Ulan Batar 2015
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Beijing 2015: Bus terminal for overnight sleeper buses heading north toward Mongolia. Chaotic, it is more of a cargo depot than a passenger terminal.

 


Beijing 2015: Overnight sleeper buses lined up ready for departure north toward Mongolia. Ours is the purple one on the end and would not depart until every cubic centimeter of cargo hold had been stuffed full.

 


Beijing 2015: A few of the forty berths in our overnight sleeper bus. No running in the isles please: so narrow it would be impossible anyway!

 


Beijing 2015: Once you shoehorn yourself into your berth, you really don't want the struggle required to get out of it! ... unless you have a screaming water clock alarm going off at one of the few comfort stops.

 


Erlian China 2015: One of the three Mongolians on our bus who spoke English and invited me to sit a spell and chat at their table during one of our rest stops. This guy taught me my first Mongolian phrase: "Bye Arl Deh." It means "thank you."

 


Erlian China 2015: These are the other two Mongolians on our bus who spoke English and invited me to sit a spell and chat at their table during one of our rest stops. They didn't talk much, but both have engaging smiles.

 


Erlian China 2015: One of several toll collection stations along the Chinese highway before it became poorly maintained.

 


Erlian China 2015: The cramped quarters inside the sleeper bus becomes chaotic by the time we reach our destination.

 


Erlian China 2015: A very welcome sunrise breaks as we near our destination on the Mongolian border and prepare for the next leg of our adventure.

 


Erlian China 2015: Chinese wind farms stretch from horizon to horizon in the distance.

 


Erlian China 2015: Mile after mile the wind farms grace the horizons. They are making a lot of energy from the moving air.

 


Erlian China 2015: Finally we begin to see the Mongolian yurts; some in clusters with other usual farm buildings and other solitary encampments far off on their own.

 


Erlian China 2015: As we now move into a region famous for the discovery of many dinosaur remains we begin to see an exuberant collection of life-sized dinosaur sculptures in gleaming bronze along the highway. Somewhere in the region is the Dinosaurs Fairyland theme park, but we never even saw signs for the place.

 


Erlian China 2015: Mile after mile the life-sized dinosaur sculptures in gleaming bronze continues along the highway. Someone in this area really wants visitors to know for what the region is famous.

 


Erlian China 2015: The life-sized dinosaur sculptures in gleaming bronze continues for many miles even joining the erections at one of the wind farms here. Somewhere in the region is the Dinosaurs Fairyland theme park, but we never even saw signs for the place.

 


Erlian China 2015: The life-sized dinosaur sculptures in gleaming bronze are seen even next to the towers at one of the wind farms.

 


Erlian China 2015: As the desolate Gobi Desert eventually gives way to civilization we begin to see the outskirts of our destination.
 


Erlian China 2015: Nearing our destination at the border we pass this monument; looks important, but I have no idea why.

 


Erlian China 2015: Entering the city we pass this grand assembly of sculptures... wish we could have stopped to investigate.

 


Erlian China 2015: Landmark near the sleeper bus terminal.

 


Erlian China 2015: Taxis wait near the sleeper bus terminal with some of the commercial activity in the background.

 


Erlian China 2015: With little English this enterprising guy picks up a few travelers in his pickup truck for a short ride between the sleeper bus termination lot and the Chinese side of the border. His taxi service fare: 20 RMB, about $3. I actually wanted someone who could take me across the actual border, but my specific wishes could not be communicated without a mutual language. The service was available for 50RMB I am told and that is what I paid catching a ride at the border. So, I paid $3 too much.

 


Erlian China 2015: This is one of the 4X4s which stopped to offer a ride across the "no mans land" between the Chinese and Mongolian immigrations facilities. Many carried cargo like this one.

 


Erlian China 2015: Another of the 4X4s into which as many as eight travelers will be crammed for the few minutes the three short rides will take to the Chinese immigration, then to the Mongolian immigration and finally for the several mile trip into the Mongolian border town of Zamyn-Uud (short video).

 


Erlian China 2015: This girl is part of a young group of four trying to convince me to sit on a pile of tires to fill a car ready to start the border crossing immediately. At that very moment a white van stopped with an available front seat and I opted for that and the girl in green hustled to find a replacement for their car. Everyone pays 50RMB it seems at this pickup point.


Ulanbator 2015: A small scattering of people living out on the Steppe and following old traditions occasionally come into the capital city, here contrasting with the majority of pedestrians dressed in Western clothes.


Ulanbator 2015: Today is Sunday and a bus load of rural people have come into town to attend an eco-tourism conference. One of their group approached me for some English conversation practice.


Ulanbator 2015: These fellows appear to be planning their participation in an eco-tourism conference set for today.


Ulanbator 2015: Today is Sunday and a bus load of rural people have come into town to attend an eco-tourism conference. I believe this lady in her beautiful dress is a part of that group.


Ulanbator 2015: One of the security guards hired to insure arguments will not turn violent during the eco-tourism conference set for today... I'm just guessing on this one.

Ulanbator 2015: An alter like structure in the courtyard in front of the Megjid Janraisig Temple in Gandan Monastery and Buddhist center.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Some of the festive wedding guests dressed in traditional attire for the occasion.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Airport departure display in English. The display alternated back and forth between English and Russian.

 


Beijing Airport 2015: Along the B1 corridor I see a distant sign including the words "pay lounge" and rush down to investigate.

 


Beijing Airport 2015: Along the B1 corridor I see a distant sign including the words "pay lounge" and a picture of a bed! It is the entrance to a pay by the hour "hotel."

 


Beijing Airport 2015: When I first check here I'm told by the sleepy receptionist the place is "Auh fuhl." But on my second visit there is a room available ... with no bathroom.

 


Ulanbator 2015: The younger wedding guests also dressed in traditional attire for the occasion.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Here is a closer look at the old guy's footwear above, traditional I believe.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Big sister provides some advice to the youngest one: "Don't pull the petals off the flowers!"

 


Ulanbator 2015: More of the guests dressed in traditional attire for the wedding occasion.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Bride and groom wait for the photographer to complete his work in front of the Megjid Janraisig Buddhist Temple where the wedding took place.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Posing for photos, these are guests dressed in traditional attire for the wedding occasion.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Everyone wants their photo taken with great grandmother... this might be the last opportunity with the ancient one! I wonder what the younger ones were saying to the old lady in the photo.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Posing for photos, not everyone has the patience for all that standing around.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Great grandmother and great granddaughter are in big demand for photos after the wedding. Everyone has dressed elegantly for the occasion.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Great grandmother, grandmother and mother of the bride prepare for the obligatory three generations photo.

