Mongolia CallingPosted by fraserstravels.com 2008-07-05 12:03AMJuly 2nd - We met Didi later in the day to go to the Camp. She has heard that at least 5 people were killed the previous night, with another 150+ injured. About 700 people are said to have been detained. No foreign correspondents are being allowed to file reports, and the Internet is off throughout the City. It seems that only the UB hotel has full access to the outside world. The state of emergency is to last for at least 4 days.
Didi told me more about her attempted arrest - she had gone into a narrow street behind the MPRP HQ to pick up bullets. She was grabbed by two soldiers who tried to pull her towards a van. She was able somehow to drag then back into the main street into general view, and shouted to people to see what was happening. Somebody started to take photographs, and Didi was released and instructed to hand over the bullets she had picked up - she did, but kept some of them. I myself had seen used shotgun cartridges as I had moved away from the scene earlier the same day. They were trying to clean the blood from the steps of the post office.
I have to say it was with great relief that we drove away from the City towards the Camp, at which we arrived in the late afternoon. The children were delighted to see us, and nobody in the Camp seemed to know anything about the violence in the City centre - it had certainly not spread into the Ger districts, for which we were grateful.
As it was the first full day in the Camp (three weeks after they all should have been there), we had the Camp Opening Party round a bonfire on a warm evening. There was a lot of singing and dancing, and I was especially pleased to see Zorig there, sober, and playing the keyboard that had been provided out of the proceeeds of a yoga day orgainised by Brenda in January. I hope he stays ok, because he is a good man, and the children like him.
It felt very good finally to be back where I had spent most of last summer, and I experienced once again the happiness of simply being with the children.
July 3rd - We spent the morning playing with the children in the Camp - football, frisbee, badminton etc. B spent some time doing craft work with some of the girls, using materials we had sent out earlier in the year, and then helped the older girls do their washing in the river - which they do every day. She has a particularly good relationship with Ariunzea, who speaks good English (in spite of, and not because of, my efforts last year!), and they chatted together for a long time.
In the afternoon I went for a walk up the hill behind the Camp, with Ankhar, to pick up a message from Didi, who had said she might want me to go to a meeting with her the following morning. As we stood at the top of the hill lightening flashed and thunder crashed. We raced down the hill, but not quickly enough - the heavens opened, and by the team we got back to the Camp we were completely soaked. Within minutes the Camp was awash. Presumably because of the heavy rain through June the ground just cannot take any more water.
Did arrived in the early evening with all the children's traditional dancing costumes, as they had asked to dance for B and me during our all too brief visit in the Camp. Everyone was very disappointed that it proved just not to be possible, as the rain simply refused to give up. In fact it rained right through until about 7 in the morning, and if this happens on many more days they will have to close the Camp and once again retreat back to UB.
July 4th - The meeting Didi had mentioned related to the new Lotus Centre and was to take place at 9:30, with a follow up meeting at 3 in the afternoon. As this was our last day we therefore, much too soon, had to say our goodbyes to the children. Chinzorig was quite emotional, and I walked with him to the edge of the camp, away from the others. I promised him I would come back every year, and asked him to to carry on with his schoolwork, so as to achieve his ambition of becoming an architect. He said little, but cried, which I had not seen from him before. We hugged, and then walked back to say goodbye to the others. Brenda said that some of the girls had laughed at him because he had cried, but I believe he is strong enough to cope. I had told him last year that it was good to show his emotions, and perhaps he had remembered that.
The other children, although sad to see us go, were all fine, apart from poor Gala who retreated behind a ger to hide his tears.
Later on I thought about Chinzorig's reaction to me this time. All of the others had been pleased to see me, but he seemed really to have missed me. He never knew his father, and is he looking upon me as some sort of replacement? I have to be careful, because clearly I can never fulfill that role in my brief visits, and nor would I want to. But what can I do to help this one child achieve his enormous potential? It is something I need to talk to Didi about.
On the way back to the City Didi showed us the site of the proposed new Centre, which is in a wonderful location about 20k from UB, but close to a good sized village which has a regular bus service into town. It is a much safer, healthier, location than they are in now, and the children will benefit hugely. About 35% of the fundraising has already been achieved, but the rest will be hard work. However, it is essential: the existing Centre is too cramped (some of the children have slept 3 to a bed); there is no possibility of drilling for fresh water; theft is rife - food stocks and coal were stolen from the Centre last winter, when the temperature dropped at one point to minus 44C; basic sanitary facilities are lacking; and, perhaps most importantly of all, the existing buildings have a limited life span, and are going to have to be replaced in any event. The new site offers space, water, better surroundings, and generally a much improved environment in which to care for and bring up the children.
