Winter (Ovol)
So what is it like to spend winter in Mongolia? Well, until recently the weather was so mild I couldn’t really say. Then about three weeks ago, the thermometer sank to -20 F, and it hasn’t gotten much above zero since. So it’s definitely chilly. On the other hand, the darkest day of the year is coming and yet we still are enjoying around eight hours of bright sunshine each day. I now see why Mongolia is nicknamed “Land of Blue Skies.”
Here in UB, the locals refuse to let winter detract from their cosmopolitan style. Oh sure, almost everyone wears a hat, but it’s usually a stylish hat, not the kind that plasters your hair to your skull. And you will never catch an urban Mongolian clomping around in Sorrels or a fat parka. Most of the women still wear their pointy-toed, spike-heeled fashion boots outside. They do deign to wear winter coats, but usually it’s an elegant fur coat, or a color-coordinated hat/scarf/overcoat combo. The younger women wear tight jeans (no long underwear there!) and short jackets that show off their figures. The men make do with leather or wool coats, or occasionally a traditional sheepskin-lined deel. Needless to say, my big boots and expedition-style parka draw curious stares—“What is she wearing? She looks like a refugee from the last Antarctic expedition.”
And another thing: Mongolians refuse to be rushed by the cold. Now, when I go outside at 20 below zero, my impulse is to walk pretty fast to stay warm and finish my errand quickly. But the UB residents refuse to alter their normal, leisurely walking pace. This is especially true of the women, who must take small, mincing steps in their spike heels.
My reflection on all this is that although the Alaskan and Mongolian winter climates are similar, our approaches to winter are fundamentally different. While I regard winter as a force to be respected, acknowledged and countermanded with expedition-weight gear, the Mongolians seem to regard it as a minor annoyance that shouldn’t really be given much thought. At most, it’s an excuse to bring your fur coat out of storage. I find this attitude admirable but impossible to imitate. I have to admit I don’t feel like such a tough Alaskan here!
Here in UB, the locals refuse to let winter detract from their cosmopolitan style. Oh sure, almost everyone wears a hat, but it’s usually a stylish hat, not the kind that plasters your hair to your skull. And you will never catch an urban Mongolian clomping around in Sorrels or a fat parka. Most of the women still wear their pointy-toed, spike-heeled fashion boots outside. They do deign to wear winter coats, but usually it’s an elegant fur coat, or a color-coordinated hat/scarf/overcoat combo. The younger women wear tight jeans (no long underwear there!) and short jackets that show off their figures. The men make do with leather or wool coats, or occasionally a traditional sheepskin-lined deel. Needless to say, my big boots and expedition-style parka draw curious stares—“What is she wearing? She looks like a refugee from the last Antarctic expedition.”
And another thing: Mongolians refuse to be rushed by the cold. Now, when I go outside at 20 below zero, my impulse is to walk pretty fast to stay warm and finish my errand quickly. But the UB residents refuse to alter their normal, leisurely walking pace. This is especially true of the women, who must take small, mincing steps in their spike heels.
My reflection on all this is that although the Alaskan and Mongolian winter climates are similar, our approaches to winter are fundamentally different. While I regard winter as a force to be respected, acknowledged and countermanded with expedition-weight gear, the Mongolians seem to regard it as a minor annoyance that shouldn’t really be given much thought. At most, it’s an excuse to bring your fur coat out of storage. I find this attitude admirable but impossible to imitate. I have to admit I don’t feel like such a tough Alaskan here!
posted by Susanne D. at 9:10 AM
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