East of THE SQUARE. Notice the Mongolian State Ballet and Opera House on the right.

Back to further photos of the Ballet and Opera House.

It is an exquisite building!

Now we are going to walk around the Saaral Ordon.

Looking North West on the right below you see the East side of the Saaral Ordon.

A closer look below at its East side. It is a LARGE building.

The sidewalk on its East side looking due South.

Looking North East at The National University of Mongolia located kitty-corner across from the extreme North East end of the Saaral Ordon. I remain amazed at the magnificent buildings in Ulaanbaatar.

To quote 'Zilla .. This is a super nifty street sign.

The extreme North end of the Saaral Ordon.

"Dad! Did you have to show the above photo? It is not my most flattering view Dad!" /signed/ The Saaral Ordon ..

Looking at the North end and the West side of the Saaral Ordon.

We are now back at THE SQUARE.

It really is large! "Thanks Dad for slipping in some more photos of me Dad!" /signed/ THE BLUE SKY Hotel and Tower.

Turn to your right from the above photo and across the street on the West side of THE SQUARE you have ..

THE SQUARE is used for a number of activities. Below I will show you random photos that I have taken of some of these activities.

In the distance on the right edge of the below photo you can see white tent-like structures.

A closer view of them.

They are booths for displays and food and merchandise for sale.

The bleachers ..

The bleachers face a music venue. Hi there BLUE SKY Hotel and Tower.

Oh yes .. THE SQUARE is coming-to-life!

 Some basketball games (see the green backboards) above and below!

Oh My Goodness! Mongolians here .. Mongolians there .. Mongolians everywhere!

I think that THE SQUARE is very VERY happy today!

"Yes Dad! I am feeling very VERY loved today Dad!" /signed/ CHINGGIS KHAAN SQUARE ..

 Do all of you see the pretty green animals above and below!

Do you see my green camel below to the left of the memorial!

Notice the Ballet and Opera House in the two photos immediately below.

 I mean to tell you all .. THE SQUARE is jumping today!

Tell me the last time you saw anything like the below! 

Adults also ..

 These children were dressed-to-the-nines!

Talk about good-clean-fun! Our young man on the left below is certainly beaming about his position on the chess board! Just look at his hands and face. "I've got her!" He is far too young to realize that maybe he will one day chase her until SHE catches him.

A little roller-derby action.

 The martial arts no less ..

Well! Just look here will you!!

These are colors to be very VERY proud of let-me-tell-you!

Notice the words on the below tent. Especially notice the camel.

I have encountered the above word several times. It looks like the name Robb to me.

Here it is again! In the newspaper!

THE REST OF THIS MINI-STORY .. 

I was told that this word in English is Gobi. The Gobi Desert here in the southern part of Mongolia is the third largest desert in the world. I hope to visit The Gobi Desert with Patti and Gullible!

A flamenco dancing troupe!

What a Saturday in Chinggis Khaan / Sukhbaatar Square!

Below is some kind of troupe getting ready to perform. I did not see them perform I just saw them getting ready.

Well my friends .. The time has come to publish this post. 

I had a very nice visit with this gentleman. He was so pleased that I noticed him and asked him if I could shoot his photo.

All I see about me is joy and fun and living-life-large here in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia.

Thank You So Very Much for following along here. Without all of you to share this with it would be a somewhat hollow experience.

My Dear One .. My Dear Patti .. Without your help and support getting this post put together would have been next to impossible for me to finish it. 

This is probably the most difficult post that I have ever put together. It spanned my entire three months here and it covered well over several thousand photos many of which were just single photos shot as I was in and out of the area. There are 159 photos at last count in this post. 

Again .. Thank You So Much My Dear Patti for your support and time consuming proof-reading with me.

With Love to all of you .. Cap