As we arrived back in UB there was still a very obvious military presence. Troops with guns were patrolling in small groups, and there were armoured vehicles on the edge of Sukhbaatar Square. We met a Dutch guy who has been living in Mongolia for 12 years, and who told us that he had heard shots and screams the previous night, after the curfew. Walking through the Square we were apparently followed by a plain clothes policeman. Didi is a well known figure in UB, easily recognisable, and her photo had been taken on the night of the riots. It is not impossible that the police were looking out for her. We spoke to someone else who had acted as an election supervisor, and who had heard that the MPRP were offering cash at the polling booths to people who voted for them!
B and I met Nyamaa for lunch at Ananda, Didi's vegetarian cafe. Nyamaa, a ger mother last year, is now teaching English in one of the state schools. She lives in a ger in one of the shanty towns, with her sister, mother and grandfather, who are all dependant on her. Her grandfather had made me a pair of traditional Mongolian slippers, but their ger had beeen flooded the previous night, and the slippers had been damaged. She had bought me a replacement pair in the market, but was clearly disappointed. It's not hard to understand why I am so fond of these people.
And so tonight, after the last meeting, we have dinner with Ben, and then fly home. It has been another amazing experience. A mixture of emotions - love for Didi, the children, and the country; respect for the majority of its people; shock that such peaceful people should be so moved by frustration and bitterness that they turn to violence against the government; and anger at the over-reaction of the police and army.
With all this, Mongolia is now in my blood, and I shall be back.
Mongolia CallingPosted by fraserstravels.com 2008-07-02 03:39AMSame morning - Just spoke to Didi. She was in the main square until midnight, and saw the army move in and use live bullets. She saw people shot, and blood on the street. The army were grabbing anyone. Didi was grabbed, but managed to escape back to her apartment. She went back to the Square at 6 this morning, and picked up spent bullets. Someone photographed here, and was arrested. Her photo was taken by the police. She was with two other people and as they moved away the other two were arrested and beaten.
All is quiet now, but the crowd is growing again, and there is evidence of a gathering of riot police. We are going back to the Guest House, and will meet Didi later. I was concerned about her, and asked her if she wanted us to go to over to her apartment, but she says she is fine. That is a relief. She is a tough woman.
Mongolia CallingPosted by fraserstravels.com 2008-07-02 03:09AMJuly 1 - I never thought I'd see anything like it in peace-loving, welcoming Mongolia. Riot shields, tear gas, and rubber bullets. As I described in my earlier entry, the communist party appears to have won the election easily, but amongst the urban poor there is disbelief and anger. This was the first election in Mongolia to be held on the PR system, so that on each ballot paper voters could select three candidates in order of priority. Many people have failed to understand this, and a large number of papers have been adjudged spoiled, and not counted. Beyond this, Democratic supporters in the city are alleging widespread ballot rigging. Since the adoption in Mongolia of a capitalist society (whichever party has been in power) some people have become very rich, but the poor have become poorer. This has been exacerbated this year by high food price inflation, and in the shanty towns the people voted overwhelmingly for change and in favour of the Democrats. Angered by the election results, the people have taken to the streets.
Upwards of 100,00 people have crammed into the main square, and violence has erupted. The MPRP headquarters has been attacked, ransacked, and set on fire. Cars have been overturned, and the riot police have turned out in force, but have been unable to contain the crowds. As night fell we heard that young supporters of the communists were moving towards the square, and there were reports of attacks on foreigners. I retreated to the Guest House, but as I did so I could hear more shouts and screams from the square, and further reports that the army had been called to quell the violence.
I scribbled the above notes last night, as the post office had been closed and I had no access to the Internet. I awoke around around 3am to the sound of gunfire. I heard at least two shots in the small aquare where the Guest House is located. An army vehicle slowly circled the square, its lights on main beam, before rumbling off.
This morning we went to take a look. Th communist party headquarters has been completely burnt out, and there are burnt cars littering the surrounding area. The President has announced a state of emergency, there is a curfew tonight, and apparently a blackout on foreign news reporting. The Internet has been turned off at the Post Office, and I am writing this in the UB Hotel, which is right next to the Communist party HQ, but untouched.
