Out on the Town

Yesterday, in spite of being cooped up in the hostel for most of the day while waiting for word on my baggage, I managed to sneak away for some dinner and later for a night out with new friends.

I found a small restaurant around the corner from the hostel which was operated by two teenage girls and their mother. The girls were really adorable - they watched music television and sang along to their favorite songs, totally disregarding the presence of their only customer (me). I was treated well, however, and for bargain prices. I ate a veritable bucket of tomato and egg soup with a side of fried bread and drank almost a full pot of tea all for only 1,700 tugriks (which is about $1.50). The tea here is delicious - green with a slightly fruity aftertaste.

Later, my new friends Pedro and Miguel from the Dominican Republic invited me out for a night on the town. First, we went to this large Irish pub with outdoor seating and live music (a Mongolian band whose singer, a petite but saucy young woman, belted out popular American tunes like "Let it Be" and "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend"). We had just placed our order when two old (drunk) Mongolian men sat down beside us at our table at first claiming to just want to watch the singer, but later began encroaching more and more until they were flagrantly attempting to steal Pedro's beer. The guys were really frustrated because we couldn't get the old men to leave, so we left - and left our new buddies the bill - and ended up in another restaurant and pub called the Savannah. It was eerily quiet there, but at least we were left alone! (For the record, I thought those two old men were pretty hilarious.) After Savannah, we went to yet another "Irish pub" near the hostel and sampled some local Mongolian beer.

Though Ulaan Baatar is no New York City, I'm finding that it certainly has a very particular urban experience to offer its visitors.