First Impressions

I can highly recommend October in Ulaanbaatar. The weather is mild (warmer than Anchorage), and the days are still reasonably long.

The city strikes me as not unlike many urban areas in the developing world. Some of the buildings and squares are quite beautiful and stately, or newly built and modern. These typically are flanked by other buildings in ruins (no windows, walls collapsed). Many "parking lots" consist of dirt and rubble, and "sidewalks" feature uncovered manholes, mysterious ditches, and other random obstacles (this is where experience as a trail runner comes in handy--gotta watch your feet at all times).

The traffic is Darwinian. Only the fittest survive as small cars try to avoid being hit by SUVs, and pedestrians try to avoid being hit by cars. As a courtesy, some drivers will honk at you as they blast through the red light. Luckily for me, the locals have a highly developed sense of when to cross and when it is too dangerous. I wait until a crowd has formed and cross with the group. This makes me feel like a caribou hoping not to get picked off by a wolf.

Because of the traffic, a brown haze hangs in the air at morning and evening rush hour. And they tell me that this is the time when the air quality is good. Hmmm.

On the plus side, commerce bustles, everyone is dressed in the latest fashions, there are restaurants and banks on every block, and espresso is an integral part of the scene (some of it's even good). I lucked into an apartment with high ceilings and lots of windows for sunshine. It is about a ten minute walk to work (less if it's not rush hour).