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Published: June 24th 2011
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It’s been awhile since an entry – I wanted to be sure to post this before we leave for another adventure next week.
Let me first say a bit about Ulan Ude. I really loved this town. It's still in Russia, but felt like my first introduction to Mongolian culture - but mostly Buryat. A very different vibe from the rest of Russia - and this was evident the second I stepped foot off the train. I really wish I had more time in this area rather than Irkutsk area - now I know for next time and what to recommend to others. I met one of the Lonely Planet authors who is doing his research for the updated Russia book (the second Lonely Planet author I met on this trip - I met a woman in Moscow who was also working on the book). Nice to get some inside information and I got to help him do some of his research as we went to one of the Buddhist Temples in town - a Tibetan temple - and the highest point in the city, so beautiful panoramic views. Kind of bizarre about the town is that in the central
At Temple in Ulan Ude
This Buddhist temle sits on the highest point in the city square there is a gigantic head of Lenin that looks over the city – interesting.
Arrived in Ulan Bator (referred to as UB), the capital of Mongolia on Friday evening (June 3). I took the bus here from Ulan Ude instead of the train as it was half the time. Nice to be able to see scenery the whole time and not sit at the border for 11 hours, which is supposedly what the train does while they switch out wheels and such for Mongolian railroad. So good to have Pat waiting for me when I got off the bus. Ulan Bator is incredibly chaotic - over the top chaotic. The entire city and streets seem to be under construction, so it feels a bit like a war zone as well. The city is rapidly changing as there is more Western influence - "progress" seems to be measured by the huge mining industry and the influx of banks and Western brand names and department stores. Luckily, an ex-pat friend of Pat's has an extra apartment here where he is letting us stay. It's a nice place and so nice to have as a spot to retreat to from the
constant onslaught of the city. That said, I still am very much looking forward to getting out to the countryside for wide open spaces, mountains, and rivers - and a glimpse of traditional lives. There is however a problem in Mongolia right now with a huge shortage of diesel fuel - and not getting anymore from China or Russia right now - so this might put a halt to train and bus travel - though I guess most of the trucks that go to the countryside are still run on petrol I think. The other current issue is that the forest here is closed right now (sounds kind of familiar) due to wildfire danger - we just heard this morning that it is supposed to open back up on the 20th. We were going to leave this week to go to the countryside in the north, but that might be delayed. A different development here - on a totally different topic, is that I have been presented with an opportunity to teach English at a camp this summer for Mongolian kids. It will be for 3 weeks - met with the director of the school the other day and I
think I'm set to start my 3 week session the end of July. The camp is about 40 km outside of UB - apparently a bit remote and beautiful. The director seems very cool - and I will earn some money too, which is a definite bonus. Hopefully will be an interesting cultural experience.
Wednesday 6/22
Got back last night from a river trip in the countryside of Mongolia. Four of us on a paddle boat on the Orkhon River Northwest of UB - it's the longest river in Mongolia with great historical significance. It was remote and beautiful - long days of paddling - so kind of hard work - but great fun - and so incredibly nice to get out of the city. A great adventure - including the public transportation there and back. We were 3 westerners (myself, Pat, and a French guy I met in Moscow) and Pat's Mongolian friend Bulgaa - who is a wealth of information and without him the trip would not have been possible - as he navigated the whole transportation situation - from the local bus we took - to the ride we hitched to the put in on
the river. It was quite a scene I think - the four of us loaded down with river gear for 4 days - including a 14 foot paddle raft (of course deflated) - I don't think the Mongolians knew what to think - especially when the few that we came across on the river or at the put in or take out saw us - as they don't really see river rafters here. It was a beautiful canyon – lots of wildlife – to include fox, a wolf, a dead boar, eagles, falcons, vultures – and can’t forget the Mongolian horses, sheep, and cows. The horses were my favorite– they are beautiful – smaller than in America – incredible strength and stamina (like the Mongolians themselves) – and so incredibly graceful. Bulgaa informed me that in Mongolia there is 1 person to 30 animals (horses, camels, sheep/goats, cows/yaks) – these 4 animals are essential to life here – quite a ratio. The nomadic and herding life of folks in the countryside is the norm. The gers (yurts) that are commonly seen are quaint and idyllic looking – but as Pat and I discussed, the life is not remotely idyllic –
Soviet artwork
Notice the subservient Mongolian standing behind the Russians hard work through long and cold winters is what folks here know. So, anyway – the bus ride there seemed a bit surreal to me – us with all our river gear on a little minivan type bus (a bit bigger than a minivan I guess) – Mongolian folk music – Mongolians staring at us with curiosity and incredibly crowded – through remote countryside. – Pat wrote a story based on this trip for one of the English newspapers in UB, The Mongol Messenger, to help get a bit of exposure – please see the next blog entry for this story, as I think it paints a good picture of our adventure.
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Pat
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first impressions
nice to read about a place from the eyes of one less calloused and immune to the environment i have become quite familiar with...