 


Ulanbator 2015: The wedding party prepares for yet another formal photograph which will need to last a lifetime.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Running mainly on adrenalin at this point the old lady marches gamely along with the rest to the next post wedding event.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Aunty went shopping to find this special traditional dress for the wedding of her niece.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Sculpture in front of the Peace Mall on the north side of Peace Avenue.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Peace Mall on the north side of Peace Avenue.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Peace Pub in the Peace Mall on the north side of Peace Avenue.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This is the $130 Ramada Inn where I spent seven days before discovering the relative affordability of the five star $144 Blue Sky Hotel in the city center.


Ulanbator 2015: There is a daily businessman's luncheon offered at the Ramada Inn. I chose the Mongolian set one day. I enjoyed the soup and potato salad; the hard crust filled with some chopped meat I found interesting, but not really enjoyable.


Ulanbator 2015: This is 25 year old Qing Yue, a Chinese hospitality student doing her 6 month internship in the Ramada Inn here. With an excellent command of English, her main responsibility is helping Chinese guests, though you would never know it from all the special attention she gave this American guest.


Ulanbator 2015: This is 21 year old Ogee Otgondawaa, a waiter in the Ramada Inn Hotel who spent a lot of time around my dining room table acquiring English conversational experience once I encouraged him to do so... and keeping my coffee cup filled.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Boys and their skateboards remind me how many I have been seeing used around the city... but never obnoxiously!

 


Ulanbator 2015: Police providing security near the Blue Sky Hotel. Wearing those bright fluorescent green vests, they are easy to spot... and find in a real emergency. Never alone, they always work in pairs... or more. Their most formidable weapon seems to be the baton.

 


Ulanbator 2015: The $144 five star Blue Sky Hotel where I stayed my last two nights in the city as seen from the street level to the west. My room #1702 is located on the top floor in the right corner where I had a great view of the city below.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Flags flying in front of the Blue Sky Hotel show nationalities of guests: there I am on the right, next to the Mongolian national flag.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Entrance to the $144 five star Blue Sky Hotel where I stayed my last two nights in the city

 


Ulanbator 2015: Art hanging in the lobby of the Blue Sky Hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Art decorating the lobby of the Blue Sky Hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Art hanging in the lobby of the Blue Sky Hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Cocktail lounge off the lobby in the Blue Sky Hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: View looking west from my room on the 17th floor of the Blue Sky Hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Looking down on the west side from my room on the 17th floor of the Blue Sky Hotel. I have no idea what that compound containing the Chinese architecture might be.

 


Ulanbator 2015: View looking south toward the amusement park from my room on the 17th floor of the Blue Sky Hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Majestic statue of Gangis Khan stands to the side of the entrance into the Government House in the Chinggis Khaan Square north of the hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Majestic statue of a seated Gangis Khan forms a popular background for photos at the entrance into the Government House in the Chinggis Khaan Square north of the hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: These brides maids prepared to be a part of wedding photos at the entrance into the Government House in the Chinggis Khaan Square north of the hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: The large flat plaza in front of the entrance into the Government House in the Chinggis Khaan Square is a perfect place for youngsters to learn to drive under the watchful eyes of parents.

 


Ulanbator 2015: The big plaza at Chinggis Khaan Square is also a popular place for teens to hang out.

 


Ulanbator 2015: The large flat plaza in the Chinggis Khaan Square is often used for special events with tents or yurts set up by event sponsors.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Today the plaza in the Chinggis Khaan Square is being used for a book publishers exhibition.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Today the plaza in the Chinggis Khaan Square is being used for a book publishers exhibition.

 

Ulanbator 2015: Old guys playing chess in the Chinggis Khaan Square plaza.
 


Ulanbator 2015: Dense urban suburbs found at the end of the #7 bus line with dirt streets winding through the area.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Dense urban suburbs found at the end of the #7 bus line. Notice the yurts mixed in with the wood frame structures.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Sculptures of a bunch of camels seen in a green strip along the #7 bus line.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Love lock tree reminds me of the custom I saw around China.

 

 

End of column.

 

9 - 22 September 2015

 

Greetings from Ulan Batar 

For weeks now the international news has been dominated by the Middle East refugee crises forcing me to recall the young man I met on a bus ride in southern Turkey two and a half years ago. His family had scraped together enough money to finance his self imposed exile and assigned him the responsibility of helping his female cousin leave the country as well. (Islamic custom requires traveling women to be accompanied by a male relative.)

Alan turned out to be a Kurdish refugee and spoke excellent English as well as Kurdish, some Turkish and Arabic. On the run to avoid military conscription by a Syrian government few in the Kurdish community love, he freely shared his views about the civil unrest in his birth country which has never recognized his Kurdish identity and continues to marginalize that community. Intelligent and articulate, he worried about being called up for the draft when he turned 24 the following year. Little did I know at the time that what I learned from him would so dramatically foreshadow the mass exodus of terrified people from that region a couple years later. But, this is a story about my experiences in Mongolia so back to that.
 



Beijing 2015: Overnight sleeper buses lined up ready for departure north toward Mongolia. Ours is the purple one with a 16:00 scheduled departure, but would not depart until every cubic centimeter of cargo hold had been stuffed full. We left at 17:15 with nearly every berth occupied.


China, 8 September 2015: Off and on for the past month I've been studying reports other people have written about the logistics of getting across the border between China and Mongolia. Some made it sound simple and others a nightmare. I'd chosen the overnight sleeper bus thinking the daylight parts of the trip might be more interesting than flying... but not really being certain of many details beyond the fact that Americans no longer require a visa to enter Mongolia and that no one is allowed to walk across the actual border. All the uncertainty guaranteed I'd definitely have an "adventure!"

With a land mass about the size of Alaska and a population of around 3 million, nearly half of whom live in the capital, Mongolia is mostly empty grazing land where roaming nomads retain their ancient culture and continue to live as they have for millennia. But, walking the streets of Ulaanbaatar you wouldn't know it. Modern civilization has now permeated every crack and crooked cranny. An integral part of China until 1945, the Soviet Union forced China to grant independence to Outer Mongolia in exchange for assistance in fighting the Japanese invasion. The Soviets then moved in and established hegemony over the region as is evidenced by most signs still using the Cyrillic alphabet... and empty vodka bottles in the gutters.

