Guest Blogger

It's time for some on-the-spot reporting about Mongolian horses. So this is Lisa reporting live from a ger in the Ikh Tamir valley.  We met our horses yesterday.  They do not have names because they are rotated in and out of the herd.  As an American, I felt an immediate need to name my horse (very quietly).  He is Blackie and one ear has been half bitten off by another horse.  The saddle has two pieces of wood onto which is attached a padded seat.  The rein is a nylon rope which is held in one hand.  We've been told don't pet them, never approach from the right side, don't go near the back end.  I'm terrified to touch or speak to the poor guy.  The travel writer Tim Cahill described second gear on these horses as The Mongolian Death Trot.  Yes indeed.  After trotting for a while yesterday, today I was prepared with some dirty socks which I stuffed inside my pants in front.  It was a good idea except that when we trotted the socks moved up to the middle of my stomach,giving me quite an unhealthy appearance.  Our guide, Zol, has not allowed us to go into third gear yet.  I live in hopes that it is somewhat smoother. 
Today we crossed another hurdle in my list of Things to be Anxious About.  We stopped to visit a family in a small group of gers.  It was very beautiful inside the ger we visited, and we were served tea and a plate of snacks,many of which were cheese products.  Wise to the way of tourists, they thoughtfully did not put butter in the tea.

Another Naadam

The overnight rain lets up and after breakfast we go to meet our horses and the two 'wranglers' who will be with us the rest of the trip. I shouldn't be surprised, but they are young kids, maybe 11 and 13 years old. So, after a couple minutes of instructions from their boss (be careful), we head off to the local village's Naadam, with the kids keeping a practiced eye on our riding. Riding about 10 kilometers from our camp we are joining up with dozens of other horsemen on the way to the festivity site which is on a slope above this broad valley. 

 

The scene is like a county fair with people cooking, selling, and milling about. On foot, I have to keep my head on a swivel, watching out for horsemen galloping here and there. Before long, a cold rain starts up and I pitty the wrestlers who are bare chested, wearing bikini briefs. Those watching are cold and wet too, and the wrestling bouts are speeded up to get them done early. Two horse races come to the finish line while we are there. The riders are all young kids - most less than ten, to keep the weight at a minimum. The races are long - maybe 30 kilometers - and the crowd rushes forward on foot or horseback to see them approach. By evening we have gone through another cycle of weather, and right now the rain is gone and there is a beautiful sunset starting.

Naadam

After dinner and a rain shower is pelting the tent roof. Just had to zip up the rain fly to keep dry. It was sunny and mild until an hour ago. There is a huge rock near our campsite - volcanic plug of some sort, with a small shrine  on top, and a few minutes ago there was a beautiful rainbow framed behind it, with a cluster of gers completing the scene. I think this is the first rain of the trip, but it doesn't look to last too long. We have been following Naadam celebrations from town to town, completely by accident.



Today was in Kharakoran, after we visited a sprawling monastery, and tomorrow we will be on horses and visiting the celebration in a small village nearby our camp. Have not met our horses yet but we will in the morning.Wonderful day today.

Cold

Standing by the side of the road on the outskirts of Ulaan Baatar, in the cold rain, watching our driver inspect the damaged left front wheel assembly. I was prepared for the inevitable breakdown, but not before leaving U B and I tell myself that the day can only get better. Thankfully it does - this is going to be a six hour drive. This is how it goes: Timor works a miricle with a repair of the wheel, we stop along the road to watch a horse race as part of the Naadam festival, Lisa rides a camel, and the sun comes out.

Now in our tent at a Ger camp, with a fire in the small stove driving off the evening chill. It is a lot colder than I expected - low 40's at night with 50 something high temp. Tomorrow we visit Kharkorin, site of the ancient Capitol of the Mongol empire.