Sleep

All over Asia I have witnessed an incredible ability of people to sleep almost anywhere. No matter what cramped situation, noisy location or downright dirty environment people have no problems in making themselves comfortable and getting some shut eye. Oh how I wish I could learn that ability.  Even on long haul flights of 12 hours I am the guy who is sitting straight up with eyes wide open while everyone around me is making the most of it.

The meat market above in Siem Reap was a great example where this lady simply slung up her hammock over the stall and got busy with the Zzzz's.

So whether it's a hammock a floor mat or a chair Asians are well experienced of getting horizontal if only for a short while. This lady above has neatly propped her legs up the wall and placed a straw fan over her eyes as shades.

And ... it doesn't really matter what you look like. Again the Asians have apparently no shame or worry about appearances ..... this old guy in Urumqi in West China has laid himself out in the middle of the town square and taken off his shoes to get comfy. Holy socks ...... not a problem. They call it ventilation!

This guy in Hangzhou, China has chosen a perfect spot in front of some grand old doors and complete with his "Nordic Casual Style" sleeping bag he can sleep throughout the cold winter night.

Or if you're a taxi driver, lorry driver or trishaw rider you have already the perfect place to stretch out and snooze as seen here with this trishaw rider in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Inside The Yurt Tent

Following on from yesterday's post with the yurt tent in Xianjiang, China here is a view inside the beautifully decorated home. Life on the Steppes can be hard: the winds blow fiercely, rain and snow in the winter months give way to often oppressive heat in the summer months. Living in such close proximity to so many animals, meanwhile, meant an equally close proximity to the waste products of those animals – that makes for a ripe and generally unpleasant smell as a constant companion. The Mongolian people who continue to live on the Steppes are hardy people indeed but they are aided by a remarkable companion – the yurt.
The yurt, otherwise known as the ger, is a felt tent that is capable of standing up to the rigours of the Steppes. Constructed of felt and wood, it is stable and solid, resistant to precipitation but capable of being opened up at several points to allow for a cooling breeze to pass through when required. The roof ring is perhaps the most important part, since this wooden construction must be well-wrought and have close fitting notches for the rafters to fit into without slipping. The rafters were originally saplings which are planted one end in the ground and the other in the designated notch in the roof ring. A variety of rafters bear the weight of the complete yurt and, should one or two break or falter, then the remaining rafters are sufficient to bear the weight. This makes the yurt very stable and, because there are no central supports or struts, the space inside is maximized. This is important because people, women especially, can spend a great deal of time inside the yurt and need space to organise their domestic activities. The rafters are further supported by a couple of wooden belly bands which curve all the way round the yurt, for additional strength.

The Xinjiang Horsemen

The Mongols, Turks, Huns, Tartars and Scythians are the best known of horsemen groups that have roamed the steppes of Central Asia and the ones that were most successfully expanding beyond their native realm and impacted the worlds they touched. The Mongols created the largest empire the world have ever known.

Horseman groups originated about 2,500 years ago and continue in various forms today. Throughout their long run they have maintained many of the customs, characteristics, martial arts and methods of organization that evolved millennia ago such spending living in yurt-style tents, drinking fermented mare’s milk, fighting from horseback and creating art forms that celebrate horses and animals of the steppe.

The home range of the early horsemen, the Eurasia steppe, is vast area of land that extends from the Carpathian mountains in Hungary to eastern Mongolia. 

Want to see what it looks like inside the yurt tent then visit my blog tomorrow.

Sleeping Man

This man decided to lay out in the middle of the central area of Urumqi, China and take a long doze. You can tell it's a hot day as has shaded his eyes with his cap and is wearing his specially designed socks with ventilation holes!

You can see this image and many more in my newly designed website gallery.