AT the last monthly meeting of the Shipston on Stour Area U3A members were treated to a illustrated talk on the Western Mountains area of Mongolia.
The talk covered the trip from arrival in the capital Ulaan Baatar to the regional city of Ulaangom and beyond.
The regional city of Ulaangom is located near the shores of Lake Uvs Nuur and has a population of about 27,000. It has an extreme and harsh climate, with temperatures often dropping as low as -45C in the winter while rising to as high as 40C during the summer.
While the city does not boast an abundance of tourist attractions, it serves as a good base to explore the north-west corner of Mongolia.
The museum has good displays of flora, wildlife and Buddhist art. Founded in 1757, the Dechinravjaalin Khiid monastery once boasted 2,000 monks.
However, after being destroyed in 1937, the monastery never recovered and it remains a shadow of its former glory.
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