Mongolia Nadaam Festival - Part III

Today is traditional the day of the horse race. It is tough and the boys train for a couple of years to join in. It is a race over a distance of 30km so as a spectator you don't see a lot. However joining the crowd of people awaiting the winner horse at the finish line can be exciting enough.

The hardest part of watching the race is getting to the race. The corso of cars to the grasland somewhat 40km out of town is sheer endless. A lot of spectators prefer therefore to come on horse's back - nothing unsual in horse country Mongolia. And, they have the best view.

The horses which return from the race are high property and are quickly surrounded by a Mongolian mob. Appartently a handful of horse's sweat - neatly spread in your face - brings good luck for the entire year. This year, like in the wrestling, a novice won the race. Maybe he had a bath in the winning horse's sweat last year?

Seat of choice for a lot of riders - the Mongolian saddle.

Big crowds awaiting the winning horse

Prime spot to watch the race

The riders for the 30km race are young and their horses have a funky hair style. Photo by Verena Einberger

Mongolia Nadaam Festival - Part II

11 July is traditional the main day of the annually Nadaam Festival. It starts with the opening ceremony and is followed by the first rounds of Mongolian Wrestling and archery. Tickets for the day were high property before the event with prices rising until a day before...then they dropped as most tickets were bought by a handful of hawkers...Lucky I bought mine a couple of days before - not.

This year, the wrestling has been won by a novice who hasn't won any title before. There are no weight classes, it is a simple knock out system in which the 512 wrestler fight against each other until there is only one left.
Let the Games begin!

Let the Games begin

A taste of the Olympic games

 

Opening ceremony

Stand up for the National Anthem

 

 

Dicipline I - Wrestling:


What we all waited for - the Mongolian Wrestler

All rich and beautiful are around...

...to watch the less beautiful but (soon to be) famous.

Concentration before the fight

Don't forget your shoes

Sexy? You have to like it - speedos Mongolian style.

Action...

...but once you are on the ground you are out...

...and have to walk under the winner's arm only to receive a
clap on the bum.

David vs. Goliath?
The ref takes both wrestler's hats and only the winner can keep it



No playing around with this fellow

Audience



Dicipline II - Archery

Good shot...

...and a bad shot.

Eagle TV News are here

Women take aim from a slightly shorter distance

Soviet blocks in the back...

...while the refs take it serious.

Mongolia Nadaam Festival - Part I

It is the day before the famous Nadaam Festival and the Ulaanbaater is filling up with tourist. Unreal, three days ago there was hardly any Westerner to see but today the big American groups coming in. As a warm up there were some soldiers marching through the main square, lets see what tomorrow will bring.

Mongolia - Ulaanbaatar

After being in Thailand, the contrast couldn't be bigger. The so familiar smile from South-East-Asia has literally cooled down, people are taller, the temperature and the humidity have dropped significantly and nobody on the street starts talking to you anymore. Maybe also because hardly anyone speaks English anymore and my Mongolian is still pretty limited (=not existent). It feels like a cross of Russia and China but the eyes of the women are more beautiful. Welcome to Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia's population is only 3 Million with 1 Million living in the capital Ulaanbaatar. Even within the city you can see the mountains - the edges of the steppe. There is nothing around beyond the city than steppe, desert, gers, camels and horses. It will be interesting. 

Leaving South East Asia - Mongolia here we go...

Not much more than steppe - 2 min before touch down in Ulaanbaatar

Chinggis Khan, a ger and some soviet style housing

The steppe just behind the houses...

Luna Park Ulaanbaatar

Boys of Mongolia

Faces of Bangkok

Some faces of Bangkok