I have two more days before I leave for Vietnam, and I am waiting my time out slowly, stretching myself out like a cat in the sun.
I have been to the museums and restaurants. I have eaten every combination of animal milk and potatoes and meat possible. Some people in the hostel have even started calling me 'the resident,' and have asked me for travel advice, which I happily give them. I know where the city buses go, how much it should cost to get from A to B and where the best place to whet your appetite is (dietary restrictions included).
To give some visuals to my life here... I put a painting up in my 3 x 6 ft. little dorm cubby. It is a plain drawing of a nuclear family living in a ger. The closest I suppose I'll get to that, so it does the trick of providing me with loving guidance. My shelf is cluttered with books, as always, and I sleep next to my electronics and a pile of newly cleaned clothes. All to say... Lonely Planet, if you are reading this, give me a job.
Today I am going back to the monestary to read a book I just picked up, about the horrors of repatriation of Vietnamese refugees. I thought I should do some light reading before I got to Vietnam. Hopefully after I slump into a cosmic sadness about the world's difficulties, I'll make it to the Korean style sauna to give myself a thick clean slice of home.
I am actually really enjoying this lazy, quiet few days, letting my soul lead my head, while my heart rests quietly. Trying to listen attentively in between my cravings and yearnings to the part of me that exists beyond the other two. Making sure to put on enough sunscreen. I kind of have the impression that I am living a Sliding Doors, Gweneth Paltrow, scenario. Do you ever feel like that?
Right now, I am sitting at a computer, unable to see the words I am typing. Simply a vertical line traces where the letters I type should be. I believe the technical term for this is computer suckage. The lack of savior relating to my typing reminds of the way I feel about tomorrow, about what my plans will and should be.
Love <3
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Stuck in Tsterleg
Some say that everything happens for a reason. I don't usually believe this. Most of the time it feels like chance or a logical progression of events. Sometimes, however, destiny lets you know she is there, shining her bright eyes right through what we thought would be. Needless to say, I never ended up in Blue Lake. Instead, I took a new interest in graphic design and Barcelona.
My bus ticket to Blue Lake was supposed to arrive by 6:00pm the day before my departure, but when I went to the main office at 11:00pm, it wasn't there. I had planned to stay up all night to work (in order to finish all my exams) but this freedom from my schedule gave me a breath of fresh air that made a younger me sparkle around the streets of Ulaanbaatar (probably not the best idea to walk around with a dopey smile on my face in the middle of the night). I walked by a child, maybe 12 years old, whose face was badly beaten. He pressed ice in a clear plastic fruit bag against his swollen face. I wanted to protect him, hug him, feed him. Knowing this wasn't a fight I could win and seeing him surrounded by people, I returned to the hostel.
The next day, I spent a remarkable day filled with sunburns and hailstorms around UB with my friend Filip. Perhaps lucky by nature, he seemed to pour that luck out on to me as well. His mother is from Texas, and I couldn't help but feel a strange connection to the younger her, so far away from home, love pouring over a world far from the one we grew up in. The day was a whirlwind in all respects, and Filip left for Russia, taking his luck with him. :) Once my body had gone through that much good, I was forced to go through a bit of an emotional hangover.
Saddened by my inability to understand the future implications of my actions, I have some sheep anklebones. These are normally used to play Mongolian traditional games, but they sell them as fortune tellers. "Fortune is with you," they told me. It didn't feel like it then, but now, I understand why.
I ended up on a 6 day trip through the Gobi desert with five beautiful french women Genvieve, Irene, Gaelle, Clotilde, and Marie-Eudes. I don't even know where to start in talking about the trip, besides that when you put that many women together there are bound to be epiphanies, arguments, laughter, and confusion. We spent most of the days driving around the immense road-less landscape. We travelled over 400 km on a rocky path forged by Russian jeep tires alone. We hiked the sand dunes, saw the flaming cliffs, a forest in the desert, a canyon of ice, and the Orkhan waterfall. We ate potatoes and meat and carrots and potatoes and meat and carrots... I'll write about all of them soon.
