Blogs from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Asia - page 2

Yes indeed, Mongolians are best known as the original nomads, and in a vast, sparsely-populated expanse of land such as Mongolia, the reasons for all of these migratory movements are fairly self-explanatory. It is fair to comment that the final word in Mongolian culture, economic activity and tourist influx begins and ends in the nation's capital city, Ulaanbaatar, and a few brief glances around the city reveal evidence of far-Eastern investment, namely South Korean developers whose investment in Mongolia seems like a strategy-in-the-making. Ulaanbaatar's centrepiece is Sukhbaatar Square, which is flanked on the one side by the government building, and on another side by the colourful Opera and Ballet theatre, a State institution in a nation where a knock-on influence from the Soviet Union has clearly shaped the way in ... read more

I can tell you the exact spot where I was sitting when I made some pretty big promises to myself and some specific demands of my future. It is not a moment that enters mind very often, but after this trip to Mongolia, I can't help but wonder how that flashpoint in my life is still affecting my decisions today. I was 12 years-old and had spent the day rotary mowing at Shamrock Farms in order to earn some walking around money. I was sitting on a rickety old tractor, soaked in sweat and covered in the dust and bugs that inevitably get kicked up when doing such work. I had spent the day doing nothing but driving and thinking. Rotary mowing is the sort of job that affords a lot of time for thinking, even ... read more

I am not even sure where to start when I am asked what I thought of Mongolia, how I felt about the expedition and if I learned anything along the way. There were so many things coming at me at once, I am not sure I have fully processed my time in Mongolia and I certainly haven't been able to convey my thoughts in any sort of logical or succinct way. Sometimes it is just easier to make lists and be random. Accommodations I laid my head to rest in a wide variety of places on this trip. Upon arrival in Mongolia, I checked into The Blue Sky Hotel which is a nice hotel overlooking the main square and piercing the city skyline. It was exactly the place I needed when I arrived in the middle ... read more

I have always believed one of the greatest honors is to share your life with an animal. There are few relationships that afford such vulnerability, love and satisfaction as those relationships between a human and their animal companion. Animals teach us patience, trust, responsibility, grace and confirmation that we are not the most important being in our life. A part of this coexistence, one that I take very seriously, is giving animal friends a solid, respectable name. I know there is a joke among our family that I name anything that moves, and frankly, I can't deny it. But I strongly believe the only thing worse than an animal without a name, is an animal with a lousy name. You can imagine my dismay when I came face-to-face with my camel partner in Mongolia and he ... read more

For the first time ever, my holiday goal was to lose weight while I was traveling. I know it sounds counterintuitive. Who goes on vacation to diet? Certainly not this girl, who usually eats her way through trips like she is on death row. But whoever said, "Oh go to Mongolia, you will love the food?" Who has ever planned a dinner party and served fine Mongolian cuisine? So the plan was that I would be working all day among the elements and then would be served some simple, not-so-appetizing campfire meal. It sounds like the perfect equation for weight loss. Perfect, expect for the one thing I did not calculate. Mongolian food is fantastic. It is hearty and filling, but it is also tasty and satisfying. I can honestly say I did not have one ... read more