I left the Radisson Blu Hotel in Tianjin at 09:00 and caught a fast "bullet train" up to Beijing and then a subway ride to a stop near the overnight sleeper bus lot hoping to catch a 16:00 departure for the Mongolian border town of Erlian. At the bus depot lot sat many sleeper buses, each containing 40 berths.  Sleeping spaces are about 24 inches wide by 6 feet long... very cramped! The narrow isles separating the three rows of "beds" made it difficult to get in and out and nearly impossible to move up or down the isle with body parts of sleeping passengers protruded into the skinny isle cluttered with passenger's shoes. (Muddy ground at rest stops made it essential to remove shoes each time we got back on the bus - storing them in a provided plastic bag. The required juggling act tested everyone's agility! ... but, especially mine.) Over night sleeper buses also carry cargo... a lot of cargo, making me think cargo revenue must be a major part of the operation. My selected bus actually left an hour and a half late at 17:30, not unusual, I am told.

Hours into our journey a sharply swerving bus jolted most sleepers awake. I'd been sitting up with my seat belt buckled and grabbed a glance at what had caused the urgent action by the driver: two black-tailed gazelles bounded off the highway, missing a collision by centimeters.

At one of our rest stops three young Mongolians invited me to sit with them and shared a bit of information about their country... and taught me my first words of Mongolian: "Bye Yal O'da" for "thank you." In trying to learn the unfamiliar tongue twister, I began asking other Mongolians for their pronunciation and heard: "Bye Yal Da" "Bye Yitl Da" "Bye Etl Da" "Bye Ar E'le D'" and finally, "Bye Arl Deh." Native speakers add a little trill sound before the last syllable which complicates the pronunciation. Making conversation I asked the young guy what might be the most unusual thing about his country a visitor could learn. With a mischievous grimace he asked me if I had ever heard of the Mongolian Death Worm. "What's that?" I asked. Before he could say much more than "Look it up." we needed to return to the bus. Later, I did look it up and discovered the creepy thing, though rarely seen might actually be real!

A few hours out of Beijing and now in Inner Mongolia, the excellent multilane highway changed into a bumpy two lane road for the rest of the trip. As dusk descended we began seeing large, life size bronze sculptures of various dinosaurs erected along the highway, sometimes integrated among the towers of expansive wind farms. There have been numerous massive paleontological finds of dinosaur bones in this region of the world, making it justly famous. In the vicinity of our destination is a dinosaur theme park I understand, though I saw nothing of it.

After ten hours of travel we pulled off the highway onto the sands of the Gobi Desert where the drivers rested for a couple hours before continuing the trip. We reached Erlian about 07:00 where everyone quickly made deals with the numerous cars and vans waiting to take people across the border. Not understanding the protocol nor speaking much Chinese... nor Mongolian, I missed all the obvious transportation and ended up with an opportunist who convinced me to take his ride to the border for 20RMB (about $3) while jabbering pidgin English liberally sprinkled with "jeep," "20Yuan," "50Yuan." Thinking he offered the complete across the border transportation service I agreed only to discover his service ended at the curb a hundred meters from the border where a half dozen others waited for the 08:00 official border opening, and for someone to offer the actual trans-border service.

Shortly after 8AM a white van stopped and offered eight of those of us still waiting, a ride for 50Yuan, which I grabbed. This guy it turned out, had problems with border formalities on both sides and ended up being detained fifteen minutes at each of the two immigration posts... while we waited I asked some of the others if they had ever heard of a  Mongolian Death Worm; none had. Eventually, he got his immigration problems straightened out and we completed the trip into the Mongolian border town of Zamyn-Uud (short video) arriving there at 09:40.

 



Zamyn-Uud Mongolia 2015: Almost immediately after leaving the border town of Zamyn-Uud on the Chinese border we began seeing Yurts, some in clusters like those shown in this picture, but many standing alone in the middle of nowhere.


Mongolia, 9 September 2015: Many banks in the compact commercial area near the train "station" offered currency exchange so I converted about $50 worth of Chinese currency into Mongolian Tugrik. The train north to the capital would leave sometime in the afternoon and would not arrive until the next morning, meaning I'd pass whatever views there might be in the dark. A better option would be making the trip using the highway. A big modern bus would be ideal, but none were immediately in sight.

So, I walked the town while trying to figure out my options, stopping long enough to grab a fast food breakfast of egg salad, meat filled bun and orange "cool aid," all for about $2.50. Fed and watered I started searching in earnest for a ride up to Ulaanbaatar... some 700 km distant.  A variety of "taxi" service touts milled about offering rides for 50K to 60K Tugs, about $25-$30.

A local older Mongolian couple about to leave for the capital offered me a ride for 50000 Tugrik... about $25US and indicated they were leaving "now!" in contrast to the taxi guys who indicated a two hour delay. I accepted their proposition thinking the trip would take only 2 hours, and then later realizing the 700 kilometer trip would require closer to eleven or twelve hours!

They spoke no English and I no Mongolian, but we still managed to have quite lively "conversations" with situation and voice intonations providing the critical meanings. Before we could start "now" the wife needed to return to their apartment a block off the main street for a "few things," something I learned from a cell phone translation service provided by the couple's friend. Twenty minutes later snug in my front seat next to the driver and we were on our way in their late model Peugeot sedan.

The wife, determined not to waste the whole day stuck in the car traveling up to the capital, started a series of endless catch up calls to girl friends. Her screeching and loud laughter on the cell phone two feet behind my head eventually began to drive me crazy. After an hour when I could take no more and unable to think of a better way of communicating my distress I started quoting Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in English, loudly. When I finished my performance, she and her husband had a quiet conversation and then, she handed me her cell phone and her friend on the other end who speaks good English asked me what I wanted to say to the husband, thinking that must have been the purpose of my monologue. So, I told her honestly how the wife's non-stop screaming right behind my head gave me a headache and passed the phone to the husband's waiting hand. After he listened silently and returned the phone to his wife I noticed more civilized, calmer phone conversations with the husband now participating occasionally. I suspect the poor guy seldom got a word in edgewise with his chatterbox wife and might have appreciated my saying what he couldn't.

She had her husband stop a half dozen times to visit briefly with friends or make deliveries along the way, delaying our arrival by nearly two hours! However, that did provide opportunities for me to study the sites more leisurely, which the husband seemed eager to point out... even stopping a few times for a better look at something or for photos. As we travelled I saw many yurts or gers (Mongolian) and large flocks of goats, horses, camels, cattle and other livestock. One "cowboy" used a motorcycle to herd his cattle parallel to the highway, but many horse and camel herds appeared to be unattended and may have been among the wild ones discussed in the literature.

