Mongolia - UB

Ulaan Baator gets a bad press in the backpacker guide books, but I don't find it too bad. The food is great - proper Western cheesecake, coffee, burgers, pizza, and most other things you could want at bargain prices. It's compact and easy to get around. There are some interesting museums. I went to the International Intellectual Museum yesterday, a unique place showcasing Mongolians' skill with wooden puzzles. One man in particular has developed hundreds of them, and it was he who set up the museum. A man of many talents, he is also a painter and many of his paintings are in the museum, including portraits of its sponsors. There's a rather idiosyncratic collection of other objects, including dolls, face masks (one of Michael Jackson) childrens' toys and chess sets of all shapes and sizes from around the world. The Mongolians think that chess may have originated in Mongolia, and are keen participants in the International Puzzle Party, an annual convention of puzzlers and gamers. Some of this has had practical applications, for example in assembling a ger (Mongolian word for yurt). My favourite puzzle had two pieces of bone on a piece of string. Traditionally, a bride had to solve the puzzle on her wedding day to prove she had sufficient intelligence, or the wedding was off. Talk about a stressful situation.

Pickpockets are a problem, and there are constant warnings and disclaimers about personal property everywhere. I caught someone trying to open the zip on my bag as I was waiting to cross the road (and that's another challenge!) I was so annoyed I slapped him in the face. He just stood there and laughed.
A strange encounter, hopefully not to be repeated.

UB is a real centre for travellers, as this is where you land if you want to explore Mongolia. Get into a small group to fill a jeep or van, and off you go. There is hardly any infrastructure - roads, let alone public transport - so doing your own thing would be next to impossible. My hostel sees a constant turnover of guests from early morning to late evening, usually picked up from the train station and shipped off on a hostel-organised tour straight away to make space for more guests. Our group of six all arrived on the same day at 6am and set off on a tour the following morning. As we were waiting to leave, one of the group returned to his dorm to get something he'd forgotten. There was already someone asleep in his recently-vacated bed. This frenetic activity only happens for the summer months when it's possible to drive the unmade roads.

I've spoken to loads of people doing or just done the same trip as me, and have picked up loads of info and ideas for China. I'll be getting on the early morning train to Beijing tomorrow, so time only for the dinosaurs in the Natural History Museum and one more piece of cheesecake.

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