On the sixth day (of eight), I found a ride to Tsterleg, where I could do a shorter White Lake horseback trek with ger to ger. This way, I could do everything I had hoped to do before leaving Mongolia. I showed up in Tsterleg, found the ger-to-ger driver and he put me up in a hotel, despite my desire to stay in my tent. He asked me for his money upfront, but I didn't have it. I needed to go to an ATM, but everything was closed. No problem. We would do it tomorrow. I had a strange feeling in my stomach, however, as I only had 20,000 T left. This was enough to get a bus ticket back to UB, one dumpling, and thats about it. I didn't eat dinner because of this feeling. I woke up the next morning and tried every atm in the city, with no avail. The jeep driver forced me to ride around in a taxi, which I then had to pay (bye-bye dumpling). I also had to pay the driver a cancellation charge AND I missed the only bus to Ulaanbaatar (=tent sleeping). I didn't know what to do. I tried giving the jeep driver anything and everything I brought with me besides money, but he didn't much like dirty women's underwear. Finally, the ger to ger office called and said they would transfer a partial refund of my trip to the jeep driver's bank account. He would then pay me the money and I would be able to stay in Tsterleg for one night. I was originally excited about staying in Tsterleg, after I found out I would be able to eat, but every where I've gone has been decietful. Everyone has tried to milk me for as much money as possible, and when you really don't have any, its hard. Comparatively, the level of poverty and difficulty they see is high enough that no sympathy or support is available anywhere. I thought that the kindness of strangers was unparalleled! This town doesn't feel right in my gut.
If I've learned anything from this trip, its to be fine with what's happening right now, cause I can't hold on to it forever. So, right now, I'm going to go take a walk, get some food, and hurry the day along so that my 11 hour bus trip back to UB can start. Blechhhhh.
Love.
Either way, I've holed up in a room with some juice, and I'm waiting for tomorrow, so I can go back to UB. I'm a little disappointed, because I don't really want to spend the next four days in UB, but... it will be better to be eating and sleeping well.
My bus ticket to Blue Lake was supposed to arrive by 6:00pm the day before my departure, but when I went to the main office at 11:00pm, it wasn't there. I had planned to stay up all night to work (in order to finish all my exams) but this freedom from my schedule gave me a breath of fresh air that made a younger me sparkle around the streets of Ulaanbaatar (probably not the best idea to walk around with a dopey smile on my face in the middle of the night). I walked by a child, maybe 12 years old, whose face was badly beaten. He pressed ice in a clear plastic fruit bag against his swollen face. I wanted to protect him, hug him, feed him. Knowing this wasn't a fight I could win and seeing him surrounded by people, I returned to the hostel.
The next day, I spent a remarkable day filled with sunburns and hailstorms around UB with my friend Filip. Perhaps lucky by nature, he seemed to pour that luck out on to me as well. His mother is from Texas, and I couldn't help but feel a strange connection to the younger her, so far away from home, love pouring over a world far from the one we grew up in. The day was a whirlwind in all respects, and Filip left for Russia, taking his luck with him. :) Once my body had gone through that much good, I was forced to go through a bit of an emotional hangover.
Saddened by my inability to understand the future implications of my actions, I have some sheep anklebones. These are normally used to play Mongolian traditional games, but they sell them as fortune tellers. "Fortune is with you," they told me. It didn't feel like it then, but now, I understand why.
I ended up on a 6 day trip through the Gobi desert with five beautiful french women Genvieve, Irene, Gaelle, Clotilde, and Marie-Eudes. I don't even know where to start in talking about the trip, besides that when you put that many women together there are bound to be epiphanies, arguments, laughter, and confusion. We spent most of the days driving around the immense road-less landscape. We travelled over 400 km on a rocky path forged by Russian jeep tires alone. We hiked the sand dunes, saw the flaming cliffs, a forest in the desert, a canyon of ice, and the Orkhan waterfall. We ate potatoes and meat and carrots and potatoes and meat and carrots... I'll write about all of them soon.