Early evening my hosts stopped at a small highway cafe and announced by gestures and "Eat!" we would take a break, not unexpected as he had been driving non-stop all day. I ordered another egg salad plus a bowl of meat stew and a yogurt-like drink from the picture menu. They ordered drinks, a bowl of soup and opened a package brought from home which contained home baked bread and a large quantity of beef chunks and vegetables all dumped into another large bowl provided by the restaurant.

One taste of the ultra spicy stew convinced me to forgo any possible nourishment value and I set it off to the side fanning my mouth to explain. The wife gingerly tasted it and deciding the restaurant should be made aware of the situation took it back into the kitchen where I watched an energetic discussion proceed. Eventually, she returned without the dangerous stew carrying two bottles of soft drinks, handing one to me. The whole episode only cost me $8.50 which I considered a cheap and entertaining cultural experience.

As we got closer to UB they called the "translation service" English speaking friend and taking no chances, I let her know I wanted to go to the best hotel near the center of the city. The friend determined the best hotel in the CBD would be the Shangri-La and instructed her friends to drop me at the closest intersection. We finally arrived at 11PM and I looked forward to collapsing in exorbitant luxury. After two full days of globe trotting without any real sleep, an outrageously expensive 5 star deluxe hotel did not feel like an extravagance for anyone boasting so many years.

Once settled and with time to review the past days activities I realized my taxi service had not taken the most direct highway route up to the city. His wife had friends "just a little out of the way" and he adjusted our route to please her. The alternate route may have added an hour or two to our travel time, but gave me the added benefit of seeing more of the rural settlements, ranch sites, isolated yurts and vast grazing lands of the Steppes. Saint Serendipity had intervened again.
 



Erlian China 2015: Mile after mile the life-sized dinosaur sculptures in gleaming bronze continues along the highway. Someone in this area really wants visitors to know for what the region is famous. Somewhere near is the Dinosaurs Fairyland theme park, but we never even saw signs for the place.


Ulaanbaatar 9 Sept 2015: The rack rate at the 5 star Shangri-La Hotel is $250++ or about $287. With pleading and negotiation and an assistant manager's understanding I got it down to $200++ or $230 including tax, still a budget buster. When I explained my situation he approved a late 16:00 checkout the following day so I'd have more time to find alternative accommodations compatible with my budget. The Shangri-La is deluxe in every way including an excellent selection of dishes in the morning buffet, though with my clocks set wrong I arrived ten minutes before the scheduled 10AM end of the breakfast time and all the goodies were whisked away before I had time to savor them.

Immediately after breakfast I went hotel shopping and selected the $83 per night Platinum Hotel for my second to forth nights where a very personable receptionist distracted me from noting telltale details of pending disaster. That she works 24 hour shifts should have been an ominous clue that things in this hotel might be irregular.

No complimentary water included and no prices on mini-bar contents: if you want bottled water you pay for it... if you can determine it costs $1.25 per bottle which I learned later. I complained and they promptly brought me six bottles gratis. The room itself is large and nicely laid out; the bathroom has a walk-in shower with plenty of hot water.

Even before the second night, after tolerating intermittent electrical outlets I knew I wanted to find something better and eventually discovered a reliable Ramada Inn with uncomfortable room rates of $130 per night. Hotel Nine at $83 also looked very good with a room layout like the IBIS chain, and the extravagantly priced Blue Sky Hotel looked excellent, but with a rack rate of $170. Finding a comfortable and affordable lodge has distracted me from my main objective of experiencing the "real" Mongolia. To make matters worse, I seem to have picked up a cold virus, probably from that cold room in the Platinum Hotel. My scheduled return flight to Bangkok on 23 September feels a long way off and I've repeatedly considered ending this nonsense and returning early.

During all of my many walks I have remained alert to rural people in their traditional garb, but see few on the streets. One morning I discovered a bus unloading people gaily dressed and one of the guys approached me to inquire of my interest... and to practice his already good English I suspect. They were a part of a city government delegation attending an international eco-tourism conference and naturally many wore their finest dress up outfits. I snapped a few photos, but hoped there would be better opportunities before I left. There were.

Several blocks up the hill behind the Ramada Inn is the Megjid Janraisig Temple in the Gandan Monastery and Buddhist center. On the day I visited, a big formal wedding presented many opportunities to see and photograph people of all ages wearing their finest formal traditional clothes. As both professional and amateur photographers dashed around to capture once in a lifetime pictures, no one noticed the white haired foreigner snapping away. I got some great pictures during the hour I spent there, including a couple of the monks in their colorful robes.

The only American fast food restaurants I found are a number of KFC fried chicken places and they are spectacularly popular here. The one near the Blue Sky Hotel is particularly appreciated by both foreign visitors and locals alike... especially the ones looking to grab a free handout. Every other time I stopped there for lunch one or another of the loitering street kids watched me from outside a window and dashed in to grab any food I'd failed to consume the minute I'd started to leave the table, this despite restaurant staff constantly trying to discourage such behavior. Out on the streets I am experiencing a lot of careless pedestrian bumping and even more public spitting than in China.

There aren't many commercial taxicabs in the city, but that has been remedied by the informal custom of anyone not in a hurry seeing someone flagging will stop and provide transportation at the commercial taxi rate: 1000MNT ($0.50) first km, then 800/km. While I watched no one waited more than a few cars passing... a very efficient system! Gasoline costs a little over $1/liter, about the same as in the U.S.

The #7 public bus goes out to the airport and I rode the entire route. Then, Ramada Inn reception staff told me the #9 also goes there. The fixed fare for all bus routes is 500 Tugrits, about 25 cents. The displayed bus numbers confused me until I finally figured out that the "4" preceding the actual number is a Mongolian symbol for "bus number!" So, "4"7 is bus number 7. Busses often are crowded and seated able young people only rarely offer their seats to the feeble or disabled. So, when on one of my rides on a crowded bus a young man of perhaps seventeen graciously stood and motioned for me to sit down, I naturally tried to show my grateful appreciation with smiles and gestures. He appeared unmoved as if this was nothing unusual for him, but another young man watched the entire drama with a peculiar interest I could not decipher.

Most bus drivers perform their jobs proficiently, but one I got seemed to be taking a mountain of frustrations out on his vehicle and its hapless passengers. Every stop caused passengers to lurch, all grabbing for something solid. Resuming the run after a stop started with a fearsome jerk and shifting always produced an awful growl. How the guy ever got this job is beyond me... and how he keeps it is criminal.

