When is a tent more than just a tent? When it’s a yurt.
While hiking on one of Toronto’s urban trails a few months ago, Helen and I discovered a yurt at the popular Evergreen Brick Works. We were compelled to investigate – even though it was located in a cordoned off area – and found that it was being used simply for storage.
I found it rather curious at the time that such an interesting door would be installed on what is basically a tent, so I filed this away knowing I would want to revisit it again some day.
Well, that *some day* arrived a lot sooner than I expected.
While playing tourist at the zoo a few weeks ago, I was surprised to encounter another yurt. What are the chances? Toronto is not exactly the place where I would expect to encounter these portable round tents originating from Central Asia.
While I’m aware of the existence of semi-permanent yurts built on wooden platforms in many North American parks, I’ve never seen any that came close to these beauties.
I learned that the yurt just might be the ultimate mobile home and among its many features, including a spacious interior, it can handle high winds and heavy snow loads.
There it was! … finally a potential explanation for finding a temporary storage yurt in the final days of winter in Toronto.
… but I still haven’t figured out why these two have such beautiful decorative doors. Everything I’ve read suggests the typical yurt has plain doors and the decorative patterns are inside. Could it be as simple as making it easier to find the door in bad weather? Maybe it’s a sign of welcome.
Either way, I thought these were perfect inclusions for this week’s Thursday Doors.
Hope you liked them too … and if you would like to see more interesting doors, visit Thursday Doors at Norm 2.0.
[…] Thursday Doors: It’s More Than A Tent […]
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Here is another yurt door for you. It’s my Kazakh yurt https://www.facebook.com/truekochevnik/photos/a.824351034346115.1073741833.780398192074733/976067795841104/?type=3&theater
I can get you a better picture if you want
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oh wow!! It too has a beautiful set of doors. Love these!
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Love this. Have always wanted a yurt!
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Now I want one too!
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Wow. Gorgeous. I love yurts actually. Is it the name? The circular shape? In this case, its clearly the doors!
Peta
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Thanks Peta. I’m guessing you’ve seen a lot of yurts in your travels. Have you ever seen any with such decorative doors before?
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Wow this is absolutely superb, what a find! I agree you would not expect to see that in TO. I wouldn’t mind spending a few days in one of those.
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Thanks 🙂 To find 2 of them within as many months was the real surprise!
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I’ve seen a number of yurts here in the Northwest, Joanne, but none so beautiful as those, inside or out. Gorgeous doors. I could live in one of those 🙂
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Such beautiful doors on a plain canvas structure. Striking! Somehow I don’t think it will catch on though 😉
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My goodness, that’s very unique! I love the blue door, it’s so beautiful.
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The blue one is my favourite too! I just love finding unexpected treasures like this 🙂
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Delightful doors and wow, what a tent. I would consider camping if the accommodation was like that. Thanks for sharing.
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I agree. I’m not overly impressed with the idea of camping, but cool accommodations like this would make it feel like Arabian Nights 😉
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Awesome yurt doors; didn’t know they had doors (and very ornamental ones at that).
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To me, the doors are still a mystery. I can’t imagine that these ornate doors are traditional. Either way, these ones are pretty cool 🙂
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It looks surprisingly cosy inside. 🙂
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I know!! I was completely surprised. I could happily spend a weekend camping in one of those 🙂
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It does look rather nice. 🙂
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Definitely beautiful doors. I’m not really the tent type, but I’d love to stay in a yurt.
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I’m definitely not the tent type either … something about crawling around on my hands and knees 😉
… but a yurt looks fine.
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An interesting Idea! One of my creative friends made a plan for a round house, and that is what this reminds me of. Mongolia – severe temps! I would have to get used to the idea. But the doors are beautiful!
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I’m guessing the severe temperatures are what makes the yurt work so well. There are no corners for air to get trapped in so there’s better air circulation.
I love the idea of a round house. It would be pretty amazing!
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Joanne, this is great! Our younger daughter at one point wanted to live in a yurt at some point, so we’d seen photos of lots of cool ones. Not sure she ever will, but they are great.
janet
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Living in a yurt would definitely be minimalist living … but it sure would make camping a lot more interesting for those of us with an aversion to crawling on our hands and knees to get in and out of a tent!
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They have yurts for rent in Big Sir, on the California coastline. I’ve never done it but I understand that each one comes with an incredible view! I’m pretty sure they don’t have doors like that though. Those are really stunning!
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I think you’ve just given me one more reason to visit Big Sur one day!
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The doors are stunning. Imagine that–in T.O. wow. Wish I’d known about these a hundred years ago when we used to go camping. Ha ha. This more up my valley–or alley..
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I agree. I would have almost enjoyed camping with one of these 😉
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Now that’s what I call glamping – they’re fabulous!
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It certainly redefines camping for me. None of this crawling on hands and knees to get in and out!
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Yes, that’s the worst bit about camping (along with the cold, bugs and being in close proximity to family!!)
