We were supposed to go sledding. Fortunately, on this day it was too cold for first grade babies and we were able to go to the Eagle Hunting Festival in Terelj - a truly excellent national park about 50 km outside of UB. We went with our friend Sainaa (we had originally asked him what we should charge a cab to take us - he said he would take us, which was much more convenient. Later, we found out that he hated Kazakhs). It was one of many beautiful days in Mongolia. The key to beautiful days in Mongolia is to look up. The sun is always shining and the sky is always blue. If you look up, you don't notice the squalor around you.
Eagles are pretty big birds. The one above is about five months old. I was going to try to perch it on my arm, but the handler said it may be a bit unpredictable. Just touching it is enough I guess (it did whap me in the face with its wing. they are strong bastards).
I do not believe there is a PETA branch in Mongolia, and rightly so. In most of America, fur may be murder, but here it is survival. I was a little jealous of this coat because no amount of synthetic down can compare. Fashion-wise, it has its drawbacks (being mistaken for a polar bear), but warmth-wise, it is unimpeachable.
These gusy are the real deal. Jessica and I met one of the hunters outside of Olgii (in Bayan-Olgii Aimag, Western Mongolia) over the summer. He lived in the middle of nowhere. We happened to drive by his place and notice two falcons on the fence. We stopped and a crowd of people and kids materialized. The man who lived there eventually came out. He and his brother would perch the falcons on their arms with no cover. There was no such machismo with the eagle, however. The man got out a seriously thick leather-and-padding glove. The same man came to the eagle festival. I guess it is a small country, if not a small world.
Look closely. One of the events at the festival was apparently a tug-of-war with a dead goat carcass. The men would swoop down from their saddles while riding and grasp the carcass, then return to the saddles to try and pull the carcass away from the other rider. It was more entertaining than I had anticipated, mainly because of the skill of the riders. Sometimes on guy would be virtually pulled off his horse, but would maintain a handle on the carcass and control of his horse. I can't even do that sitting up.
Mongolian horses look like My Little Ponies, minus the pastel. I wouldn't tell these guys that though.
Like I said, Terelj is an incredibly beautiful place, with unmolested snow and striking rock towers. Add a Mongolian and an eagle, wings spread, and it is right out of an Asia video, or an airbrushed tee-shirt (also minus the pastel). But really, it was pretty incredible. Everywhere you could here the shrill shriek of eagles - it is unmistakable. You know a predator is in your midst. Also, while these birds are obviously well-trained (they are snatched from the nest at a young age and raised by their handlers), there is still an element of wildness. Sometimes eagles let loose to attack carcasses dragged behind horses would veer off the path and swoop daingerously low over the crowd. Somewhat disturbingly, our ticket said "Do not wear reddish yellow or foxfur clothes."
As we were leaving, Jessica spotted the camels. I think it is fair to say she melted a bit. They do seem lovingly indifferent (until our friend got to close to one - it hissed and spit at him). Jess was happy to admire from afar, but our friend was literally pushing her toward the thing. They get much bigger up close. Sainaa and the lady who brought the camels kept pushing Jess closer through her protestations until she found herself on top of the laying camel. Jess then said "OK, it isn't going to get up, right?" as the lady was pulling on its rope (tied to a piece of wood through its nose). As the camel rose, Jessica wore her surprise on her face... and in her voice (oh! oh! oh! Ahh!). It entertained everyone around. Then they started waving me toward the other camel. I figured I could join Jess, since she had been a sport. I was surprised at the height of the standing camel. It was quite a bit higher than any horse I've been on, and unlike a horse, it felt like you could easily go to sleep just by leaning forward into it (the advantage of the bactrian camel I guess).
Overall, it was an excellent trip out of the city (where the air is clean, and doesn't feel like breathing Drain-O). I guess I am going to miss being able to see things like this on a whim... or the lack of legal waivers involved in doing so.