On the sixth day (of eight), I found a ride to Tsterleg, where I could do a shorter White Lake horseback trek with ger to ger. This way, I could do everything I had hoped to do before leaving Mongolia. I showed up in Tsterleg, found the ger-to-ger driver and he put me up in a hotel, despite my desire to stay in my tent. He asked me for his money upfront, but I didn't have it. I needed to go to an ATM, but everything was closed. No problem. We would do it tomorrow. I had a strange feeling in my stomach, however, as I only had 20,000 T left. This was enough to get a bus ticket back to UB, one dumpling, and thats about it. I didn't eat dinner because of this feeling. I woke up the next morning and tried every atm in the city, with no avail. The jeep driver forced me to ride around in a taxi, which I then had to pay (bye-bye dumpling). I also had to pay the driver a cancellation charge AND I missed the only bus to Ulaanbaatar (=tent sleeping). I didn't know what to do. I tried giving the jeep driver anything and everything I brought with me besides money, but he didn't much like dirty women's underwear. Finally, the ger to ger office called and said they would transfer a partial refund of my trip to the jeep driver's bank account. He would then pay me the money and I would be able to stay in Tsterleg for one night. I was originally excited about staying in Tsterleg, after I found out I would be able to eat, but every where I've gone has been decietful. Everyone has tried to milk me for as much money as possible, and when you really don't have any, its hard. Comparatively, the level of poverty and difficulty they see is high enough that no sympathy or support is available anywhere. I thought that the kindness of strangers was unparalleled! This town doesn't feel right in my gut.
If I've learned anything from this trip, its to be fine with what's happening right now, cause I can't hold on to it forever. So, right now, I'm going to go take a walk, get some food, and hurry the day along so that my 11 hour bus trip back to UB can start. Blechhhhh.
Love.
Either way, I've holed up in a room with some juice, and I'm waiting for tomorrow, so I can go back to UB. I'm a little disappointed, because I don't really want to spend the next four days in UB, but... it will be better to be eating and sleeping well.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Blue Lake Trekking & the Gobi
In 12 short hours, I will have completed all my final exams and papers, and I will be on my way to western central Mongolia. I am going on a solo trip with ger-to-ger, trekking in and around Blue Lake. This is an expedition of about 27 km per day. Most groups have many people in them, but I wanted to do this, and there weren't any other groups, so I just signed up. I never thought I'd say this, but I hope there is an ox cart where I can attach my tent and luggage so I don't have to carry it around.
I will be around this area for 8 days. On the 28th, I will take the 10 hour bus ride back to UB to shower and hopefully wash my clothes (although I have not found a dryer anywhere.) :-0 Then, I will get in a public bus and travel down to the southern Gobi. From here, I will find my own way. No tours or groups seemed to fit the time period I had, and everything I've found seems rather oddly priced, so I am just going to go there and see what happens. My plan is to see Yoln Am, the blazing cliffs, dinosaur land, and a sand dune or two if there is time. On the second of August I will take the 13 hour bus ride back to UB, where I will hopefully have a dinner plans with my favorite Booth, and then I will head to Beijing and on to Vietnam on the 3rd of July.
I'll be alone, so I'll write my experiences down in my journal. Hopefully, I'll be able to post them once I get settled in Vietnam.
May you all be joyful and free.
I will be around this area for 8 days. On the 28th, I will take the 10 hour bus ride back to UB to shower and hopefully wash my clothes (although I have not found a dryer anywhere.) :-0 Then, I will get in a public bus and travel down to the southern Gobi. From here, I will find my own way. No tours or groups seemed to fit the time period I had, and everything I've found seems rather oddly priced, so I am just going to go there and see what happens. My plan is to see Yoln Am, the blazing cliffs, dinosaur land, and a sand dune or two if there is time. On the second of August I will take the 13 hour bus ride back to UB, where I will hopefully have a dinner plans with my favorite Booth, and then I will head to Beijing and on to Vietnam on the 3rd of July.
I'll be alone, so I'll write my experiences down in my journal. Hopefully, I'll be able to post them once I get settled in Vietnam.