I don't know if the violence has spread to the shanty towns on the outskirts of the city, but I am grateful that the children are down at the Camp. In a few minutes I will call Didi and find out what her plans are. I am really sad
Mongolia CallingPosted by fraserstravels.com 2008-07-01 11:38AMJuly 1 - I was supposed to have a meeting at 10 this morning with the owner of a site about 200k from UB, which is by some natural hot springs, and which may be a suitable site for an eco-friendly Six Senses resort. The meeting was in fact delayed in true Mongolian style until about noon, but the presentation I was given was very impressive and highly professional. I will take the information, plus a CD describing the project, back to Six Senses, and see what they think. I have no doubt that the company would be very supportive towards Lotus if they did build a resort in the area, and I am cautiously optimistic.
Afterwards we had lunch in a Dutch cafe, and heard about the election results. The first reports indicate that the MPRP (communist party) have won 44 out of 76 seats, with the Democrats claiming 21. The turnout is estimated at over 80%, which is astonishing in a country where much of the population live so far from the seat of government. We in the UK should be ashamed of our turnouts of about 50%. Maybe it stems from all those years of Russian domination when there was no freedom to vote at all? Having at last been given the opportunity to exercise their democratic rights, the people are not going to waste those rights.
The bedrock of MPRP support is in the countryside, where they have campaigned hard. There has also been some bribary involved - the government has been negotiating mining contracts with foreign companies such as Rio Tinto. This will generate significant income for the country, and the Democrats promised each adult Mongolian that they would receive a cash payment of $1,000 from the proceeds of the mining contracts. The MPRP promptly trumped that by offering $1,500 each, and, surprise surprise, guess who the people voted for? That sort of money can be the equivalent of 9/12 months' income for a Mongolian family.
In practice, the election result will change little. Prior to this there was a coalition bewtween the MPRP and the Democrats, and the former are as committed to the free market ecopnomy as the latter.
After lunch I phoned Tsutappa, who told me that the children are going back to the Summer Camp this evening. We have a meeting first thing with Didi, and then we will join them. I am sad it will only be for two nights, as we fly home just after midnight on Friday, but it will still be lovely to be back there. Inkhey is again the Camp Manager, and it will be very special to see her again. I am looking forward to it.
Mongolia CallingPosted by fraserstravels.com 2008-07-01 11:04AM29 June - After some delay in the morning while Didi tried to arrange a meeting, we set off for Erdinet at about 12:45, and were delighted to find that Chinzorig and Batra were coming with us, as well as Tsutappa, who is effectively Didi's no: 2. About 5k outside the City we stopped to see "The Potato Farm", which turns out to be a smallholding owned by Lotus, where the children learn to grow potatos which then then take back to the Centre - potatos are a major part of their diet. There is a small wooden house on the site (very run down!) where an old lady used to live, but she is now in an old people's hospital. Having seen something of the hospitals on my last visit, I dread to think what conditions are like in the geriatric homes.
Because the kids had beeen prevented by the "hand, foot and mouth" disease from going to the summer camp at the beginning of June, and because the heavy rain had driven them back when they finally got there a couple of weeks ago, Didi had sent some of the older boys to The Potato Farm for 10 days. At least while they were there they were able taste some clean air, and there is enough space for them to play football alongside the smallholding. They erected a temporary ger on the site, as the wooden shack is not big enough to house the boys and a ger mother to look after them.
We then drove north across the vast undulating steppe, before crossing a river just south of Darhan, and heading west towards Erdinet. After another hour we stopped at a ramshackle town called Khoutoo, where Didi is setting up a "youth cafe". There is nothing at all for kids to do in this incredibly drab, Russian built, town, and so there is a very high level of teenage alcoholism. Didi bought an apartment there last year for $7k (now worth twice as much), has renovated it in bright lively colours, installed a kitchen and bathroom, and built a wooden patio. All the plasterwork and painting was done by the older Lotus girls in UB, and it looks terrific. The cafe is now just about ready to open, and will be staffed initially by one western volunteer, who will live in a tiny room on site, and by local girls. Apart from providing an essential facility for the local young people, it will also provide work for 2 or 3 local people. Didi's resourcefulness never ceases to amaze me!
