Is Mongolia the Coolest Place on Earth?

We have been spending a lot of time wandering Ulan Baatar, with Chris remaining amazed at the changes from when he was here last, in 1989. When he was here last, there was (and I quote) ''No food. Nothing to do. Nothing to buy."

Well that's changed, but in a good way. Not a turbo-charged Coca-Cola fuelled full-on blitz like China, or a completely and utterly materialistic, brand-name-is-all, aggressive way like Russia.

No Buddy Mac's yet, no KFC. Yet. Lots of sexy bars, lots of travellers and bright eyed tourists, with the occasional lost looking tour bus thrown in.

Most people seem to be here to simply say they have been, or to go to the Gobi. And this week, it's all about Nadaam, the national 'homecoming' and festival of the 3 manly sports. More on that later....

I did manage to try all kinds of fermented yogurts and cheeses and tried Mongolian tea and mare's milk but DAMMIT no Airag (the fermented mare's milk that supposedly kicks like a mare does too).  I saw it being sold out of great barrels, ladled into a bowl shared by all customers,  but  I was  not quite in the mood for a spit sharing experience with several dozen strangers.

The diet here is completely based on mobile food. The nomad life is still very much a part of the culture here. And that means mutton. Lots and lots of mutton! I think I can safely never eat sheep bits again.
What a vegetarian would survive on in Mongolia is beyond me