{"title":"Film #35: Mongolia","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"mongolia","title":"Mongolia","description":"\u003cp\u003eI visited Mongolia in the summer of 2025, traveling all the way to the remote Altai Mountains in western Mongolia. During the trip, I climbed the country’s tallest mountain, spent several days hiking alone through the mountains, and stayed with a nomadic family for a few days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMongolia is a country that left a huge impression on me.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is often considered the emptiest country in the world, with an incredibly low population density. Flying over Mongolia really puts that into perspective. For hours, all you see are rolling hills, dry steppe, and distant mountains stretching endlessly toward the horizon. There are very few forests in this part of the country - mostly just open grasslands as far as the eye can see.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis photo was taken near the ger of the nomadic family I stayed with. A ger is the traditional Mongolian yurt, and their entire way of life revolves around the animals they keep. Throughout the summer, they depend heavily on livestock for food and survival. Much of their diet comes from animal products, while basic vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions are imported from Russia because very little can be grown locally in the harsh climate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a foreigner, the landscape initially felt harsh and exposed. There are almost no trees, very little shelter, and none of the luxuries I’ve become used to in daily life. But spending time there was also incredibly grounding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLiving with this family reminded me how little people actually need to be happy. Life revolved around nature, animals, and family. Multiple generations lived together, constantly interacting, helping one another, and depending on each other in daily life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI think this photo captures western Mongolia perfectly - endless open steppe, the Altai Mountains rising in the distance, and horses roaming freely across the landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harmen Hoek Store","offers":[{"title":"Small (20×30cm \/ 8×12in) \/ Signed on front in lower corner \/ Glossy finish","offer_id":49172825178329,"sku":null,"price":44.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Small (20×30cm \/ 8×12in) \/ Signed on front in lower corner \/ Matte finish","offer_id":49172825211097,"sku":null,"price":44.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Small (20×30cm \/ 8×12in) \/ Signer on back \/ Glossy finish","offer_id":49172825243865,"sku":null,"price":44.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Small (20×30cm \/ 8×12in) \/ Signer on back \/ Matte 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Getting there was no easy task. I first took two flights to reach Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, before catching one of the only two weekly flights out to Ölgii in western Mongolia. From there, I still had to drive several more hours into the mountains to reach these nomads.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI stayed with this nomadic family for two nights, and to me, the best way to get to know a culture is through full immersion. No guides, no other tourists, just living alongside people and observing their daily life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the few days I spent with them, I learned a lot about their lifestyle and way of living. These families spend the entire summer out on these vast plains. There are barely any trees, and very little grows in the mostly frozen ground. Their diet is almost entirely based on animal products from the animals they raise themselves, including yaks, sheep, goats, and horses. One of the most common drinks is kumis, fermented horse milk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe had almost no way of communicating directly since they didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak Kazakh or Mongolian. But through observing and copying their routines, I slowly started to understand their way of life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey live a rough life out here, fully exposed to the elements and with very few modern technologies. But what really stayed with me was how healthy and happy they seemed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo be honest, during one of the days out there, I found myself feeling a little bored. But meanwhile, the children entertained themselves endlessly with simple things - flying kites, playing soccer, helping with daily chores. They laughed, ran around, and seemed completely content.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo me, it was a strong reminder that in a world where we constantly want more, sometimes less is actually better.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harmen Hoek Store","offers":[{"title":"Small (20×30cm \/ 8×12in) \/ Signed on front in lower corner \/ Glossy finish","offer_id":49172835565785,"sku":null,"price":44.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Small (20×30cm \/ 8×12in) \/ Signed on front in lower corner \/ Matte finish","offer_id":49172835598553,"sku":null,"price":44.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Small (20×30cm \/ 8×12in) \/ Signer on back \/ Glossy finish","offer_id":49172835631321,"sku":null,"price":44.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Small (20×30cm \/ 8×12in) \/ Signer on back \/ Matte finish","offer_id":49172835664089,"sku":null,"price":44.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Small (20×30cm \/ 8×12in) \/ Custom message (specify in 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