May you all be joyful and free.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Darhan City: Ger to Ger = Five Days and Six Nights and 12 Pounds of Cheese
I'm back! Now I have two days in UB before I'm off to the Gobi. I'm supposed to be doing a 12 day trip to the desert, but I had so much fun in the greenery, that I might want to do some more west before I commit to the Gobi for the rest of my trip. I'm so lucky to have these decisions to make. :)
Either way, I took a public bus to Darkahn (sp?) city, where I was met by my guide. We went around to various places in the city before we saw a Mongolian operatic concert put on by these two babies (6 and 8 years old). It was so beautiful I cried. I've never heard opera in real life, and it was really powerful. Then, I became acquainted with my two fellow travelers: Alison Smith and John Lords Booth III. They went to Yale together. I met John in his outdoorsy pants, quick-dry shirt, mosquito repellent bandana, and indiana jones hat. Alison was in a quick-dry yellow outfit. Both of them were carrying their horse riding helmets. They were both delightful and well-prepared, something that came in handy on the trip, AND as it turns out, John went to Hotchkiss. Ha. We found out on the last night and stayed up reminiscing. Alison is an environmental consultant of some sort, so she was awesome to have on the trip as a provider for geological and industry information.
We stayed with two beautiful families, both with sheep and goats and cows and horses and the cutest children ever. We probably ate the equivalent of two full thanksgiving sized meals per day. This mostly consisted of the local foods, cheese and curds from the milk of every kind of animal, rice or noodles, dried jerky meat, and the occasional onion. Imagine... a turkey made of cheese curds, muliply that times two (per day), multiply that times 4 (the number of days we ate like this). Needless to say, I'm stopped up for quite a while. My favorite food, coincidentally, was fresh cream with sugar on a lump of soft cheese curd. AH! Cheese on Cheese!!
We went to some meditation caves, where monks hid out to escape torture and death when the soviet regime cracked down on religion. Besides being full of snakes and spiders, it was cool and peacefull. We also swam in the Orkhan river, a needed shower-type break. We helped with the family's vegetable garden and milked cows, made some cheese, and stirred some fermented mare's milk. We camped outside everyday and broke our tents down and moved during the day. The families were really supportive of our nomad lifestyle, and they often helped build and break down our tents as a type of ritual. It was so amazing to spend time with these families.
I posted some pictures on Facebook. Sending love and joy from where I am to wherever you are.
<3
Either way, I took a public bus to Darkahn (sp?) city, where I was met by my guide. We went around to various places in the city before we saw a Mongolian operatic concert put on by these two babies (6 and 8 years old). It was so beautiful I cried. I've never heard opera in real life, and it was really powerful. Then, I became acquainted with my two fellow travelers: Alison Smith and John Lords Booth III. They went to Yale together. I met John in his outdoorsy pants, quick-dry shirt, mosquito repellent bandana, and indiana jones hat. Alison was in a quick-dry yellow outfit. Both of them were carrying their horse riding helmets. They were both delightful and well-prepared, something that came in handy on the trip, AND as it turns out, John went to Hotchkiss. Ha. We found out on the last night and stayed up reminiscing. Alison is an environmental consultant of some sort, so she was awesome to have on the trip as a provider for geological and industry information.
We stayed with two beautiful families, both with sheep and goats and cows and horses and the cutest children ever. We probably ate the equivalent of two full thanksgiving sized meals per day. This mostly consisted of the local foods, cheese and curds from the milk of every kind of animal, rice or noodles, dried jerky meat, and the occasional onion. Imagine... a turkey made of cheese curds, muliply that times two (per day), multiply that times 4 (the number of days we ate like this). Needless to say, I'm stopped up for quite a while. My favorite food, coincidentally, was fresh cream with sugar on a lump of soft cheese curd. AH! Cheese on Cheese!!
We went to some meditation caves, where monks hid out to escape torture and death when the soviet regime cracked down on religion. Besides being full of snakes and spiders, it was cool and peacefull. We also swam in the Orkhan river, a needed shower-type break. We helped with the family's vegetable garden and milked cows, made some cheese, and stirred some fermented mare's milk. We camped outside everyday and broke our tents down and moved during the day. The families were really supportive of our nomad lifestyle, and they often helped build and break down our tents as a type of ritual. It was so amazing to spend time with these families.
I posted some pictures on Facebook. Sending love and joy from where I am to wherever you are.
<3
Monday, July 13, 2009
Nadaam and Terelj and Selenge, oh my!
WOW. So much has happened. Here's the breakdown:
Nadaam festival was insane! We made it into the stadium for the open performance which consisted of the President, two orchestras, costumes galore, contortionists, a porsche filled with a famous singer, horse acrobatics, military role-playing, ribbon dancing, children gymnasts, traditional clothes from every ethinc group in Mongolia. There were so many people packed into the stadium that it was impossible to move or get out during the opening performance. I was feeling a little nauseous after eating sheep yogurt from the country, earlier that day, so I was snapping photos and trying not to puke on all the nice camel hair outfits.
