TRAVERSE 102
urban dwellings and with that came social issues that an old city quickly modernising struggled to deal with . Housing became expensive , public infrastructure failed to grow with demand , pollution increased .
Ultimately the people voiced their displeasure and in 2008 protested their concerns , not least at a government they suggested was illegally put in place . Riots ensued resulting in the government cracking down leaving an unease that fell across the city . The riots ceased and calm was resumed .
Walking the streets , it ’ s hard to image a time of protest , of destruction , and the influence of outside powers . The clues remain yet all seem to fall into a symbiosis where everything has it ’ s place and although strange bedfellows do indeed work together . Ulaanbaatar feels like a city with a purpose although it ’ s hard to describe what such a purpose is .
Narrow laneways that house
Soviet era apartments suddenly lead onto even narrower passages that suddenly open into green areas that surround ancient temples . Wide avenues intersect with more wide avenues lined with brightly painted buildings that are held in place with marble columns . Modern glass and concrete structures reach for the eternal blue sky as if suggesting that this is the new future of the city .
It ’ s hard to imagine a city like Ulaanbaatar with a high Irish population however , the many Irish pubs would suggest so . I found no Irish people and no Irish pub that serves the all-mighty of Irish beers , Guiness . A strange dilemma that I fear will never be understood , yet I did understand one thing and that is that Ulaanbaatar is a welcoming city where a female traveller should never feel unsafe .
The shopping malls , the market streets , the shaded gardens , and the open plazas all feel welcoming . Surely a combination of the city
aesthetics but mostly of the people themselves . The impression is that the Mongolian people have little care for who you are or where you ’ re from , they just care that you are there .
Ulaanbaatar is a city of wonder , where the old meets the new and the Soviets are stuck somewhere in the middle . It ’ s a city that is proud of its past and where it is headed for the future . Walk the streets and you will go unnoticed and yet welcomed . There ’ s no fuss , no questioning , no looks , you will slip right in .
TRAVERSE was invited to Mongolia by Motorcycle Expeditions who offer a complete package that caters to all riding and travelling styles . With destinations across the globe Motorcycle Expeditions can provide an adventure that suits everyone . Visit motorexpeditions . com or contact Viv at oz @ motorcycleexpeditions . com to Ride Beyond Your Dreams ...
TRAVERSE 102