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HAHAHAHAHA!!!
Bugs are definitely at the top of the list. ALWAYS at the top of any *worst* list.
Family often comes a close second 😉
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Well that is indeed an unusual finding in Toronto. Do you suppose I should be on the lookout here in Calgary? Love the doors no matter what the reason for them. I shall await further investigation on your end. 🙂
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Now that I know what practical and sturdy little buildings they are, the question now is – why don’t we see more of them? 🙂
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Maybe it’s the start of a trend!
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Those are beautiful doors and I love the decoration on the interior, too.
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I read that all those patterns and symbols actually have a meaning, but I wasn’t able to decipher what exactly.
I was thoroughly surprised by the photo of the interior. I couldn’t see through the window very well and it was quite dark inside, but the camera managed to capture it. I figured nothing ventured, nothing gained. What a surprise to see the end result!
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I watched a documentary a few nights back about a guy who lived with a nomadic family in Mongolia for a while. It showed them dismantling their yurt and setting it up again in another location. Amazing life, not one I would be quick to jump into but I admire their tenacity and energy. Brilliant horsemen, too.
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I don’t think I would make a good nomad … although I guess it depends on how often you pack up your roots and move on. I would need a sense of familiarity for at least several months at a time.
… I would be happy to exit Toronto in winter though 😉
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Yurts are so cool. 😀
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I agree! … and now that I’ve been properly introduced to them, I think they are even more so!
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Fantastic shots and narrative. Absolutely perfect for the theme.
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Nice! I’ve still only seen them via screens, and am jealous you got to have a looksee inside. What lovely painted details. Gorgeous doors, I love the blue! 🙂
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Aren’t they cool?! These magnificent doors on a plain white tent!!
When I peeked into the interior, I couldn’t see much because it was so dark inside. I took a photo anyway and was thrilled with the result! It’s gorgeous in there 🙂
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It really is 🙂
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So much more beautiful than an old tent flap!
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Wouldn’t you love to go camping with one of these babies? 😉
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I just saw something on TV about a yurt compound in Maine!!
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Too funny! It seems like they’re popping up everywhere 😀
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Lovely doors – there is a resort in Big Sur (just south of us) that is a yurt village.
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Luverly doors. What a find. And thanks for the peep inside the yurt 🙂
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That photo of the interior was done on a lark because it was really dark in there and I couldn’t see much.
… but the camera could!! I was so delighted!
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Me too!
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You know I love doors don’t you? Now I sit here drooling. What a beauty. I have seen tents like that in Asia, the are remarkable. Never saw one from the inside. I enjoyed your pictures. Good to have you back.
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I’ve seen similarly shaped huts used by the Maasai in Tanzania but they appeared to be more permanent. Now that I know a bit more about yurts, they really are quite fascinating.
… and those doors!! So striking against the plain tent.
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I just love doors…one day -after we hit the jackpot – I will go shopping. 🙂
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Those doors are beautiful works of art! Great find for this week.
I’ve been a yurt only once and so surprised by how spacious it was inside. I spent a whole day there in and out of it an wished I was spending the night.
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Having a yurt like that one with raised beds and a sitting area could really redefine camping for me 😉
Yup – I might actually get to like camping 🙂
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Me too! 🙂
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Wow, well I never even knew what a yurt was until today but what an awesome…um… thing. Kind of odd as it seems completely portable other than the ornate doors. I can just picture travelers carrying around the lightest materials to make their yurts if not for the heavy doors uncomfortably sticking out of their backpacks, ha, ha! BTW, back from NY which was cool but definitely organic yuppied and priced out so I think it’s only a matter of time before these organic yuppies start setting up yurts to live in on 2nd Ave when they’re priced out of their homes as well.
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BWAHAHAHAHA!! Thanks for that visual! I can picture an upscale yurt neighbourhood 😀
Your thinking was similar to mine. If these were meant to be mobile, the doors rather defeat the purpose.
… but they are lovely 🙂
Welcome back from NY. I hope we will hear about your adventures 🙂
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What an interesting spin on Thursday Doors! Who knew you could find a yurt in the big smoke!!! Perhaps that is why they have such fancy doors!
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That’s how I felt about it too. It’s finding something unusual in an unexpected place …. TWICE!
If it wasn’t for Norm’s Thursday Day, I might not have given them a second glance. Now however, I feel like I’ve found something special 🙂
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Coolness. I love this door challenge, but never would have thought that I’d see one on a tent. Don’t you love it when a photo taken for no specific reason becomes a perfect blog post?
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I have to admit that a stunningly beautiful door found on a tent is a spectacular find! 🙂
You are right though – I didn’t know what I was going to do with that first photo, but as soon as I saw the 2nd yurt, I knew I had a post 🙂
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Great finds! Those doors are just gorgeous works of art; way too fancy for the typical yurt.
At some point I would like to try spending a few nights in a yurt – kinda like high-end camping I’d think.
