Nomad land blog

The President of Mongolia, some of government members, star wrestler Sumyabazar whose picture you see in the last post, MP Bayartsogt who is from the Democratic party which opposes the president’s and professsional  mountaineers, totally 41 people, climbed Mt Khuiten (Mt Cold) and made it to the top.  

 The champion wrestler had to be sidestepped before reaching the top due to heightened blood pressure. His muscle weight and extreme training for Naadam that had finished just few days ago may have been the cause. 

What did they do? They were whipped by snow storm while the rest of the country was basking in the July sun, shrouded by thick fog, wondered if they could survive, were sandpapered by tiny icicle particles borne by cruel wind and they raised Mongol black flag besides Mongolia’s present flag at the peak, sang the new national anthem recently revised, and soothed the mountain by playing for it the traditional horse headed fiddle.

 He said if we are together we can do anything. I guess that’s why he included a parliament member of the opposing party. 

 Mt Khuiten peak is 4374m above sea level and allows the view of three countries from one place: Mongolia, Russia and China.

Someone suggested during the expedition the name of the mountain should be changed to “Mt Great Mongolia”. I wish the whole nation jogged in the morning if the president sets an example and televise it so that all knows the virtue of it before we have too many fat people, ever fatter children with chubby cheeks, and before our health care system crumbles.   

The number of visitors and participants of Naadam Festival swelled this year. Instead of usual 512 wrestlers, 1024 wrestlers came on the stadium field this year, taking 3 full days to finish the wrestling match.

The horse racing field was filled with people and cars. The photo here shows the first place horses with their jockey children and as well as those who groomed and trained the horses. At the central stadium they receive their prizes.

Also a new wrestling champion emerged who toppled the incumbent. Though looking desperate, he attacked against his taller, bigger opponent who was rather passive and complacent and won. Cheers to his hard work and audacity. Under the pressure and huge supporting roar of viewers in the stadium, the President of Mongolia awarded him the Champion title though by regulation he was one step away. People just loved him.

More interestingly his younger brother is fighting on Japanese sumo wrestling arena and holds the highest title Yokozuna. Great moment for one family. Their old father, himself a wrestler holding ‘Elephant title’ was in tears. Regarding the fact that Japan has 150 million population and Mongolia 2.5 million, the younger brother’s success is by no means an easy thing. Several other Mongolian sumo wrestlers are fighting too in Japan.
this photo from wikipedia.org

The long anticipated, much criticized as well as highly acclaimed Naadam is over. This Naadam Festival is celebrated for the 800th anniversary of Mongol State.

Here are some pictures.

Ox pulled cart carrying a ger was used by Mongols who had stature and wealth.

Many feuding nomadic tribes were united by Genghis Khaan. Mongolian ethnic groups wearing their traditional clothings were demonsrated.

Mongol traditional flags hoisted in the center of Naadam stadium.

So the World Cup 2006 is over with the Italian team victory. I was supporting the German team and think that Germans did a great job hosting the play. Specially the cameras provided great footages of goals from different angles, different cameras, showing the bursting moments of players and coaches of both teams at the same time at goal moments. What a great arrangement and attention to details. I heard at some point Germans are people of 150% and I believe it.

The Football World Cup 2006 worked like a world big attention suction thing. Every one in Mongolian travel industry said all the tourists have gone to the world cup event. The streets lack the ubiqitous foreigners, the shops don’t have them, the 2 tourists I had in June were the only tourists in almost every ger camp they visited in Gobi, Karakorum, and other places in Mongolia. All have gone to Germany or were sitting in front of TV sets, I guess.

Once the fate of most countries were resolved in the play, the flow of travellers to Mongolia started trickling. Arriving planes are more packed with tourists now; hotels are bursting at seams. It seems like a really small world.  The excitement of football I think is it shows human heart, soul and group work veiled behind the play- specially when going gets tougher and tougher.  

Hi,

This will be our lighthearted blog about what is happening in and out of Mongolia travel industry and the company. Perhaps I, Tulga Enhbaatar, Mogul Travel manager will be running it most of the time.