Mongolia

The endless wind sweeping off the endless steppe under an infinite blue sky. It's easy to see why the Mongolian people have a reputation for toughness. Anyone surviving and thriving in these conditions has to be tough. But, for all that toughness, most of the people we met were very friendly and warm. There's a lot of national pride, not only in the past--the mighty Kahns that ruled most of the known world, but also in the present--rejecting the overarching influence of Russia and China to forge their own country based on democracy. We loved Mongolia for the beautiful land and the great people. Our time there wasn't nearly long enough to appreciate it all, but we had a great time and we'd love to go back.