Along the bus routes out to the airport is a remarkable shopping mall - museum. Recently built, the Hunnu Mall is still only half occupied, but the entire central ground level floor is home to a half dozen actual dinosaur skeletons. Signs around the perimeter identify the Mongolian Academy of Sciences as responsible for the display: the Institute of Paleontology and Geology specifically. Uniformed "museum" guards monitor visitor/shopper activity in the mall. What a great idea! The reassembled dinosaur skeletons are displayed complete with scientific explanations in both Mongol and English.

Many buildings show signs identifying them as "supermarkets." Checking several I find only a collection small specialty shops carrying a limited range of products... and none with the groceries and produce the rest of the world associates with a supermarket!

Because a roundtrip flight from Las Vegas to Bangkok only costs less than $300 more than a one way flight, I booked that to provide a backup in case the potential Tran Siberian rail trip didn't materialize. I did the same thing for the BKK to PEK flight for the same reason and still have the return leg ticket. I've now decided to forget the Russian possibility and will be heading back to Bangkok when I leave Mongolia. Daily $200 one-way flights to Beijing means I can use the 23 September PEK-BKK return flight still available to get back to Bangkok from Beijing. Is that confusing, or what?

After 3 agonizing days in the Platinum Hotel I moved over to the Ramada Inn which promised more value for the budget busting $130 room rate. I enjoyed the room and superior breakfast buffet for seven nights until various little irritations prompted me to reconsider the more expensive 5 star Blue Sky Hotel.
 



Ulanbator 2015: The Blue Sky Hotel as seen from the city's main central gathering place, the Chinggis Khaan Square to the north of the hotel.


On my previous visit to check out the Blue Sky Hotel I didn't try very hard to make a deal because the rack rates suggested it would be futile and the Agoda booking agent also suggested rates were bound to be well above my financial comfort zone. This time I abandoned caution and plunged ahead with a proper inspection and vigorous negotiation thinking for my last two nights even the listed $170 per night in a five star hotel like the Blue Sky might make sense: like an elegant frosting on a tasteless cake. The room I saw could not have been better and then discussing a rate for two nights with the young lady behind the reception desk my spirits soared. She indicated the room I had seen could be booked for $144 per night net! Questioning her closely she wrote on a slip of paper, $144.20, only $14 more than the Ramada. As I still had the $170 room rate number burned into my brain, her offer sounded like a bargain.

I immediately made a reservation in this lavish house for my last two nights in Mongolia. As she entered my passport information into her reservation system she answered my previous question noting I would find the included buffet breakfast excellent. Located in the very middle of the central business district and across the street from the main city plaza, the location could not be better. I now wish I had been more persistent with my earlier enquiries.

Terremoto!: While I lay in my Ramada Inn Hotel bed nursing a week long cold, a massive 8.3 magnitude earthquake hit Chile. The resulting tsunami raced across the Pacific and up and down the west coast of the Americas. At the same time an earthquake of an other kind shook the American political establishment as more than a dozen Republican candidates for the U.S. presidency savaged one another during a vicious televised debate, the first of several. To my amazement none of the Republican candidates paid much attention to what I consider the most critical issue of our time, the obscene misdistribution of wealth and inherited privilege. Of all the candidates this election cycle Democrat Bernie Sanders seems to be doing the best job of focusing attention on this issue. Realistically, he doesn't stand much chance of being the party's nominee in my opinion, but an 8min video produced by his campaign deserves to be shown to all presidential candidates for comment. If you haven't seen it, take a look here and then try to learn what your favorite candidate would do about the situation, if elected.

More adventure: My departure day in Mongolia unexpectedly became the first day of another adventure. For a start, the 12:50 departure time failed to take into account the possibility of high gusting winds, a short runway and a heavy airplane. "The international airport faces frequent closures because of strong winds..." As the scheduled departure time came and went the display board departure time for our flight remained unchanged while that for the other four afternoon flights switched to "delayed."

The airport's single departure lobby filled with waiting passengers for many flights. Information, even in Chinese for the Air China flight became an unavailable commodity. "Check with the airline office." echoed the mantra of all harassed airport staff who had no information. The distracted agent in the small Air China office repeated: "We have no information about the delay. As soon as we know we will update the display board." in Chinese, Mongolian, French and English. The poor lady looked exasperated by her impossible situation. Some of us noted the similarity of our chaotic terminal lobby with those shown on TV during air disasters and wondered aloud if something terrible had happened to one of the planes using this airport.


Ulanbator 2015:  Airport departure display in English.

Ulanbator 2015:  Airport departure display in Russian a few minutes later.

Ulanbator 2015:  Airport departure display in English a few minutes later. My flight is CA902. Confused? Me too.

An hour after our scheduled departure time the 12:50 time display changed first to "delayed" and then to 19:00. The five hour wait began. Some people chose to return to their hotels downtown with the admonition to be back in the airport by 5PM. Having converted all my Tugrik back into Chinese RMB I had no local currency with which to buy food and started pestering the Air China people about getting something to eat. "Yes, yes." they assured me in English, but an hour passed without any obvious food delivery activity... despite the fact that the delayed Mongolian Miat Airline staff scurried around with food carts making sure their stranded passengers didn't starve.

Eventually the Air China people did bring us some drinks, a sandwich and a small salad; just adequate to make sure we would remain alive to eventually board the delayed flight. During the six hours waiting time I checked the wind situation and noted trees outside were indeed whipping around energetically confirming the high wind conditions. When 19:00 arrived the winds had calmed considerably... thankfully!

The six hour departure delay meant a late arrival in Beijing. All of my contingency plans assumed many daylight hours and the late night arrival meant some serious replanning would be necessary. There are three terminals in the Beijing capital airport. The flight from Mongolia arrived in Terminal 3 and my Bangkok flight at noon the next day left from terminal 2... where I would find all the "walking distance" hotels according to my research. A frequent shuttle bus service connects all the terminals and several deluxe hotels close to the airport have their own airport shuttle services.

My first option required finding the direction to the cluster of "walking distance" hotels, but at eleven PM that proved complicated as only eager hotel touts still loitered in the terminal area and naturally could provide information only about the places they represented. I did learn that in the basement of Terminal-2 itself is a small "by the hour" group of sleeping rooms where I inquired about availability only to discover from the sleepy young lady at the reception desk that the hotel was: "Auh fuhl." Period. No discussion.

