mega update #3: Ulaanbaatar city - by James

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ok, now for the last part of this mega update, the city of ulaanbaatar.

So, the drive back to the city took around an hour and 20 minutes. On arrival at the hotel we checked in and plodded up to our room, where we dumped all our gear and figured out how the TV worked (terrible I know! but we wanted the news!). Then we filled the bathtub and added our magical clothes make clean more liquid, and the dirty clothes. We left them in the hot water and went for our city tour, which was great. We saw the Gandan monestary and a shaman yurt. The shaman is basically someone who tells you about your future (which we politely refused - especially going into Russia!!!) We walked through the city for around about 2 hours, and we really froze! As we headed back to the hotel, Ginny asked us if we would like lunch at a little place she knew down the street. We politely accepted, especially going into Russia!!! SO, we had our lunch at this place which was really nice. It consisted of egg salad (for our pet rabbit) and meet dumplings called Booz 😊

After having our lunch Ginny asked us if we would like to meet her classmates (All learning English at the local Uni). So we went to the uni and sat in on an English lecture which was a whole new experience, especially as we were being corrected about our English most of the time (can you imagine why?). We were suprised to see that the lecturer was not extremely bothered about us. She seemed more burdened than happy.

We then went to the supermarket to buy dinner, where Miriam shamefully bought what she thought would be custard in the heart of mongolia... it turned out to be yak fat or butter or something just as strange. It smelt like last weeks sandwich boxes from my lockers at school. So anyway, we had dinner (cheese and bread) and then watched national geographic until bed time.

Today we have been blogging and chilling out in the city. I went for a walk to buy water as i was about to die of thirst, and on the way back almost died of the cold. We had lunch at a really cheap nice buffet which was recomended by our tour guide. it only cost 3 quid each and we could stay and eat as long as we wanted... and we really did.

Until next time, stay interested!

James

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Photos

a shaman place
ginny went to visit the shaman whilst we were in the city

an awa
awas are related to shamanism and are built to worship nature, mainly on the top of hills. people tie their scarves to them.

the main temple at the Gandan monastery
the monastery is the largest in mongolia and includes 2 schools and a university for the monks. there were loads of pigeons because people think it's cleansing to feed them.

james lilly alice and mim in front of the temple
there are icicles on the roof!

the monks cleaning the streets
they were having a spring cleaning day

Comments

[HANNAH WOOOO]

LOL THEY TIE THEIR SCARVES TO IT. Made me chuckle, not gonna lie. But not a racist chuckle. Basics seestair I shall reply to your private message but I had to comment on the scarf-tying habits and also on the booz. And also on the spring cleaning AHAHAHHA SPRING GET IT? GET IT? SPRING. Naaaaat. Private message coming your way. Get excited.

[HANNAH WOOOO]

AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAA. GUESS WHAT. JUST TAKE A GUESS. TAKE A WILD GUESS. I saw the 'Ulaanbaatar' and I was like durr they can't even spell they put too many A's. You would have to be like Ulaaaanbaaaaatar when you say it and then you would look like a twat and people would laugh at you but THEN I saw that James was writing and I was like DURRR THE DYSLEKA SPELT IT WRONG AND I BLAMED THE RUSSIANS. AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA. AAAAAAHAHHAHAHAA. Is ok James I maeke a jaoke, if funnay jaoke, teel againe. NAAT. Ok too much BYE.