So I left for Mongolia on Wednesday, January 25th. The week and a half before I spent getting things ready at school for Lacey - Beth's friend who would be coving my classes while I was gone. As well, it was the end of the month when I would be gone so I had to have a ton of marking handed in before I left.
So I got that all ready and Tuesday finally rolls around. I mentioned I was going to my kindy kids, but they didn't understand. I told all my afternoon kids and I still have to bring pictures in to show them, so they all knew. Tuesday afternoon rolls around and the Korea staff is like "Did you tell your kids you are going to Mongolia?" I was like um, yes - is that a problem. Then they started freak out in Korean, I can only imagine that is what they were doing since I could not understand them. Really, if you don't want me to tell my kids then TELL ME, not conveny it via Korean brain waves and expect me to get it. Silly Koreans.
That night I went home and got everything packed and ready to go. I made sure to take only what I needed and that was WARM CLOTHING!!! Thanks for the turtle necks, long johns and heat packs Mom - those came in very handy!!! I was so impressed with myself I didn't forget anything; yes dad, I even remembered my log book. (For those of you who don't know - I have a log book which has a log of every flight that I have ever taken in my life.) I was so excited I couldn't even get to sleep - very annoying.
Tyler met me at my apartment to help me lug all the goalie gear and mine/his to the airport bus. We arrived at the airport with much time to spare and spent our time waiting for Gecko boys. Tyler ended up getting us kick ass seats on the plane - we had the emergency exit aisle. The flight was uneventful, well the boys and I did drink the plane dry of beer. Don't worry mom, I was a perfect lady, I only had about 3 or 4; they had way more than I. We landed in Ulaan Baatar and got through customs fairly quickly. The baggage claim area is the smallest I have ever seen and smoking is allowed EVERYWHERE!!!! That I think is the main reason why I can't wait to come home. We collected everyones bags, equipment, etc. and were off to the hotel. We ended up having to cram ourselves into 7 taxis - bags and all.
We weren't playing hockey until Friday, so we had some time to kill.
Wednesday, January 25th
Went to Chinngis Brewery for dinner and had a wicked meal of mashed potatoes, gravy and pork steak - it was so so yummy!!!! Then had a few drinks at an Irish Pub, but headed home because of a severe headache (I know, I know).
Thursday, January 26th
Tyler and Tommy had made some friends with the locals (and so had a few of the other boys) and they were going to be our tours guides for our shopping expedition that afternoon. This ended up being a great thing because I got my wallet stolen. Sarah was very helpful and I am eternally grateful for her help. After panicking, trying to get ahold of visa and the Royal Bank, I called my mother and cried to her at 3am (her time). Thanks Mom - I love you!!! I reserved myself to my cash being gone of course, but I had my visa and my Korean ID card in my wallet. Around 10pm that night, I walked by the front desk and was stopped by the receptionist who told me that they had my wallet with my visa in it - YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I got the cards back - thank god - and alas the cash was gone, but really those who stole it probably need it more then I do. You will understand when you see the pictures.
Friday, January 27th
After the schedule was decided and the press conference was completed the night before, we would be playing in the second game of the day at 1pm. I made a deal with Tokyo to go to the 11am game to be the photographer and they would come and take pics of our game. I will be getting more pics from one of the Gecko boy's tomorrow - about another 300. Now I just have to wait for Tokyo's.
We played the Mongolian's with only 6 players, included a goalie. So we only had one sub in a place that is about a mile above sea level and in the dead of winter. We played in -16°C and that was for both Friday and Saturday. It was a fun -21°C on Sunday's game; it was so cold my eye lashes froze!!! At night it was around -30°C, just a little nippy.
So we played the Mongolian's...us against about 30 of them. We didn't lose that badly and Tommy was fantastic in nets. Kept us to a low score of 6 - 2. Way to go, Tommy!!!!
Friday night was waited for 2 more players that were coming in. Finally we found out what was taking them so long. Their flight had been delayed because if high winds, which was funny because it really wasn't that windy. Oh yeah and after the afternoon game, I went and picked my wallet up at the (evil) State Department Store, visa and ID in tow.
Saturday, January 28th
On Saturday, we had the first game at the nicer rink - if you can really call it that (see pics). We played Tokyo and had a few more players, but alas drinking was the sport of choice the night before; especially when vodka is only $2. We gave it a valiant effort, but fell to Tokyo 8 - 2. Terry played well, defense and offense were somewhere else.
Sleeplessness and the altitude were kicking in by then, plus I think the alcoholic haze for some was wearing off. I think everyone took the afternoon to relax and recover. Tyler and I went out site seeing to Shukhbaatar Square and I even saw a statue of Lenin.
As an aside note, just a week and a half before the people overthrew the government. So while we were there, the mayor of Ulaan Baatar was running the country.
Saturday night, Tyler and I went and met up with a bunch of the Tokyo boys who went to Chinngis Brewery. It was an enjoyable evening and we had a lot of laughs. I tagged along with the boys after dinner who ended up finding an underground strip joint in a legitimate hotel. Interesting place, but I eventually left and let the boys oggle the girls. I got a fairly good night sleep, even though I was woken up again in the wee hours of the morning; no worries boys.
