We arrived at Ulaan Baatar at around 6.30 am in the delicate light of early morning, 4/8 cloud, the sun just rising. Apart from a slightly worrying few minutes when I shut the compartment door and the handle fell off whilst we were locked inside, there was no hassle at all.
We were met on the platform by a small lady bearing a sign entitled "Anna Hough". She took us, along with two Englishmen (one of whom was called Nathaniel) to the Hotel Decor. It was only a couple of blocks from the station, and looked like quite a decent place. I had thought it would be a two-bit sleazy dive, a hostel for back-packers. But no; there was a proper hotel-style reception; a lift; a good en-suite and even tea making facilities. We might pay more in the UK for less!
After freshening up we set off on this Sunday morning to look for breakfast. It was not yet 9 a.m. We had a long tramp along Peace Avenue, the main east-west road through the city, finding nowhere open at that early hour. Eventually we found a place open and sat down to good substantial western-style breakfasts, with juice and coffee. The bill was around 46000 of the local currency - about US$30.
Enlivened and stimulated by our repast, we walked into the main square and took photographs. It grew hot. Then we went on a long and ultimately fruitless walk across some waste ground, a railway and a river, through some interminable residential developments, looking for the "Bogd winter palace". We did not find it, and by now the sunshine and heat were growing baleful. We crossed back over the waste ground (some kind of flood plain) on a fine looking bridge, and stopped for iced coffee and Coca-cola.
At this point another technical aside: both here and in Irkutsk they use electric trolley buses. In fact in Irkutsk trolley buses, trams and ordinary diesel-engined buses all use the same streets at the same time!
After a brief sortie to get more cash out of the hole in the wall, we went to the Mongolian History Museum, primarily to shelter from the heat of early afternoon. From the museum - which was only mildly interesting apart a vast collection of brightly coloured national costumes, we went to a local restaurant recommended by the Lonely Planet Guide, for a very late lunch.
"White Moon" or Luna Blanca is a vegan restaurant and far from it being right on and worthy, had really tasty food and great service. I was not convinced by the vegan cheese cake - ersatz cheese cake more like. The bill for jasmine tea, bottled water, green salad, three good lunches and the aforementioned cheese cake came to T 26000 - less than $30. The White Moon refers to Tsagaan Sar, Mongolia's lunar New Year festival.
After that very late lunch we strolled back to the Decor Hotel, getting lost briefly in a residential area. Interesting to note that we did not feel unwelcome, nor was the atmosphere ever edgy. Mongolians are very friendly - most unlike Russians. They are generally quite good-looking people (having "good bone structure" as my daughter said with uncharacteristic delicacy of phrase). Because they are good looking, one thing leads to another, and there are LOADS of children and babies. In one day we saw many dozens of babes in arms, toddlers and small children, all doted on and attended by their mothers and their fathers. In fact, even as I write this, the sound of children playing in the back alleys behind the hotel drifts up to the open window of our room.
We never felt oppressed or in any danger. No-one has so much as glared at us. I say that: the traffic is shocking and dreadful. There is no road discipline at junctions; drivers will mow pedestrians down even if they have right of way and the little green man is flashing. Crossing roads in Ulaan Baatar, you have to run for your life - not as a figure of speech, but in actuality.
After freshening up we set off on this Sunday morning to look for breakfast. It was not yet 9 a.m. We had a long tramp along Peace Avenue, the main east-west road through the city, finding nowhere open at that early hour. Eventually we found a place open and sat down to good substantial western-style breakfasts, with juice and coffee. The bill was around 46000 of the local currency - about US$30.
Enlivened and stimulated by our repast, we walked into the main square and took photographs. It grew hot. Then we went on a long and ultimately fruitless walk across some waste ground, a railway and a river, through some interminable residential developments, looking for the "Bogd winter palace". We did not find it, and by now the sunshine and heat were growing baleful. We crossed back over the waste ground (some kind of flood plain) on a fine looking bridge, and stopped for iced coffee and Coca-cola.
At this point another technical aside: both here and in Irkutsk they use electric trolley buses. In fact in Irkutsk trolley buses, trams and ordinary diesel-engined buses all use the same streets at the same time!
After a brief sortie to get more cash out of the hole in the wall, we went to the Mongolian History Museum, primarily to shelter from the heat of early afternoon. From the museum - which was only mildly interesting apart a vast collection of brightly coloured national costumes, we went to a local restaurant recommended by the Lonely Planet Guide, for a very late lunch.
"White Moon" or Luna Blanca is a vegan restaurant and far from it being right on and worthy, had really tasty food and great service. I was not convinced by the vegan cheese cake - ersatz cheese cake more like. The bill for jasmine tea, bottled water, green salad, three good lunches and the aforementioned cheese cake came to T 26000 - less than $30. The White Moon refers to Tsagaan Sar, Mongolia's lunar New Year festival.
After that very late lunch we strolled back to the Decor Hotel, getting lost briefly in a residential area. Interesting to note that we did not feel unwelcome, nor was the atmosphere ever edgy. Mongolians are very friendly - most unlike Russians. They are generally quite good-looking people (having "good bone structure" as my daughter said with uncharacteristic delicacy of phrase). Because they are good looking, one thing leads to another, and there are LOADS of children and babies. In one day we saw many dozens of babes in arms, toddlers and small children, all doted on and attended by their mothers and their fathers. In fact, even as I write this, the sound of children playing in the back alleys behind the hotel drifts up to the open window of our room.
We never felt oppressed or in any danger. No-one has so much as glared at us. I say that: the traffic is shocking and dreadful. There is no road discipline at junctions; drivers will mow pedestrians down even if they have right of way and the little green man is flashing. Crossing roads in Ulaan Baatar, you have to run for your life - not as a figure of speech, but in actuality.
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