Then came the large men in red sports bras and blue undies. Wrestling was their game. Me and some fellow waygukins broke out of the stadium seating and rushed the wrestlers (tiptoeing). I put up some photos on el facebook. When the 3 year old wrestlers came out I felt a little strange. It was time to move on. After wrestling we went to archery. Wow. More later.
The second day of Nadaam I was invited by my Polish friend, Daria, to adventure out into the country via public transportation, so I ditched the horse races of Nadaam, and hopped on the city bus to Terelj national park. Two hours later (including a rock shaped like a turtle and one shaped like an old man reading a book) and 2,300 togrog poorer (1.5 $), we arrived somewhere. If you are ever in Mongolia and thinking about doing a tour here, don't. Do it yourself and save the cash. For about 10$ US (including transportation and all the food I could eat) I got there and back, but some people I know paid over $50!! The skies and the cows and the yaks were plentiful (yes, yaks), and I think I might have found a tie for the most beautiful place I've ever been.
The sky god is such a powerful diety here, and you can really feel why when 3/4ths of your vision is sky. [There are more photos on fbook.] I got back to my bed later that night and there was a beautiful blue scarf. A secret admirer! I put it on and wore it into the lobby. I was suprised, as you can guess, to see faces of shock as people started running toward me, pulling the scarf off of my neck. I guess it was a prayer cloth to the sky god. FYI, you aren't supposed to wear them.
Thanks to my new san fran friend Jane who gave it to me though; it is supposed to guarantee a safe journey.
Tomorrow morning I leave for Selenge (senlegeye something). It is the northern central part of Mongolia. I am going to camp in my tent outside of some gers, milk some camels, and ride horses along the most beautiful scenery in the land. I'll be out of contact for the next 6 days (no electricity), so I wanted to put this post up before I left.
I love and miss you all. <3
Nadaam festival was insane! We made it into the stadium for the open performance which consisted of the President, two orchestras, costumes galore, contortionists, a porsche filled with a famous singer, horse acrobatics, military role-playing, ribbon dancing, children gymnasts, traditional clothes from every ethinc group in Mongolia. There were so many people packed into the stadium that it was impossible to move or get out during the opening performance. I was feeling a little nauseous after eating sheep yogurt from the country, earlier that day, so I was snapping photos and trying not to puke on all the nice camel hair outfits.
Then came the large men in red sports bras and blue undies. Wrestling was their game. Me and some fellow waygukins broke out of the stadium seating and rushed the wrestlers (tiptoeing). I put up some photos on el facebook. When the 3 year old wrestlers came out I felt a little strange. It was time to move on. After wrestling we went to archery. Wow. More later.
The second day of Nadaam I was invited by my Polish friend, Daria, to adventure out into the country via public transportation, so I ditched the horse races of Nadaam, and hopped on the city bus to Terelj national park. Two hours later (including a rock shaped like a turtle and one shaped like an old man reading a book) and 2,300 togrog poorer (1.5 $), we arrived somewhere. If you are ever in Mongolia and thinking about doing a tour here, don't. Do it yourself and save the cash. For about 10$ US (including transportation and all the food I could eat) I got there and back, but some people I know paid over $50!! The skies and the cows and the yaks were plentiful (yes, yaks), and I think I might have found a tie for the most beautiful place I've ever been.
The sky god is such a powerful diety here, and you can really feel why when 3/4ths of your vision is sky. [There are more photos on fbook.] I got back to my bed later that night and there was a beautiful blue scarf. A secret admirer! I put it on and wore it into the lobby. I was suprised, as you can guess, to see faces of shock as people started running toward me, pulling the scarf off of my neck. I guess it was a prayer cloth to the sky god. FYI, you aren't supposed to wear them.
Thanks to my new san fran friend Jane who gave it to me though; it is supposed to guarantee a safe journey.
Tomorrow morning I leave for Selenge (senlegeye something). It is the northern central part of Mongolia. I am going to camp in my tent outside of some gers, milk some camels, and ride horses along the most beautiful scenery in the land. I'll be out of contact for the next 6 days (no electricity), so I wanted to put this post up before I left.
