Social interactions a la Mongolia

The helpfulness and hospitality of the mongolian people is really outstanding. As soon as I got stuck people were there to help me, not expecting anything in return. And this had to be paid back of course. The opportunity came soon enough when I picked up two stranded Mongolians from the side of the road or jumpstarted a battery weak car.
Whenever I camped somewhere I had visitors in my van. I sometimes swore at that tiny tea pot I have, was it only meant for one our two persons and not a whole Mongolian clan who brought me some dinner.
But the cream on my cake was the invitation for lunch at the Ger which simply means house in Mongolian, or Yurte as the Russians call it. I was so surprised about the size and comfort in the Ger and really impressed how every family member pitched in preparing the food. They were making everything themselves: butter, cheeses, several whey based drinks (brrr), vodka was bubbling on the stove. The lady of the house l showed me how she softens the leather, we played games with items made out of goat or sheep knuckles. Once done with eating I was dressed up in traditional Mongolian clothing and the son made at least 50 pictures of us.
The next day I just wanted to have off, just myself lazing on the beach but this enjoyment was not to last: an UAZ van turned up, spitting out loads of people old and young. Directly beside my van. There is the whole beach kms to the left and kms to the right; empty beach as far as the eye can see, and they settle down right beside me, 20m from my van, music blaring, a little girl coming as far as she dares towards Rex, and barking wau, wau, wau at him. Contrary to everyone else he does not think this is funny and barks back. This is how the Viennese musty have felt when the Mongolian under Dshenghis Khan threatened to take their town, but they were lucky, Prince Eugene defended them, but my defender was on the leash. I should have let him go when I saw them coming, but now I had no alternative but to pack up and leave.Weiterlesen