It’s All About the Buuz

Yup, it’s as simple as that: the buuz. Like many cultures, a staple of Mongolian cuisine is the dumpling, which they call buuz. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buuz) Some dumplings, like the Ukrainian varenyky and the Russian pelmeni are small and should be eaten with a fork. But the Mongolian buuz is much bigger and is meant to be eaten with your hands. When you get your plate of buuz, they come with a little hole in the top to release some of the steam. But don’t be too hasty with your eating lest you burn your mouth. If you bite into the buuz too quickly (like I did), then the little pool of (tasty) broth will burn your mouth. What you need to do is bite a small hole at the bottom, let the steam come out, and then slurp the broth. Only then should you eat the rest of this delicious creation. If you so desire, you can add hot or soy sauce. I thought I’d get tired of eating these things but three days were not enough! Bring on the buuz! 

The Grand Entrance to the Ethno Museum

Rock Formation/Burial Mound 

Besides eating, I used my last day and a half in Ulan-Ude to great effect. Leaving my semi-crappy hotel early the next morning, I made my way to the Ethnographic Museum of the People of Transbaikalian Culture, etc., etc. (http://www.ethnomuseum03.ru/events/istoriya-muzeya/) Like any good museum in the former Soviet Union, it is located far outside of town and is in partial disrepair. This means that you go only if you are a local and you know about the place or you’re a tourist with a masochistic streak. Guess which one I am? Actually, it means if you decide to go, you must do a bit or planning but when you arrive it is well worth the time. In this case, I took a marshrutka far, far to the limits of town. I passed lots of small towns like the ones I had seen the day before on the way to

Father Nature

the datsan. But instead of a valley, I went further up into the wooded hills. It was quite beautiful, peaceful. Here is where I found the Ethnographic Museum which, in effect, was a series of small villages plus a zoo (of abused animals) situated in the middle of the woods. All I had to do was pay a minimal entrance fee and I could explore at my leisure. And explore I did. The museum had everything from rock formations of early settlers to an Old Believers village to an early 20^th century pre-Soviet Siberian settlement. It was all quite informative with some of the information in English! I think I just lucked out and went on a perfectly sunny day. The only part I did not enjoy was the small zoo which was attached. These poor animals, from tigers to bears, were in these tiny cages. I made a quick retreat as I could not stand to see these poor animals suffer. If a guy with a heart of stone can be affected I only wonder how other visitors must feel. 

Siberian House, 19th Century 

Although I was a bit tired and the day was getting late, I decided to see one more datsan. Unlike the one in Buryatia, this Buddhist compound was located on a hill at the top of the city. Therefore, I only needed to take a brief ten minute marshrutka ride up…and up…and up to the top of the hill. And boy, what a great idea this was! Not only was this datsan brand spanking new, it had the most amazing view. From this vantage point visitors can see all the way across the valley where the city of Ulan-Ute is located. You can also see the mountains and the great river flowing along the plains. No matter how many photos I took of the view, none of them can do it justice. This datsan is very well planned out, with a circular path winding around the temples and gardens. There

Temple at datsan

was a huge bell that you could ring as well as signs in Russian with Buddhist sayings. Finally, around back, there were thousands upon thousands of prayer flags arranged above another spectacular view. I can understand why someone would want to devote his/her life to prayer if s/he lived here. It was incredibly peaceful and visitors treated the grounds with respect.

There was not much more I could do after that point. I felt like I had a complete day of ethnological studies capped off by a sunset of reflection and peaceful thoughts. The only thing left to do was head back to town and eat. I should have gone to a restaurant that specialized in Buryatian cuisine but I was not feeling that daring at the moment. I knew I needed to try the local dish of raw horse meat, but the platters were just too big

Prayer Flags with a View

for someone who just wanted a taste. So, I settled for a faux English pub and chowed down on curry washed down by beer. I then retreated to my hotel to sleep and prepare for my forty-one-hour trip to Belogorsk the next day. I spent almost three days in Ulan-Ute and I barely got started. It was well worth the stop!

Buddha Says, "No Feeding the Monks"

Datsan with a View