I love and miss you all. <3
Friday, July 10, 2009
Black Markets and Safety Whistles
I'm getting ready for my first journey into the Mongolian wilderness. I had everything except a tent. I tried to purchase one from the local outback store (located right next to a bd's mongolian grill, by the by, the only american franchise to be successful in UB), but they were over 200 dollars. Renting one was equally expensive. Of course, my next plan is to build one.
I bought some thermal tarp (two pieces), some bungee cords, and some tent stakes. I would be protected from most of the rain this way, and I would only be spending about 30$. Holler. I informed my tour organizer of my clever plan when she told me that my invention wouldn't keep out dogs, livestock, bugs, or other crawly bitey things. Point taken. I found out on the street that there was a black market. My hostel (Konghor) has a huge map of the city, and the market is denoted by black permanent marker traced around the square.
So today, I did the two most exciting things I've done in Mongolia so far! First, I got on the bus (number 23). This is a feat in itself, as the bus does not actually stop at the premarked stop place. The bus stop also doesn't contain any maps or listings of what buses will be by. I used my guidebook's language section to get some information. When my bus stopped three lanes away from the curb, I braved the oncoming traffic with the rest of the mongolians. We rode for about 15 minutes before everyone on the bus decended. We were a little out of the city at this point, and I got off at a big tan brick building that looked like a military school. It seemed sad and unoccupied, but I couldn't stop for long because I had to follow the locals through windy alleyways. After a few minutes the people walking in the opposite direction from us were carrying goods: shoes, socks, gadgets, food, accessories, dog food, all in bulk, and all in huge cheap plastic bags. We were getting close. I heard there were many theifs in the market (my hostel bunk mate got his pocket slashed in the market the previous day - something that happens quite frequently). We soon reached a hole in a big cement wall. On the other side there were lots of people gathered around white blankets with objects on them: screws and flashlights and shoes of every shape and variety. The interesting thing was that all of the products were second and even third hand. I saw a pair of shoes for sale that looked like they had been worn for thousands of miles, by an obese person. I wonder how much the woman wanted for them. I was already impressed by the variety when I came across a big gateway. A woman was collecting money from people as they passed, so I decided to sneak by without paying. I didn't want to cheat anyone, but I had no idea what I was paying for. I soon found out.
I turned the corner and saw carts and tables and blankets and racks and people shopping as far as my eyes let me. Curious about where it went, and worried that a slow pace might attract attention, I kept walking. I walked for maybe 30 minutes before I realized that I was never going to get out. I was trapped in David Bowie's worst nightmare, a labryinth of consumer products. I had one goal - find a tent. Think, a needle in a field of scrap metal. After much walking and body language (probably around 1.5 hours) I was directed to sleeping bags, when I found my way to the ONE tent in the area. I was so excited to pick it up for only 23$, but I tried to bargain anyway. When he wouldn't accept my price, I walked away, expecting him to follow. No luck. By the time I turned around again... I was lost.
Don't worry. I find it again, and I buy a tent. Happy ending. On my way out of the market, (I have to ask about 20 people how to even get out) I bought some fruit. This also came in a plastic bag. A bag which conveniently broke off of my wrist while I was walking in front of a parade of microbuses. I proceeded to yelp as I slipped on a banana. I now understand the commercials. It is not the peel that provides the slip, it is the banana inside the peel that provides the lubrication between foot and ground. Needless to say, I was quite the center of attention.
Nothing was stolen from me on my trip, which I hear is quite lucky, but I did cover my bag in plastic and keep my money in a money pouch under my clothes. I also wore an emergency whistle around my wrist (just in case).
Tomorrow is the Nadaam festival. Opening ceremony starts at 9:30, and I can't bring myself to finish my homework!! I just want to breathe in the dusty air, put on one of those sports-bra/undie wrestling costumes and take unsuspecting foreigners out of commission as they walk down the street. Street Name: Fire.
I bought some thermal tarp (two pieces), some bungee cords, and some tent stakes. I would be protected from most of the rain this way, and I would only be spending about 30$. Holler. I informed my tour organizer of my clever plan when she told me that my invention wouldn't keep out dogs, livestock, bugs, or other crawly bitey things. Point taken. I found out on the street that there was a black market. My hostel (Konghor) has a huge map of the city, and the market is denoted by black permanent marker traced around the square.
