On August 1st, Heather, Andy and myself attended Bayan-ovoo's nadaam festival. It's a 2 or 3 day celebration where there is lots of drinking, and various games or events. Archery, wrestling, and most importantly, horse racing.
We attended as 'guests of honour' representing our company, which is a large monetary sponsor of this community (lots of our exploration property belongs to them. We sat at the head table with the governer, and lots of (I'm assuming) important elders. We drank lots of airag, fermented mare's milk, as it was constantly handed to us.
Airag. It's...interesting. I wouldn't recommend it for a night of heavy drinking. Or if you value your internal systems behaving normally. Pretty potent (tasting, boozey) stuff to say the least.
Opening CeremonyAfter the opening ceremony, we watched a bit of wrestling (and drank more airag)
Two matches are always on at once, keeps it exciting.After a little while we loaded into the car and drove 30km out to where the horse race was supposed to start from. Our car (Andy, Heather, myself, Oyuna and our driver Ackhol) all chose a horse, and placed 5000 Tugrik on it. Whoever's came in ahead of the rest would win the pot. I came in a close second. It was a pretty crazy race. 30km, full sprint, back to the town
At the Finish Line
Oyuna and her winning horse.
All the racers are children..not really sure why.
Anyways, after the horse racing we all went to the elementary school for a late lunch. Entree sponsors the school, and helped them buy a herd of goats etc. etc. It started out just fine, then the vodka shots started coming. Then the principal asked us for more money. Buuut as none of us were decision makers with that kind of power, we had to try and get out of htere without committing to anything.
It was a long hot drive back mostly drunk, at 5pm. It was an early night for everyone.
Tomorrow: The Disco in camp, and the events leading up to being covered in someone else's blood and at the 'hospital' at 3am. Fun!
Anyways, after the horse racing we all went to the elementary school for a late lunch. Entree sponsors the school, and helped them buy a herd of goats etc. etc. It started out just fine, then the vodka shots started coming. Then the principal asked us for more money. Buuut as none of us were decision makers with that kind of power, we had to try and get out of htere without committing to anything.
It was a long hot drive back mostly drunk, at 5pm. It was an early night for everyone.
Tomorrow: The Disco in camp, and the events leading up to being covered in someone else's blood and at the 'hospital' at 3am. Fun!
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