Talking about Ulaanbaatar Then and Now - Part 2

I'm from Australia where one of our national dishes is lamb. I also seem to recall, either in a blog or an email mentioning that I had only seen Mongolians eating mutton and that was because they were patient enough to wait for the animal to grow up and provide more meat.

Scott also mentioned the smell of mutton as well as the waiter's not asking how he'd like his steak cooked, something I had noted too. See the trackback here for a read of that entry: Ulaanbaatar Then and Now - Part 2

Ok, in true friendly fashion, my friend Alimaa, currently resident in the US but Mongolian never-the-less, has spent the time to explain a little more about Mongolian life, as well as setting the record straight on the matter of lamb and red (under- or un-cooked) meat.

I shall now (rarely) shut up and let Alimaa do the talking.

Alimaa: As to the waiters never asking the question -- how would you like your steak cooked? -- It does not cross any Mongolian's mind that a human being could be indulging in raw meat or red meat or in any degree uncooked meat.  Here in the States, I have tried and tasted the medium or rare cooked steaks, which is tender and all. But even after all these years I still have hard time bringing myself to eating steak or burgers with any trace of redness in them. Rareness is a health hazard, if you ask me, with all the mad cow disease concerns going around. Also, eating raw or rare meats is considered seriously "barbaric" by Mongolians. I am getting a little excited here, I rarely do so or get defensive for that matter about any issues, about this subject :")  We, Mongolians, may love lamb and beef occasionally goats and camels, but we never eat them raw and cooked less than thoroughly. (Back in days, if you are a well to do family you never ate game, it is for the poor.)  

Also, you may have noticed, we Mongols do not eat baby animals. However much meat loving we may be, but we do not eat baby animals. That is "barbaric" and not humane to us.  Another thing is since we eat so much meats, the way we kill the animals is a centuries old method that is the most painless to the animals and the fastest way to kill them. We Mongolians do not let any animal's blood drip or show while they are being "prepared". The tradition is that the women and the girls are not allowed to watch or be near anywhere where an animal is being killed.  

As I was growing up we were not allowed to use the word kill towards animals being killed. It is euphemism. but I was raised to respect (not love, but respect) the animals that gave us food and all the other things to us.  In the nomadic culture there is a lot of respect for the animals and the nature. It is such a harmonic way of life and life that emulates eternity. The whole universal philosophy or the meaning of life and the nature and the wild life and the circle of life that exists in the nomadic lifestyle gets lost in the modern or the western way of life. There is that simplicity and yet profound deep meaning to life when one lives the nomadic life. It is a life full of hard work, but a happy life.  Life in which one can appreciate the most important things and the simplest things in life.....  

The western materialistic, individualistic, and "achievement/success" driven life  is the antithesis to the nomadic way of life.  The western life - the life of so-called "progress", technology, "achievement", "good health", "quality life" ..... The nomadic way of life, sure it is not sustainable in today's world, but tonight I feel like I can rebut any assertions about the life of nomads from any negative light ....  

Cable. Who cares about cable?  Apparently millions and millions of people do. But I would like not to, unfortunately even nomads are starting to care more and more about cable.  I do not carry cable in my house.  All my friends and my children's friends and their parents raise their eyebrows when they find that out about our house....  I wish I could give my kids the joy of day's hard work and the joy of "rest in bed" at the end of the long day's work all exhausted and yet so fulfilled and happy. How do you learn to live in harmony with oneself and with nature in this "crazy" society that we live in now? My answer is get a taste of nomadic way of life, get a little sip of it.  It is so beautiful .... and unfortunately its ways of life and ways of thinking, attitude, and all seems like, fast disappearing.  

It bothers me when westerners go to Mongolia and get stuck on the superficial and meaningless everyday comforts of their daily existence.  Yes, it is a developing country, it was a closed country and satellite to Russia for long seventy years! BUT: When you step into Mongolia you are stepping into a gem: the people, the real country folks, the nomads, their hearts, spirits, traditions, way of life, the rolling hills, the horses, camels, goats, sheep, yaks, the brooks and streams, the winds, the eternal blue sky, the milky white clouds, the clear starry nights, the stars so bright and so close that one gets fooled into trying to reach out and catch them, the air so fresh, the cool night breeze  .......  

The point is to open your minds and bodies and experience it. There is so much wisdom to be learned from living a nomadic life.  An outsider might just see kids in ragged clothes running around run-down or dirty looking ghers, and may get disgusted by little kids what seems like peeing everywhere. But you know what, they are the kids of nature, they are part of the nature. They are happy running like that, they have happy childhood, and they are healthy running like that and they have so much imagination and just joy of living life that is part of this earth and living the most free-est life in movement and in spirit one can imagine. My parents' generation (and mine to some extent)  they do not have any allergies/asthmas because they ate such pure and clean foods and led such healthy and active lives breathing air that may seem dusty to some but clean and free of pollutants, pesticides, chemicals and etc. (Though could not say the same about today's Ulaanbaatar I hear :-( )  

Sometimes, I wonder how do I relay these feelings and experiences that I, my parents, and my ancestors have had growing up the way we all did, to my children who are growing up in this completely different world that they are being raised in.....  But then what I, my parents and my ancestors have had may not exist there anymore... Sounds like I am turning  a bit idealistic and contemplative, and way overdue for my next visit to Mongolia's countryside (not the city!)  :-)   But then you realize what you love most or appreciate most when you do not have it anymore. Luckily for you, I am guessing, you get to get reunited with that special person :-)  and for me I could go and visit the place I love the most when a chance presents itself.

Thomo speaking again:  A lot of what Alimaa says I can agree with. I guess I would take exception on the cable, however, as Scott (as indeed me initially) came here on business trips. In Ulanbaatar at night after work it is impossible to experience a nomadic lifestyle, so in cases, conveniences like cable are important as they help prevent an overriding boredom settling in.

And yes, Alimaa, as I look out my window I can see the pollution settling on UB - a winter ill in particular.

More Scott and Thomo's Comparisons soon - and a further chance for Alimaa to comment.