Tag: life

Ulaanbaatar (Red Hero)

Exploring this interesting somewhat deserted city

Deserted because of the Lunar Festival (Tsagaan Sar)

We were left to our own devices, and took to the streets,

quiet, empty, eery, and yet exhilarating.

We just wandered.

Nothing was open,

apart from our eyes, ears,

and skin (feeling the chill and sun at the same time)

Cold but exhilirating
Closed for business (and fun)
So we made our own fun.
Deserted, quaintly European street

listen to this magic sound

Sühbaatar Square

Ulaanbaatar was built by the Soviets in 1924 hence the Red City name

(my assumption)

See the statue of Genghis Khan central and large

This is the main square.

Full of surprises ;

Ice Sculptures

No signs, No warnings, Just experience.

And experience we did.

Very difficult to walk on the ice – see the video 😉

We found one store that was open:

Like any department store anywhere in the world.

Such beautiful flowers.

And I even replaced the power pack which is now safely in the

hands of the PRC 😂

Quirky, quaint, queer – just surprises

We wandered around, finding corners, spaces and

EVEN the Beatles – go figure 😂

But that was not the quirkiest

How about an ATM Pizza Machine!!!!!!!

We couldn’t read the instructions or we would have had one

There was coffee, cake, sharing and hang out time

And preparation for a day today,

The likes of which you will not believe –

but will have to wait

Welcome to Mongolia

And what a welcome it was.

I happened to arrive on the first day of the Lunar New Year,

Tsagaan SAR (white moon) :

a celebration of the transition between Winter and Summer.

The celebration dates back to the 13 Century in a country that is largely Buddhist and Shamansim

It is a Huge, National celebration with shops closed for three days,

Families travelling to see their elders;

Everyone dressed in national dress.

AND TRAFFIC

The downside to this amazing day, was a normal 40 minute trip from the airport to our lodgings took FOUR HOURS.

I kid you not.

I was so taken aback that I didn’t take photos!!!!!!!!!

I did take a walk – I got out of our stationery vehicle,

walked two kilometres up the road and back again

I swear our car had barely moved.

The kids slept, even Malan (Husband and driver) had a doze at the wheel.

They were watching their phones and I could hear Trump in his now infamous debate/discussion/whatever over and over again as they watched it.

Mothers were taking their children for walks and ‘the other’

as we all waited for – well, for four hours.

When you are a guest and new traveller,

or perhaps it is just that when you are Me,

you have no idea where you are going or how much longer this whole thing would take.

So it makes it difficult to pace yourself.

And just like that we turned left and we were home.

Great relief for everyone, in every sense of that word 😂

And then the fun began.

A flurry of cooking, whipping, beating, folding, chopping, laying.

A Feast to celebrate the first day of the New year.

An entire rump of a cow is presented, sliced and thankfully not all eaten at once.

In fact it is kept and shared over months with families.

That beef carcass (note the portrait of Genghis Khan)

Dumplings or Uuts – the Mongolian National Dish

There was the traditional cheese (which I equate more to a Christmas tree)

It is home made and stored every year in muslin

‘pulled out’ for this celebration

and It would appear, put away again.

No one eats it but it is very impressive.

There was eating,

talking,

and drinking.

That carcass 😊
Unadulterated joy
Tired travellers, but hey, Vodka works….

Fun all of it.

And Finally, bed….

Tomorrow (well today that was) we explore Ulaanbaatar.

When I get time…. I promise.