Sunday, January 29th
On Sunday, we played Geckos at 11am. It was a bright sunny day and a warm and balmy -21°C. By the end of the first, I was sitting on the bench and went to wipe my face. Much to my surprise my eyelashes were frozen as were my eye brows. Even with a stellar effort by T-Bone who scored a natural hat trick, we fell to Gecko's by a score of 9 to 6.
After the game, we trucked back to the hotel to relax, shower and pack up. While Tokyo headed out to play the Mongolian's which they beat...not sure what the score was. I just milled around the hotel and enjoyed my free time until we had to go to the banquet. I just puttered around and packed.
At the banquet, everyone was crammed into this tiny room. You'll understand when you see the pictures. I was glad I ate something before because there was really nothing that I would have eaten - surprise, surprise. But for those who are rolling their eyes, I ate more in Mongolia in 5 days then I have eaten in Korea in an entire year - HA HA!!!!!! Just kidding, Mom. So by the time dinner was finished, Tyler presented the awards for the tournament - so here they are.
Tournament Awards
Most Shameful: Tokyo’s Slates, Cody and Gary for a night in Jail
Best Hairstyle: The Dark Lord sportin’ the Mohawk
Best Chick: Tokyo’s Yakamo
Sexiest Chick: The Chief’s very own #69 Sexi Lexi
Biggest Ass: Kent “Buller” Ferris (literally and physically)
Best Goalie: Tokyo’s Chris Antonelli
Best Defenseman: The Horde’s Pujee
Best Forward: The Chief’s Big Bone, T-Bone
MVP: Tokyo’s Mike Slaton
As the vodka was free flowing all night, by the end of the banquet everyone was pretty loopy. As well, a lot of the players brought over gear for the Mongolian players as acquiring equipment is difficult. Also, many players exchanged jerseys. Interesting fact, there are two girls that play, Pujee's daughter, Echo (nickname) being one of them.
For entertainment, we had a contorionist, who was a sister of one of the Mongolia players. As well as, a musician who played a traditional instrument called Morin khuur (horse-head fiddle)
Here is a little information I found on the instrument:
The morin khuur is a typical Mongolian two-stringed instrument. The body and the neck are carved from wood. The end of the neck has the form of a horse-head and the sound is similar to that of a violin or a cello. The strings are made of dried deer or mountain sheep sinews. It is played with a bow made of willow, stringed with horsetail hair and coated with larch or cedar wood resin.
This instrument is used to play polyphonic melodies, because with one stroke of the bow the melody and drone-strings can be played at the same time. The morin khuur is the most widespread instrument in Mongolia, and is played during celebrations, rituals and many other occasions, as well as an accompaniment for dances or songs. Even the sound and noises of a horse herd are imitated on the morin khuur.
The history of this instrument is based on 2 legends
- A shepherd received as a gift from his beloved woman a magical horse that could fly. He used it at night to fly to meet his beloved. His jealous wife cut the horse's wings off, so that the horse fell from the sky and died. The grieving shepherd made a horse-head fiddle from his beloved horse.
- After a wicked Lord (Pagan God) had slaughtered Sükhe's (or Suho) prized white horse, the horse's spirit came back the boy in a dream and instructed him to make an instrument from the horse's body, so that the two could still be together and neither of them would have to be alone.
Both performances were amazing and I have both on video. It was really interesting to hear the music from this instrument. I bought one was the State Department Store, not knowing I would get to see a performance.
After the banquet, everyone moved onto various rooms in the hotel where little parties had developed. Eventually most went out for a night on the town, but I decided to stay and relax. It was a great tournment and I had the time of my life, but I wanted a little me time away from the testosterone. So the boys went out for their last night of debauchery, while I was enlisted as the one to make sure that they were all up in time for their 5:30am wake up calls.
Monday, January 30th
I managed to get some sleep in before 5:30am rolled around. I know for a fact that many didn't. I managed to get most of them up, some didn't even bother going to sleep. Gecko's were a little more difficult to coerce out of bed. Everyone got loaded into the bus and our bags were loaded into a van. It was freezing and everyone was crammed into a heatless van for a 1/2 bus ride to the airport.
Once we got there, the doors closest to where we parked were locked. IT WAS FREEZING!!!!! I walked around and grabbed a bunch of buggies for the equipment. On my way into the airport, I was trying to be careful with the Horse-headed fiddle and there were two Mongolian bulhunk's who knocked it off my cart and it fell on the floor. It only broke in one place, but still - AAARRRRGGG!!!! So we got everyone checked in and on the plane. Tyler got us wicked seats again - right near the front. We also had this guy beside us who had just adopted this Mongolian baby, Jordan. He was the cutest!!! Matt (the guy) already had like 5 kids at home who were awaiting his arrival home. So Tyler and I entertained the kid for most of the flight.
Well, that was my trip to Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia. I would have never thought I would ever go there. It was the most interesting trip I have ever taken, with a great bunch of guys who made in memorable.
I know this took forever to post, hope you enjoy my tale.
For pics - click on the title of this posting.
