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Travel
Google Street View Takes on Mongolia
Google Trekker maps Mongolia — Google Street View has arrived in Mongolia, dispatching its portable Trekker to capture the annual Naadam Festival. Trekker operator Ariantuul has climbed Mongolia’s 1,600-meter Khar Zurkh Uul mountain with the 18-kilogram (40 pounds) contraption strapped on her back.The Naadam Festival celebrates traditional Mongolian virtues of marksmanship, strength and horsemanship. It features archery, wrestling and horse racing. It was awarded UNESCO Intangible World Heritage status in 2010.The Naadam opening ceremony is a dazzling display of traditional costumes and cultural performances, including elaborate marches performed by soldiers and music by monks.Google Trekker operator, Azaa, captures the Naadam opening ceremony in mid-July. The event marked the first time Google Street View has been used to document a festival.You’re never too young (or too old) to be an archer in Mongolia. While wrestling is strictly a male sport, both archery and horse racing include female competitors.Google Trekker captures Mongolian wrestlers ahead of their competition. The Trekker comprises 15 individual fixed-focus lenses capable of taking 360-degree panoramic shots.Herdsmen from across Mongolia travel to the capital of Ulaanbaatar, usually across hundreds of miles, to participate in Naadam festivities.Young jockeys arriving at the finish line — their cross-country race is conducted on open grasslands with no set of track or course.Skilled horsemen show off their skills at Naadam. But only riders age five to 13 can participate in the cross-country horse race. This is meant to ensure that races are decided by the skills and speed of the animals, not their riders.In addition to the festival, Google has been mapping Mongolia since October 2014, covering 5,000 kilometers of roads so far.This frozen lake is a favorite destination for locals and tourists alike, with ornate ice sculptures and local artisans setting up shop on the ice.Google says Street View has another 48,000 kilometers to drive before it can cover the entire country.