Now resigned to paying big money for my single night at this brief stopover I hopped on the big hotel shuttle going to two deluxe hotels including the 5 star Hilton Beijing. Arriving there I found it fully booked! The reception staff called around for alternatives, but at 11 PM found nothing... "regrettably." So back to Terminal-2 to try again for the "walking distance" hotels... or a place to "sleep" in the terminal where I saw others doing the same thing. Now close to midnight, finding nearby hotel directions in English proved increasingly difficult and I started looking for a comfortable bench. My search took me by the "Auh fuhl" sleeping room lobby where I noticed two young men registering. Pausing at the door I commented: "I see you were able to get a room. When I enquired earlier they were fully booked."

"We just got here and they have room. I think they have another one."

Looking at the receptionist, she nodded. "Only a bed. No bathroom." she confirmed. "I'll show you." When she had finished getting the boys settled in their room she walked me a few feet to the simple sleeping chamber.

All I saw was padded horizontal and thought: "That beats trying to sleep curled around arm rests on cold waiting room benches in the departure lounge!" The posted rate for renting one of these rooms for up to 24 hours is 300RMB or about $47 (With bathroom it is 480RMB).  "I'll take it!" I blurted out without further debate. A couple hours later in the wee hours, needing a toilet I discovered the nearest terminal restroom to be quite some distance from the sleeping rooms. Only later in the morning did I notice one almost next door to my room!

In this part of the terminal near the sleeping rooms are many western fast food restaurants, so I had no trouble finding something to eat the next morning before my 12:10 Bangkok departure time. Still suffering from cold symptoms and knowing I'd be tired on arrival in Bangkok, I booked a room in the 5 star Sukosol Hotel for my first two nights back in Bangkok while I had access to the Internet. In the past it has been a great value.

The next postcard will likely be a debriefing from Bangkok... unless something spectacular happens in the meantime... like being attacked by an enigmatic Mongolian Death Worm!

 

Peace,

 

Fred L. Bellomy

 


 

 
Erlian China 2015: The rainbow arch marks the entrance to the Chinese side of the border with Mongolia. The border is closed until 8AM.

 


Erlian China 2015: Moving into the northern Chinese city I am amazed how well developed it is.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Along the highway up to the capital and through the Steppes we see endless grazing ranges. Here a huge herd of cattle and goats... and other species form a nearly continuous panorama of life.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Along the highway up to the capital we passed many herds of camels like these seen here without any apparent herders. Wild camels still roam the Mongolian Steppes.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Sculptural group depicting Chinggis Khaan's mother seen in a small plaza along Peace Avenue not far from the Ramada Inn Hotel I used.

 


Ulanbator 2015: One of the many paintings of horses seen around the Ramada Inn Hotel; this one hanging in the dining room with the breakfast buffet service.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Another of the many paintings of horses seen around the Ramada Inn Hotel; this one also hanging in the dining room over the breakfast buffet array.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Sculpture seen among the dinosaurs in the Hunnu Mall.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  This interior view of the Hunnu Mall shows how an upscale shopping mall and an archeological museum have been integrated... if only temporarily.

 


Ulanbator 2015: A group of monks walking down the path up to the Megjid Janraisig Temple in Gandan Monastery and Buddhist center.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Mosaic at the head of the walkway leading up to the Megjid Janraisig Temple in Gandan Monastery and Buddhist center.

 


Ulanbator 2015: As I approach the Megjid Janraisig Buddhist Temple I see there is a big wedding in progress and guests are all dressed in their finest traditional attire.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Posing for photos, these are guests dressed in traditional attire for the wedding occasion.

 


Ulanbator 2015: At last the photographer begins snapping the formal wedding party photos. Everyone smiles for the camera knowing this shot will be cherished a lifetime... almost everyone. Notice the young man near grandmother. Hmm, now that I study the faces more carefully I see a number of worried expressions! ... including the groom.

 


Ulanbator 2015: In front of the Megjid Janraisig Buddhist Temple this big wedding is in progress.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Wedding guests mill around waiting for the photographer to complete his work.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Wedding guests mill around watching the photographer complete his work.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Sculpture in front of the Peace Mall on the north side of Peace Avenue.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This double loop roller coaster is a major attraction in the amusement park located in an area marked as a park on the map. I entered through an unmonitored gate in the back and the park seemed nearly deserted. Then I heard the screams of coaster riders and noticed the Ferris Wheel rotating very slowly. I believe some special event had exclusive use of the park.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Visible from much of the city this Ferris Wheel dominated the amusement park I slipped into during one of my walks while it remained closed to paying visitors.


Ulanbator 2015: Yurt on wheels seen not far from the Shangri-La Hotel. I looked for a notice that, "Chinggis Khaan slept here," but didn't find one... not sure what the story is... might be an interesting one.

 


Ulanbator 2015: The breakfast buffet in the Ramada Inn always included a plate of smoked salmon, along with an excellent variety of other items including freshly baked breads daily. The Ramada had the best selection of breakfast choices of the four hotels I used, though the Blue Sky had better quality.

 


Ulanbator 2015: The breakfast buffet in the Ramada Inn always included four kinds of fresh juices offered in an atmosphere of quiet dining with soft background music and attentive staff.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Spectacular decoration in the lobby of the Blue Sky Hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This dramatic painting dominates one of the lobby walls in the Blue Sky Hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: The Blue Sky Hotel as seen from the city's main central gathering place, the Chinggis Khaan Square to the north of the hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Display menu in one of the KFC restaurants I've been using.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This is the KFC restaurant closest to the $144 Blue Sky Hotel where I stayed my last two nights in the city. While outside my usual budgetary range, I consider the 5 star hotel an excellent value compared to the other possibilities I checked in the city.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Monument to "My adored homeland" song. It is clamed to be the first monument dedicated to a song.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Monument to "My adored homeland" song. It is clamed to be the first monument dedicated to a song.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Statue dedicated to the founder of modern Mongolian literature.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Plaque explaining the statue dedicated to the founder of modern Mongolian literature.
 


Ulanbator 2015: Authentic Yurt being used as a store.
 


