Rambling through the streets of Paris

Second day in Paris--My mum and I start the day off early with breakfast and newspaper at a Cafe in St. Germain des Pres (I will never forget the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the jazz music played in the cafe that morning).

This place offers such amazing vibe that it often is a meeting place for artists and intellectuals to discuss and debate about everything. Being there gives me a close view of a Parisian's daily rhythm and intellectual life.

In front of us is a typically vibrant Paris street scene. Classic Parisian style residential buildings sprawls along alleyways in all directions. 

To most people Paris is a luxury, fashion bliss and regional art hub of Europe, but what really interest me is the city's seductive architectures, avenues and mysterious backstreets waiting to be explored by strangers like me.

Herding in the Pamir Region

We stumble upon a Tajik herder grazing a sea of sheep at a dusty mountain range.

We wait till the sheep pass through the drive way and we keep walking up the side of the mountain. A herder riding his horse is also making his way up on the hill, where his Ger is hidden.

Another Kind of Desert Excursion

As part of our sunset jeep tour in the desert, we take pictures of the breathtaking red rock canyons, which are uncommon in China. Everything is red. Green and blue is out of the picture except for the sky that frames this enormous arid land.

A Little Taste of Turkish Delight

104_0249.mov
During Isha (evening prayer), the streets outside the 
Kapalı Çarşı (Grand Bazaar) in Istanbul are bustling with energy.

Seeking the Spirit of Genghis

It's not that I'm promoting Mongolian tourism, but its nomadic lifestyle--living in simplicity and wilderness--that had me hooked was incredibly amazing and hard to find. Mongolian vodka, organic food, horseback riding and gers all in one package only happened at this camp.

Picture was taken when we were on our way through the alpine meadow to visit a nomadic family.
Back in 2006 this immense grassland in Ulaanbaatar remained completely untouched by the outside world. Not sure it still looks the same today.
This part of the landlocked country is covered by grassland, justifiably known as the "Land of Blue Sky," where is a extremely windy place. You need boots and overcoat to protect your skin because of the high altitude.

My travel mates and I stayed in the same Ger for three days. It was the most unforgettable and exquisite experience I've ever had. The camp is located in the middle of a desert surrounded by immense mountain ranges. At night, after sunset, I walked around the desert in the moonlight. During daytime we took tours to visit the neighboring nomadic families who showed us how to make Suutei tsai-salty milk tea.

During my stay at the Yurt camp, I learned to say thank you in Mongolian: Баярлалаа [Bayarlaa].


To find out more about this camp, please leave a comment or email me at cassielammie@gmail.com.

Hanging out with indigenous children of Siberia

Don't recall the kids' names since they are so hard to pronounce. These kids' ancestors were nomadic people of the Mongolic and Tungusic groups dated back to the 17th Century when Russia conquered Siberia. 

Their facial feature resembles the Mongol conquerer Genghis Khan.

Isn't he adorable?

Something to help me hold onto my memories.