The stay in Mongolia was only in Ulaanbaatar this trip, unlike the great visit of 2006 when I went for a 20 hour drive to a mine site. This trip was a mission to lecture on mining and modern good parctices and to disucss the uranium market etc. I was met at the airport at 0930 Monday morning and we drove straight to the Ulaanbaatar Hotel where I was staying.
This view of the city from near the aiport road shows the smog layer with the stacks and towers of a power station just visible in the murk.
The air was clear but it was -7 degrees and remnants of the recent snowfall were evident on the streets and the surrounding hills. UB traffic is horrendous with far too many vars and lilttle discipline amongst the drivers. To my amazement in the week I was there I only saw one significant real "fender bender" accident and we were only involved in one small event when we bumped the car in front. Anyway the hotel was OK especially as there was an excellent indian restaurant on the top floor and that was where I ate most evenings. On the last night I saw well known British comedy actor Martin Clunes there with a small film crew having a curry and beer supper.
The air quality in town varied with the wind direction; when the siuth wind blows everything is clear and fine but otherwise thw coal smoke, smog and car fumes clog the air and an inversion sits over the city which even made my eyes sting at times. The 4 coal fired power stations and all the little coal stoves in the houses and gers (yurts/tents) do not help at all.
work went well and the view from the lecture room reminded me that it was cold outside.
One morning on the way to the office we stopped at the main square and my guide insisted on photographing me in front of the statue of Ghengis Khan. I had seen the statue before but the surrounding building had not been completed at the time of my last visit
Ulaanbaatar is a city that is expanding fast with very many modern structures since my last visit barely 3 years ago. I was surprised at how much it had changed.
On the last evening I was taken to a very good folk dance and song show which was apparently celebrating its 20th birthday. It appeared that this troupe was a national treasure and so the TV cameras etc were there in full force. As one of the few foreigners in the audience I found myself an object of interest for one camera man who wanted to see me clapping at the end of ecah act! Certainly the show was great with long song, short song, dancing, amazing acrobatics and throat singing - a great Mongolian tradition.
Still on saturday morning the job was done and I was on my way back to Bejing for anothr overnight stay back at the HWA hotel. A fine journey in clear weather. Another afternoon in and around Tianamen - sadly it was still too crowded to see inside the palace - and a dinner again at the amazing restaurant.
Sunday was an early start for a walk around the shopping area before the trip to the airport and an all day flight to Vienna; same plane and same "new" uncomfortable seats. Bejing was a balmy 14 degrees and even Vienna was warmer than Mongoia at 11 degrees.
So that was Bejing and Ulaanbaatar. A few more days at home in Vienna and I will be off again - Malawi is calling!
No comments:
Post a Comment