Ulanbator 2015: Ceiling of the authentic Yurt being used as a store.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Dense urban suburbs found at the end of the #7 bus line.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Dense urban suburbs found at the end of the #7 bus line. Notice the yurts mixed in with the wood frame structures.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This interesting building stands along the #7 bus line.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Hunnu Mall serves as an impromptu archeological museum where a half dozen large dinosaur skeletons have been  reassembled by paleontologists at the Mongolian Institute of Paleontology and Geology and temporarily stored for display in the shopping mall.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Hunnu Mall serves as an impromptu archeological museum where a half dozen large dinosaur skeletons have been  reassembled by paleontologists at the Mongolian Institute of Paleontology and Geology and temporarily stored for display in the shopping mall.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Hunnu Mall serves as an impromptu archeological museum where a half dozen large dinosaur skeletons have been  reassembled by paleontologists at the Mongolian Institute of Paleontology and Geology and temporarily stored for display in the shopping mall.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This is the route diagram on the side of the number 7 city bus. The airport is near the last stop to the left, just before the bus makes a hard right to its terminal point. Most buses display their routes like this. All rides are 500 MNTs, about a quarter dollar U.S.

 

 

End

 

 

 

 


Ulanbator 2015: Sculpture of Chinggis Khaan near the entrance to the International Airport. Nothing is more representative of Mongolia than is an iconic image of Genghis Khan!

 


Ulanbator 2015: Plaque next to the Sculpture of
Chinggis Khaan near the entrance to the International Airport.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  The arch far down the road north to the capital designates the beginning of the area where many camels may be seen.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Not uncommon are mixed herds like this one. I see cattle, sheep, goats, camels and other animals in this enormous flock. As soon as we passed this sighting on the right another appeared on the left.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Another of the many solitary home sites seen scattered along the road. I try to imagine the kind of life people living here might have. Most dwellings are accompanied by a car or truck sitting nearby.

 


Ulanbator 2015: During our eleven hour drive up from the Chinese border to
Ulaanbaatar we passed through "camel country." This arch over the road designates the beginning of the area where many herds of camels may be seen.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Along the highway up to the capital we passed many herds of camels like these seen here without any apparent herders.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Almost immediately after leaving the border town of Zamyn-Uud on the Chinese border we began seeing Yurts, some in clusters like those shown in this picture, but many standing alone in the middle of nowhere.

 


Ulanbator 2015: We began seeing Yurts,  many standing alone in the middle of nowhere like this one.

 


Ulanbator 2015: All along the highway between the Chinese border and the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar we saw small ranching settlements, many with clusters of structures including one or more yurts as in this photo.

 


Ulanbator 2015: As we approach this shrine my host slows the car and begins an enthusiastic explanation (in Mongolian!) and checking with me to see if I'd like a closer look. I understood almost none of his excited presentation, but did hear "Buddhist" and indicated my interest. We stopped and he got out to circumambulate the shrine thrice, tossing pebbles on the pile. My understanding is that since Soviet days of influence very few Mongolians are religious, so this behavior seems anachronistic.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Directly across the highway from the other Buddhist shrine is this assemblage, presumably another shrine.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Just off the highway this lonely yurt is dwarfed by the vast land on which it sits and the endless sky above. Now, is that poetry or what?

 


Ulanbator 2015: A huge flock of sheep blocks the road ahead for an oncoming car until inching forward while sounding their horn they are finally able to proceed.

 


Ulanbator 2015: As we approach, the gap again closes and we wait.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Finally, the goats bring up the rear and we are free to go... all a part of life on the Mongolian Steppes.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Moments after we pass the livestock flocks crossing the highway we come upon this large ranch compound.

 


Ulanbator 2015: These are the people who provided my taxi service between the Chinese border and the capital. I never learned their names and none of us spoke more than a few words of the other's language. The guy, about fifty showed great thoughtfulness, but his wife kept up a constant, irritating gabfest with "girl friends" on the cell phone.

 


Ulanbator 2015: A few hours from our destination the sky ahead suggested we were in for a storm.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Gradually, the storm clouds began to take on some color encouraging me to think we might have a spectacular sunset, but long before we reached the outskirts of UB everything went black with hardly a flicker of color.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Reaching the city center and locating the Shangri-La Hotel, the doorman performed splendidly making me feel welcome despite the fact that I must have looked a fright. After 48 hours without a shower and sleeping in my clothes, I badly needed the deluxe civilization promised by this deluxe establishment.

 


Ulanbator 2015: View from my 14th floor room in the $286 Shangri-La Hotel where I stayed on that first desperate night in the city after 48 hours of hard travel since leaving Tianjin China.

 


Ulanbator 2015: The $286 Shangri-La Hotel where I stayed on that first desperate night in the city is seen here dominating the skyline looking north from the area of the amusement park.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Another view from my 14th floor room in the 5 star Shangri-La Hotel in the center of the city.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Looking down on the city from my 14th floor room in the 5 star Shangri-La Hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Out searching for an affordable hotel on my first day while walking in the downtown area I came upon festivities which included a cluster of yurts on display.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This sign on a bank downtown caught my attention mainly because of the unique emblem at the top, but also the sharp Cyrillic lettering at the bottom.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This statue in the downtown area is a reminder that Marco Polo figures prominently in the
history of Mongolia.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This is the
Platinum Hotel which I chose for my second thru forth nights in the city. The Platinum Hotel turned out to be a very bad choice; the fact that the walk-in rates were less than those quoted by booking agent, Agoda should have been a clue. First, unavailable and unreliable WiFi Internet connections in the room #402 so they moved me to #702 where the WiFi works fine. However, all of the electric outlets are defective and the layout of the appliances are inconvenient.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This is the Platinum Hotel located inconveniently on an alley off Peace Avenue. The bright lighted sign made it easier to find at night than during the daylight.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  After my second night in the Platinum Hotel the room remained un-cleaned until 16:30. The breakfast buffet is an after thought: powdered coffee, hard fried eggs, cheap cereals and moldy white bread (Yep, green mould on slices in the middle of the loaf.). Surly staff do their jobs unenthusiastically and set the TV channel to their youthful personal tastes for jumpy dining "music" during breakfast. The décor is make do second hand store with cheap everything. The TV in the room offers one English language channel: National Geographic which made me grateful I had little time for relaxing.  It is cold here and the room does not have guest controlled heat!

