The sky has some high cloud cover, but the sun is shining.
I don't know what I'll do today. Maybe I'll check out this place that Beebee says may have stirrups. If I buy a pair there and Altansukh comes through, then I'll give a pair to Todd.
It's definitely cloudier now and it might even rain.
I went to the old collective store, but it doesn't open until 2pm so I'll go back after lunch.
Andre, the owner of Monkey Business, had breakfast at my table. He's in town for Naadam and will be leaving the same day as me (same flight).
I found out that the dehl that the kitchen ladies are making is made. Unfortunately, it has no knot buttons and the trim will be fancy, not plain black. I was really bummed. I know that they're making me one, tailor-made, but I already have two 'holiday' dehls. I wanted one for regular use. When I found out, something in my resolve went snap and next I knew I was really upset. Also, due to miscommunication, I may have hurt one woman's feelings. After it was made clear (through Beebee) that the dehl was a done deal, I went to take a nap. It was better than sulking. Or fuming. I think it's time for me to go home.
I slept for 2 hours, which helped.
It rained after 1pm and didn't stop until 5pm. Still cloudy, though.
I'll go to that collective store tomorrow. It'll be open at 10am.
On Tuesday, the 13th, I'll meet with Battoyaa at 10am. I guess we'll go see any remaining events of Naadam. It would be nice to see her one more time before going. I'll ask her how a dehl is made and how the knot buttons are made too.
Well, tonight I went barhopping with 4 Aussies, 1 English, 1 Canadian, and 1 Dutch. We first went to this bar that was owned by the Buddhist Cultural Center. I think they had a monk at the front desk! But that was the only monk there. The bar was a large ger, maybe 10 khans big (khan also means wall). It's elaborately made. They even had a VCR, and what were they playing? Chingis Haan! I think we went three rounds of beer before we left. But an unusual thing happened.
Back at the hotel when I had decided to tag along with the group I had put on my money belt in haste, forgetting to safety pin the strap. Well, at the ger bar it had finally loosened to the point that when I took my first trip to the bathroom, unbeknownst to me, it slipped off and fell to the ground by the front desk. When I returned to our table my group was looking through a money belt that looked suspiciously like mine. When they asked me if it was mine I felt for my waist and the money belt was gone! Everything was still in there too. My group then told me that the Mongols had seen it on the ground, went into the bar and asked if it was one of ours! I couldn't believe it! All my US$, travellers checks, plane tickets, ID was in there (my passport was in my shoulder pouch). I went to the front desk and told them it was mine and thanked them. This episode made the previous theft less painful.
Well, it was closing time, so we decided to go to the infamous bar at Ulaanbaatar Hotel. We got there and were surprised at how small it was, having an almost school dance hall feel. That was probably because there was no rug, the walls were bare but for a few posters and the tables were all crammed to one side, leaving bare floor by the bar. We had a beer there and then they turned on the lights to close. We all had talks about various things, but in the end we mostly talked about our own countries. All the Commonwealth people felt that the day was coming when their own countries would sever their ties with the Queen of England, Australia especially. I said that I felt the States were bound for fundamental changes in the next 20 years.
As we walked in the city that night we noticed that lights were being put up and posters erected. Naadam in two days!