Disqus - Latest Comments for amstravels

Re: 3 Hazara students selected for the Tsahim Urtuu scholarship

amstravels — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:27:29 -0000

They're blogging too:
http://hazarainmongolia.wor...

Re: Swine flu update

amstravels — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:08:14 -0000

Is this horsemeat thing for real? I thought horsemeat prices would be going up now anyway with the onset of winter:
http://in.reuters.com/artic...

Re: More on Louis Vuitton

amstravels — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:10:27 -0000

I don't know that I would want to be so carefree about livestock nibbling on a $3,000 handbag. Maybe if you can afford it, you can also afford to be so flippant about naughty lambs.

Wtf is that article!: "The cruel conditions on Mongolia plain (sic) are a test for the Louis Vuitton Luggage". Such a shame, Tommy Martin, but not to worry, I'm sure its the first and last time LV Luggage will be used in a ger. And those 'inhabitants' wanting more money than professional models, were they paid in Luggage, or cash ₮?

Re: Luxury Brand Explosion in Mongolia

amstravels — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:37:34 -0000

I doubt LV and Macdonalds are after the same market, but its the same end result of seeing the same bland branding worldwide (for LV, in the proliferation of ripoffs rather than originals).

@ savethepopulation: That's not wealth transfer from West to East, most of the money from those enterprises wouldn't stay in Mongolia! Few exceptions? e.g. Staff salaries, even most of the building construction would go to Chinese operators.

Re: MPRP wins Chingeltei by-election

amstravels — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:05:30 -0000

Wonder if/how his presence (esp in the media) over the mining deal swayed voter choice over Party choice?

Phew! Glad Javkhlan didn't get a jersey.
The whole signer-turned-politician thing reminds me of Australian musician and now MP Peter Garrett, who sung for years about environmental issues, then went on to join the Labour Party and approve some environmentally controversial major projects ... although I don't think 'Mother's Milk Tea' is much of a demonstration of political credentials and certainly would have presented any moral conflicts in representing the District ;-)

Re: Oyu-Tolgoi deal to be signed on the auspicious double-Nyam day

amstravels — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:14:05 -0000

So double-nyam trumps Tuesdays?

Re: Khusugtun: Central Asian blues

amstravels — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 06:15:43 -0000

Yeeaah!! Domba blues!
... By the way, welcome back! ;-)

Re: 3 Hazara students selected for the Tsahim Urtuu scholarship

amstravels — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:29:30 -0000

I like Zahra's quote, she's the one of the three that talks about contributing back to the Hazara community following the scholarship opportunity:
"I am not satisfied yet with what I did, I believe that I can do much better if I am trained and developed through a 5 years of higher education in Mongolia and then I will be equipped to work for Hazara community in Afghanistan"

Re: Swine Flu Scare

amstravels — Tue, 12 May 2009 03:38:40 -0000

I wonder if they'll be back at Ix Mongol on Sunday? : http://en.news.mn/news/2571

Re: Swine Flu Scare

amstravels — Thu, 07 May 2009 05:28:42 -0000

Just like Afghanistan's only pig (quarantined, that is):
http://www.reuters.com/arti...

Re: Life on the fringes

amstravels — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:46:31 -0000

I'd really love to give the people who are working on the site a video camera each - how would they tell their own story? :-)

Re: Life on the fringes

amstravels — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:42:51 -0000

Unless they are just saying that to keep the scavengers happy ... for now. Sounds like it wouldn't be the first time they've been promised things that haven't been met and its easier to risk pissing off a smaller group of marginalised people in the community rather than Japanese donors who will be building a brand new facility.

Re: Life on the fringes

amstravels — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:43:43 -0000

The other bit I forgot to add:
Most of the scavengers get extremely pissed off when people take photos of them, so I'm surprised that the photographer was allowed to get in there with a camera. Fair enough, as they told us that during the last election campaign, a few politicians went to visit them, promising National ID Cards, which would enable these citizens to access health, education for their kids and benefits like everyone else who is registered in Mongolia. A broken promise - they are still waiting for their ID Cards. So the next time a politician visited, they threw rocks at them.
Similarly, when a camera crew came and interviewed them, they were outraged to see that in the final cut, none of the positive elements of their interviews made it in - instead, only serving to highlight the negatives, portraying the scavengers as victims of society, rather than real people with real lives, with both good and bad parts just like everyone else.

Re: Life on the fringes

amstravels — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:30:26 -0000

I had a visit to the Tolgoit dump yesterday so feel fortunate to have some first-hand accounts of what happens now and what might happen at the new dump, from talking to some of the waste scavengers who live and work on the site.
I have my doubts that the new site will actually meet enviro and operational standards. Firstly, because the scavengers will still be allowed to work on the new site (once they have 'official scavenger work cards' issued - which they don't want); the practice of having people scavenge in dump sites isn't 'best practice' in waste management (including in Japan, who are funding this upgrade).
Secondly, because there will be people scavenging on the new site, there won't be compactor machines operating (i.e. squash down the waste and cover it up with dirt to stop it all blowing away), which again isn't even 'good' practice let alone 'best' practice.

Re: John Lennon Tribute - Naran (Mongolian singer)

amstravels — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:26:46 -0000

That is a big voice. She sounds a bit like a cross between Nina Simone and Tina Turner.
re: Altan Urag - haha, spoken from experience!

Re: Coffee in Ulaanbaatar

amstravels — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 04:24:38 -0000

Will, 3 in 1 - blasphemy!

Michel's bakery is behind Peace Ave in the hood of State Dept Store - go to Broadway Pizza, turn north and its on the right hand side.

Re: Coffee in Ulaanbaatar

amstravels — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:05:38 -0000

Michel's french bakery has coffee too - good if you like a strong coffee!
Better yet - they have a divine lemon tart, and excellent crepes. Good for a weekend brunch :-)