So today, I did the two most exciting things I've done in Mongolia so far! First, I got on the bus (number 23). This is a feat in itself, as the bus does not actually stop at the premarked stop place. The bus stop also doesn't contain any maps or listings of what buses will be by. I used my guidebook's language section to get some information. When my bus stopped three lanes away from the curb, I braved the oncoming traffic with the rest of the mongolians. We rode for about 15 minutes before everyone on the bus decended. We were a little out of the city at this point, and I got off at a big tan brick building that looked like a military school. It seemed sad and unoccupied, but I couldn't stop for long because I had to follow the locals through windy alleyways. After a few minutes the people walking in the opposite direction from us were carrying goods: shoes, socks, gadgets, food, accessories, dog food, all in bulk, and all in huge cheap plastic bags. We were getting close. I heard there were many theifs in the market (my hostel bunk mate got his pocket slashed in the market the previous day - something that happens quite frequently). We soon reached a hole in a big cement wall. On the other side there were lots of people gathered around white blankets with objects on them: screws and flashlights and shoes of every shape and variety. The interesting thing was that all of the products were second and even third hand. I saw a pair of shoes for sale that looked like they had been worn for thousands of miles, by an obese person. I wonder how much the woman wanted for them. I was already impressed by the variety when I came across a big gateway. A woman was collecting money from people as they passed, so I decided to sneak by without paying. I didn't want to cheat anyone, but I had no idea what I was paying for. I soon found out.
I turned the corner and saw carts and tables and blankets and racks and people shopping as far as my eyes let me. Curious about where it went, and worried that a slow pace might attract attention, I kept walking. I walked for maybe 30 minutes before I realized that I was never going to get out. I was trapped in David Bowie's worst nightmare, a labryinth of consumer products. I had one goal - find a tent. Think, a needle in a field of scrap metal. After much walking and body language (probably around 1.5 hours) I was directed to sleeping bags, when I found my way to the ONE tent in the area. I was so excited to pick it up for only 23$, but I tried to bargain anyway. When he wouldn't accept my price, I walked away, expecting him to follow. No luck. By the time I turned around again... I was lost.
Don't worry. I find it again, and I buy a tent. Happy ending. On my way out of the market, (I have to ask about 20 people how to even get out) I bought some fruit. This also came in a plastic bag. A bag which conveniently broke off of my wrist while I was walking in front of a parade of microbuses. I proceeded to yelp as I slipped on a banana. I now understand the commercials. It is not the peel that provides the slip, it is the banana inside the peel that provides the lubrication between foot and ground. Needless to say, I was quite the center of attention.
Nothing was stolen from me on my trip, which I hear is quite lucky, but I did cover my bag in plastic and keep my money in a money pouch under my clothes. I also wore an emergency whistle around my wrist (just in case).
Tomorrow is the Nadaam festival. Opening ceremony starts at 9:30, and I can't bring myself to finish my homework!! I just want to breathe in the dusty air, put on one of those sports-bra/undie wrestling costumes and take unsuspecting foreigners out of commission as they walk down the street. Street Name: Fire.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
7/8/2009
Today I ate sheep's tail.
If anyone knows whether or not this is actual sheep, let me know.
I had Mongolian Shabu. HOLLER. What a delicious meal.
I'm going to skype my mimi!
I'm thinking about some ecotourism tours from www.gertoger.org
They are all so exciting! I don't know which ones to choose. Let me know if you have any advice, my wonderful, lovely, amazing friends.
<3
If anyone knows whether or not this is actual sheep, let me know.
I had Mongolian Shabu. HOLLER. What a delicious meal.
I'm going to skype my mimi!
I'm thinking about some ecotourism tours from www.gertoger.org
They are all so exciting! I don't know which ones to choose. Let me know if you have any advice, my wonderful, lovely, amazing friends.
<3
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
MonGOLDia
It has been a long time. I shouldn't have left you. Without a dope beat to step to. Step 2. . .