 


Ulanbator 2015:  View of the surrounding city as seen from my thirteenth floor room in the Ramada Inn at sunrise one morning.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  The boy on the right jumped up to give me his seat like it was the most natural thing in the world to do. The older boy to the left watched the whole thing with curious interest.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Golden bas relief sculpture on the outside wall of the Hunnu Mall seen along the city bus routes out to the airport.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Another of the three golden bas relief sculptures on the outside wall of the Hunnu Mall seen along the city bus routes out to the airport.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Hunnu Mall seen along the city bus routes out to the airport. Recently built and only half occupied, it also serves as an impromptu archeological museum where a half dozen large dinosaur skeletons have been reassembled by paleontologists at the Mongolian Institute of Paleontology and Geology.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Hunnu Mall, recently built and only half occupied, it currently serves as an impromptu archeological museum where a half dozen large dinosaur skeletons have been  reassembled by paleontologists at the Mongolian Institute of Paleontology and Geology and temporarily offered for display in the shopping mall.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  This is the fast food Japanese restaurant in the Hunnu Mall where I had lunch while admiring the displays of dinosaurs.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Hunnu Mall, recently built and only half occupied, it currently serves as an impromptu archeological museum where a half dozen large dinosaur skeletons have been  reassembled by paleontologists at the Mongolian Institute of Paleontology and Geology and temporarily offered for display in the shopping mall.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  These two boys followed me around the dinosaur displays in the Hunnu Mall and eagerly posed for photos when I pulled out the camera.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Hunnu Mall, recently built and only half occupied, it currently serves as an impromptu archeological museum where a half dozen large dinosaur skeletons have been  reassembled by paleontologists at the Mongolian Institute of Paleontology and Geology and temporarily offered for display in the shopping mall.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Hunnu Mall seen along the city bus routes out to the airport. Recently built and only half occupied, it also serves as an impromptu archeological museum where a half dozen large dinosaur skeletons have been  reassembled by paleontologists at the Mongolian Institute of Paleontology and Geology and temporarily stored for display in the shopping mall.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This modern art decorates the lobby of the Ramada Inn Hotel where I stayed for seven nights.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Artistic treatment of the lobby of the Ramada Inn Hotel where I stayed for seven nights.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Another of the many paintings of horses seen around the Ramada Inn Hotel; this one hanging in the lobby of the hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Another of the many paintings of horses in the Ramada Inn Hotel; this one hanging in the lobby of the hotel.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  Another view of the surrounding city as seen from my thirteenth floor room in the Ramada Inn.

 

Ulanbator 2015: One of the many paintings of horses seen around the Ramada Inn Hotel; this one hanging in the dining room with the breakfast buffet service.

 


Ulanbator 2015:  And a third view of the surrounding city as seen from my thirteenth floor room in the Ramada Inn.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Sculptural group depicting Chinggis Khaan's mother seen in a small plaza along Peace Avenue not far from the Ramada Inn Hotel I used.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Plaque under the sculptural group depicting Chinggis Khaan's mother (
Hoelun) seen in a small plaza along Peace Avenue. There must be an interesting story behind the mothers name being covered up in two places on the plaque, but I never learned it. Maybe the engraver just got it wrong?

 


Ulanbator 2015: This statue sits in one of the small street plazas I found on one of my walks. It depicts one
Balingiin Tserendorj who the sculptor depicts with a really mean expression.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Plaque under the statue of
Balingiin Tserendorj in a small plaza south of the Shangri-La and Blue Sky Hotels.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Street art discovered in a dark passageway into a residential courtyard. Much of the work has been defaced by graffiti, so this is only a portion of the complete work.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Poster promoting something... I have no idea, but liked the depiction of old and modern youthful attire.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Everyone loves the pigeons which flock along the path up to the
Megjid Janraisig Temple in Gandan Monastery and Buddhist center.

 


Ulanbator 2015: I watched as many people scattered grain for the pigeons, but one pair of women in bulging overcoats were behaving oddly so I stopped to watch. One, stooping low gathered birds in her fist while the other stuffed them under her coat. I suspect their love of the birds involved some cooking!

 


Ulanbator 2015: A group of monks walking down the path from the
Megjid Janraisig Temple in Gandan Monastery and Buddhist center.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This is the
Megjid Janraisig Temple in Gandan Monastery and Buddhist center. It is located up the hill behind the Ramada Inn where I stayed seven of my thirteen nights in the city.

 


Ulanbator 2015: A group of monks hurry down the path away from the
Gandan Monastery and Buddhist center.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Another view of the
Megjid Janraisig Temple in Gandan Monastery and Buddhist center.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Close up view of the incense censer in front of the
Megjid Janraisig Temple. I watched people circling the urn ringing each of the tiny bells near the top as they passed them.

 


Ulanbator 2015: The photographer rushes around to get all the photos he needs after the wedding ends. Wedding guests are all in their finest attire at the
Megjid Janraisig Temple.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Some of the wedding guests dressed for the occasion.

 


Ulanbator 2015: One of the elderly wedding guests dressed in traditional attire for the occasion.

 


Ulanbator 2015: This is the Castle restaurant at the edge of the amusement park being used for an exhibition of British products the day I visited.

 


Ulanbator 2015: There is a lot of security around the central plaza, but I saw no guns at all (Of course, that doesn't mean they didn't have quick access to them, if needed!)

 


Ulanbator 2015: Two young police officers providing security around the central plaza. They all wear highly visible bright green vests.



Ulanbator 2015: When I first saw this image on a sidewalk I thought I'd stumbled on a crime scene and looked for the police barrier tapes. When I saw a second one I realized the symbols only reminded people to walk here.

 


Ulanbator 2015: World Peace Bell in a pavilion off the Chinggis Khaan city Square across the boulevard from the Blue Sky Hotel. Here two school girls are testing the acoustics. 

 


Ulanbator 2015: World Peace Bell in a pavilion across the boulevard from the Blue Sky Hotel. Presented in 1993.

 


Ulanbator 2015: With all the Cyrillic signs around the city it is easy to forget the Mongols have a written language of their own. These symbols painted on the side of a trash can are written in Mongolian!

 


Ulanbator 2015: Construction details of the authentic Yurt being used as a store.

 


Ulanbator 2015: At the end of the #7 bus line I found a street market. This looks like a bunch of soup bones, but from what animal I can't see... looks like a giant spider!

 


Ulanbator 2015: At the end of the #7 bus line I found a street market where these ladies were selling vegetables; can't imagine why that one lady is hiding her face.

 


Ulanbator 2015: People all over town are selling small quantities of pinion nuts like this lady and people crack the shells with their teeth as they walk.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Emblem painted on a police car.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Chinggis Khaan International Airport terminal.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Chinggis Khaan International Airport terminal.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Chinggis Khaan International Airport terminal.

 


Ulanbator 2015: Mongolia is a part of the Russian sphere of influence... and don't you ever forget it. This discarded Vodka bottle is a vivid reminder and I left it undisturbed.

 

 

End of column.
Reference photo: author
September 2015
 

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