Ulaangom

1st July 2014       26’C       0km rest day
Ulaangom

A day of resting the body, washing clothes and doing administration & planning.
Ulaangom is a very small town and there isn’t much going on. I’ve walked around the town a few times, visiting the town square complete with weeds growing between the concrete.  One of the three decent restaurants has closed down, another one has a ‘for sale’ sign hanging from the door.

Usually, there are drunks hanging about at any time of the day in the towns, even in the morning, and often yelling at people randomly.  Many of them look like they have been in a fight recently, black eyes, a single swollen cheekbone, missing teeth & bloody noses.   I’ve noticed most Mongolians deliberately avoid eye contact with anyone in the street, presumably an avoidance tactic, as making eye contact with the drunks is a certain way to ensure you receive their yelling wrath or worse.  Although today was different for some reason.  I only saw two drunks and they were keeping a low profile.  It wasn’t until I tried to order a beer with my dinner, and the waitress said “NO. NO BEER on the 1st of every month. No alcohol”   So there is an imposed “dry” day once a month, and it makes such a huge difference.   The square was filled with kids and young adults, playing, laughing, hanging out and just enjoying the evening sun.  People smiled at each other.  What a change!

I’ve been doing a little more route planning this afternoon, along with the usual maintenance and administrative tasks, preparing to head out tomorrow and back on the road.  My body feels better, although shoulders still a bit tight and I had hoped to find somewhere for a massage in Ulaangom. But when I asked the receptionist at the hotel where I could get a massage, the response I got indicated that her idea of a massage was different to what I was looking for. I stopped asking where I could find a massage after that.

Tonight I was sitting in my room when the chef from the hotel walked in and turned the TV on.  I tried telling her, “I don’t need the TV on” but she sat down on the sofa and turned the TV up to 11, and proceeded to watch the news.  It was the strangest thing.  When the presenter came back on, she made a gesture like nursing a baby and said “Me, mama” pointing to the presenter.  It was then that I realised the similarities, the presenter looked just like he could be her son.  She watched the news through to the end and then stood up, looking very chuffed and said “Spaseeba!” thank you, in Russian, before leaving and closing the door on her way out.

Funny stuff!