Ulaanbaatar

I had a good day yesterday - I woke up at 5:30 and headed to the airport. The streets around my hostel were empty at 6am. Street sweepers must come through every night, because there was trash all over the street when I returned last night.

En route to Mongolia, I met some wonderfully gracious people; Enyx & Tosongo. They are returning home from Utah to visit their relatives for a month. We talked the entire flight; and they even offered to help me find accommodation in Ulaanbaatar and a ride to the city. I was relieved, as I was still uncertain about the details surrounding my foray into the countryside. I had originally been working with Hovsgol Travel; but decided against them due to price. I chose to book something through one of the local guesthouses, which turned into an uncomfortable situation. The guesthouse was requiring me to cook all of the food for my guide/driver, as well as go shopping for it. They were going to put me in a tent each night, and we'd drive via Russian jeep by day. The weather in Mongolia starts to turn cold near the end of August, so I was worried about the camping gear from the guesthouse. They assured me that it was warm, although they couldn't provide any information re: the temperature threshold of their sleeping bags. I promptly decided to pay the extra money and go with Hovsgol; they seemed much more organized and keen on my welfare. The problem was I told them about my decision 4 days before I was to arrive in Ulaanbaatar. I didn't receive any communication from them before I landed in Mongolia, so I was unsure whether they could accommodate my last minute request or not.

After I made it through customs, I saw a sign with my name on it. Hovsgol Travel had come to pick me up at the airport! All of the worries about where to stay, how I would fare in the countryside, concerns about not having the correct gear were instantly washed away. Nurka took me to the hotel where I was staying for the first night. I met the manager, my guide, and we immediately set off into the city to visit Bogd Khan's Winter Palace, and the main Buddhist monastery that overlooks the city. Both places were filled with ancient items, from thangkas to temples to old statues.

I've tried not to make a quick judgement about any new situation or experience that I have, so I gave myself the full day to evaluate Ulaanbaatar. After much thought, I've decided that it's a dirty and polluted city. There is definitely a lot of activity throughout the city, but it's not someplace where I'd like to spend a lot of time. The city was very dusty, and the streets were lined with Communist-era apartment blocks. All of the vehicle traffic didn't help much easier; I felt like I was breathing from an exhaust pipe. All of the people that I met were very gracious, which does have to do with the ambiance of a city. I noticed that the citizens were focused on making their lives better; all of the young people that I have met are intent on going to college. To have an opportunity to aspire to economic heights that tower above those of their parents.

After we got back to the hotel, I laid down on my bed to take a nap before dinner. I woke up a bit late for dinner, 2am, so I went back to dreams of what the countryside would look like.