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One yurt with a fancy door was a great find – but two?! There has to be an explanation there I’m still missing.
I think the doors look even more amazing because they’re installed on a plain white tent.
I could happily go camping if I stayed in one of these – elevated beds, sitting area, DOOR! 🙂
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Oh goodness, the sight of that first photo in my Reader just made me open the post right away! I adore it. And I think I’ve just found my retirement home…..
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Isn’t the door lovely?! … and all that space! I could happily go on camping trips with those kind of accommodations 🙂
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I reckon I could almost convince the Husband to go camping in one of those. 🙂
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aha! It sounds like we have the same feelings about ‘the wild’ 🙂
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The yurts are really interesting. I have not heard of these before. They would make great camping tents and I think you should find yourself one for the bike rally. Very cool doors, Joanne, and nice post.
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I know!! Unfortunately when I hinted I wanted a bigger tent last year, son #1 suggested I would be putting it up by myself
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Son #1 is no fun.
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Truly stunning doors and I’d love to sleep in one of these one day.
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They are certainly unexpected on such an otherwise plain structure. Having a yurt like the one I saw at the zoo would really re-define camping for me 🙂
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The door are really beautiful Joanne great photos 🙂 With the current tiny house movement going on in the USA a lot of people are choosing these to live in. Of course they do so in the warmer climates.
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Really? There are communities of yurts now? That would be interesting to see!
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I would say communities but I have seen some here and there in my travels and some of the Tiny House show that are broadcast in the USA are saying its a cheap and viable option for people who want to go tiny. For a couple of years now my wife and I have thought about selling our home and going tiny (not with a Yurt) but the problem is if you go mobile (build a home on a trailer) most building codes in the USA will not allow you to claim it as your permanent home even if it is on your own property. Even if you were to build a tiny home on a foundation most states require you to build at least 1000 square feet. I guess they do this because most states base your property taxes on how big your home is.
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Forgot the “not” in the third word.
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hmmm – it never occurred to me that there might be bylaws on the minimum size of a house.
Recently I’ve attempted to send up a trial balloon on the topic of moving. It didn’t fly. Didn’t even get off the ground. I just love it when we have these open-minded, blue sky kind of conversations
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One of our favorite TV shows is Tiny House Nation which show various builds and people who buy Tiny Homes. In the states its on HGTV but I think its also available on Netflix Joanne.
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I should check it out … but I don’t think I’m a good candidate for a Tiny House. Where would I store my shoe collection? 😉
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These are beautiful doors, and on such interesting structures. I’ve never heard of these. They are fascinating. Thanks for the information
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Admittedly, I knew virtually nothing about yurts … except to recognize one … until I saw that “Dream Home” board at the zoo. They are rather interesting.
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Beautiful! When I was looking for work in 2008 I had to choose between Mongolia and Tanzania – and I almost chose Mongolia because I so badly wanted to live in a yurt (even though I know that people in Ulaan Bataar generally don’t live in yurts 😉 ). Turns out it wasn’t a compelling enough reason to move to Mongolia, but I do still love yurts! And the doors are marvelous.
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HAHAHA!!! You’re thought processes are similar to mine!! 😀
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Wow, they’re really beautiful doors! 🙂
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Very unexpected isn’t it? 🙂
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I don’t know about a dream home but they sure are great doors for Thursday. 🙂
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I guess it’s a dream house if you’re a nomad 🙂
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“Live” equals love! In my comment I forgot to check if it came out “love.” As in I love the tent! 🙂
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This would be my kind of camping 😉
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I live this amazing tent, Joanne! In this case, Joanne, it is like a piece of Arabian nights, magical and mysterious!
I was just reading about suspension tents with ladders that look like beehives, high above the ground. Strange but safe from critters and bears. . . Tents were on my mind since then! Have a fun adventurous weekend, whatever you pursue. . . Happy trails to you!
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Suspension tents? I had to google it and came up with the most incredible images!! Wow. That would make a most extraordinary night of camping!!
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I am excited you looked this up, Joanne. We are lucky to have the internet to keep us up to date. 🙂 The British engineer was featured in an article I read and he included understanding of hot air balloons and parachutes. I showed my grandson who took the article and put it in his summer reading backpack. He is 7 and heading towards second grade, Joanne. He also grabbed some LeBron James photos my Mom was saving since she likes the Cavs! Lol
I meant to tell you this morning that there is a safari area in Southern Ohio, called, “The Wilds.” You can rent yurts and they have a nice circle of them with a fire pit, which encourages socialization among the yurt visitors. My good friend and her hubby rented one for a night last fall and they said the noises emitted by animals could be heard all night! She swears there were some animals “rutting” but this was September; so not sure if this would be on the wild animal’s mating calendar?
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I like the idea of setting it up in such a way that socialization with others is encouraged.
… then hoping for the best that you like your neighbours on the safari!
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I was surprised since my girlfriend and her husband are rather private people! They did join in! 🙂
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