Mongolian Hordes on Horseback Race Across the Plain in a re-created battle celebrating Genghis Khan.

Mongolian Hordes race across the plains on horseback in a re-enactment of an ancient Genghis Khan battle.

Just outside of Ulan Bator I came across this celebration of the Birthday of Genghis Khan featuring re-enactments of ancient Mongolian battles that included hundreds of warriors on horseback.

Barbarians at the gate

Genghis Khan and his armies were painted as hoards and barbarians by the Europeans he defeated. In actuality Genghis Khan was quite enlightened for his time. He promoted the written word, introduced the use of currency, and exercised religious freedom and tolerance. The Mongol empire that he began was expanded by his descendants to become the largest contiguous empire the world has ever known.

Genghis Kahn the man and the emperor

Genghis Khan lived to the age of seventy dying in 1227. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Mongolia.

One thing that really impressed me on my adventure travel trip to Mongolia was the ubiquitous nature of equestrians...men, women and children were all to be seen astride those famously sturdy Mongolian Mustangs. I witnessed horse races in which the riders couldn't have been more than six or seven years old! We witnessed Mongolian horse wranglers roping mustangs, sampled home-brewed vodka hot from the still and even sipped on fermented mare's milk! Not if they just had roads...!While in Mongolia I experienced horrendous dust storms, a snow storm (in the Gobi desert), and best of all, Mongolian barbecues!

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