So, there is no blogging allowed in China. To give a brief summary, I went to Shanghai for two days and to Beijing for two days. Both were big and city-like. Shanghai was teeming with westerners. I figured this must have been a recent change, but after seeing the Shanghai history museum, I learned that foreigners have been a huge part of Shanghai since the British invaded under the guise of the Opium War. It seemed a lot like - bully steals tomogachi pet from child. Takes care of pet. Returns pet once he realizes what it means for his social image to be cleaning up an electronic animals' crap.
The buildings were so fantastic, that I would believe it if China Air just strapped me into a virtual reality mask instead of actually letting me out of the airport. The food in China was killer. By that I mean, greasy enough to kill a small animal, but delicious enough to keep me largely coming back for more.
In Beijing I stayed at the Happy Dragon Hostel again. I had such a good time. I had a small room with two girls from Holland who agreed to walk around aimlessly with me for a few hours looking for food.
The last two days have been on the Trans-mongolian railroad. This was the most comfortable, amazing journey. Beautifully crafted mountains surrounded the train at first. These were followed by never ending grasslands and beautiful low level lakes. The terrain eventually rolled so gently that it would be called flat. The 10 foot tall phone lines are the only things that dare to mimic the dirt's path. Perhaps they remain standing as the Earth's gift to the lonely dark birds that trace the contors of the land, only landing in the thing shadows made by the posts.
En route: I saw a young boy, waist deep, trying to catch fish with his hands. The older boys sat on shore next to their sandy motorcycles and shared a cigarette.
I loved the train. My bunk mates were all amazing international women, travelling alone. They ranged in ages from 24 - 68. I felt so lucky to be a part of them. Travelling really puts you in touch with the wonderful parts of people.
I've heard that being lost activates the same pathways in your brain as falling in love - like meeting people at their best, when they are first feeling the excitement of falling in love. The best part is, the love is for something in which control is unattainable. Their love is without jealousy. It is a prideful, excited, willingness to learn.
This morning, I woke up at 4:29. The beginning rays of the sun stretched pink across the flatlands as I brushed my teeth, and I felt like I was the only one in the world lucky enough to witness it. I longed to share it with everyone.
So, there is no blogging allowed in China. To give a brief summary, I went to Shanghai for two days and to Beijing for two days. Both were big and city-like. Shanghai was teeming with westerners. I figured this must have been a recent change, but after seeing the Shanghai history museum, I learned that foreigners have been a huge part of Shanghai since the British invaded under the guise of the Opium War. It seemed a lot like - bully steals tomogachi pet from child. Takes care of pet. Returns pet once he realizes what it means for his social image to be cleaning up an electronic animals' crap.
The buildings were so fantastic, that I would believe it if China Air just strapped me into a virtual reality mask instead of actually letting me out of the airport. The food in China was killer. By that I mean, greasy enough to kill a small animal, but delicious enough to keep me largely coming back for more.
In Beijing I stayed at the Happy Dragon Hostel again. I had such a good time. I had a small room with two girls from Holland who agreed to walk around aimlessly with me for a few hours looking for food.
The last two days have been on the Trans-mongolian railroad. This was the most comfortable, amazing journey. Beautifully crafted mountains surrounded the train at first. These were followed by never ending grasslands and beautiful low level lakes. The terrain eventually rolled so gently that it would be called flat. The 10 foot tall phone lines are the only things that dare to mimic the dirt's path. Perhaps they remain standing as the Earth's gift to the lonely dark birds that trace the contors of the land, only landing in the thing shadows made by the posts.
En route: I saw a young boy, waist deep, trying to catch fish with his hands. The older boys sat on shore next to their sandy motorcycles and shared a cigarette.
I loved the train. My bunk mates were all amazing international women, travelling alone. They ranged in ages from 24 - 68. I felt so lucky to be a part of them. Travelling really puts you in touch with the wonderful parts of people.
I've heard that being lost activates the same pathways in your brain as falling in love - like meeting people at their best, when they are first feeling the excitement of falling in love. The best part is, the love is for something in which control is unattainable. Their love is without jealousy. It is a prideful, excited, willingness to learn.
This morning, I woke up at 4:29. The beginning rays of the sun stretched pink across the flatlands as I brushed my teeth, and I felt like I was the only one in the world lucky enough to witness it. I longed to share it with everyone.
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