We finally arrived in Erdinet at about 7:30. It is the second largest town in Mongolia, and dominated by the slag heap from the copper mine. It is not pretty, but less run down than I had been expecting. There are 17 children aged between 5 and 15 living in 2 Lotus apartments, looked after by one house mother. They greeted us with the usual Mongolian smiles and chatter, but don't seem to speak much English. Didi pointed out one little boy of about 5 whose mother wanted to take him back, until Didi discovered that she wanted to sell him. How desparate must the poor woman have been? Most of the children in the Erdinet Lotus are from backgrounds of alcoholism and/or prostitution.
After supper of vegetable soup, Didi B and I took 3 of the children to a park near to the apartment. The space is nice, and we played with a frisbee, and ran and chased the kids. But the carousel has to be pushed by hand (with great effort), and the other play equipment is either broken, or has been stolen. It has an atmosphere of decay. One of the children who came with us is Ogoo, who is 7 and exceptionally bright and full of life. He told us stories all the time illustrated by vivid mime. Apparently he has won the poerty competition for his age group every year since he was able to take part, and he should go far.
Back in the apartments the children went to bed at about 112, and we joined them - sleeping on wooden bunks with no mattress, and only our sleeping bags to provide any comfort. Surprisingly we slept well.
June 30 - Before leaving the town, Didi took B and I to visit the site of the proposed summer camp for the Erdinet children, and for which I was able to raise funding from the UK based Onaway Trust. It is about 20k from the town centre, set in woodland on the side of a hill in a lovely alpine-like location, surrounded by meadows full of wild flowers. Really quite unlike anything else I had seen in Mongolia - much softer. I climbed the hill at the back of the site, and the hills and mountains beyond seemed to stretch forever, with no sign of human habitation, apart from the occasional white ger dotting the valleys. I took lots of photographs to send back to the guys at Onaway.
On the way back to UB Didi told us about the tiny baby (about one month old) who Brenda and I had met a couple of days earlier at the Centre in UB. Apparently she was borne in May to one of the Lotus girls who is just 16, and who conceived her following a relationship with one of the boys at the camp last summer. I remember there being some concern about the couple when I was here, and the boy was moved back into the city - obviously too late! They had both walked out of Lotus during the winter, and the father had got some sort of job. But after the baby was borne they found it too difficult, and have just turned up again complete with baby girl. Didi is trying to find a ger for them to live in, but it will be very difficult for them to hold the relationship together, and the prospects for them at the moment are not good.
We arrived back in UB in the evening, and tomorrow I have a meeting in connection with the prospective Six Senses resort.
Mongolia CallingPosted by fraserstravels.com 2008-06-28 01:23PMJune 28 - Today the plan was to take a bus out to Terelj, walk to the Summer Camp, and then stay overnight with the 3 children who stayed behind. However, we got a call early on from Didi to tell us that they had all come back this morning, except for one ger mother who was left looking after the place. So instead we took a taxi to the Black Market (Naraantuul) to see if we could get some colouring books for the kids, and also to check on the price of winter boots, as someone had said that they were in very short supply at Lotus.
The weather at last was beautiful this morning - sunny and maybe 30 degrees - and more like what I expected from a Mongolian summer. We set off in shorts and tee shirts, delighted to feel the warmth on our backs. We tracked down the colouring books, and bought 30 of them. We also discovered that 50 pairs of warm winter boots could be bought for about 250 pounds. The idea is for B to hold a yoga day back home to raise the money for them
We lunched in the market at a Mongolian "Greasy Spoon", trusting our bowels to stand firm, and ate Bouze (mutton dumplings) and potato salad. It was delicious!
The sky had been darkening steadily, and as we left the market the heavens opened, with lightening dramatically darting across the sky. We managed to pick up a taxi that took us back into town, and then hopped straight on a bus up to the Lotus Centre. It was pouring when we got there, and the road that led to Lotus had beeen turned into a raging torrent of water. It was completely impassable - I have never seen anything like it. People were desparately trying to keep the water out of their homes, but in some cases to no avail as it poured through their gers and houses.
Having got that far we didn't want to turn back, so we tracked back to the tarmac road, and then took a long detour to approach the shanty town from the other side. I wasn't at all sure how sensible we were being as we slipped and slithered in the mud, long since soaked to the skin. But my sense of direction stood the test, and finally we found Lotus, having approached it from the other side. It was worth it. As we ducked inside one of the boys called to Chinzorig, who we had not seen since we arrived, as he had been at the Camp. He ran over and we hugged each other for a long time. It was great to see him again. The three of us then sat in the office and chatted to him while B and I tried to dry off. And he remembered you, Del, as I knew he would. When I asked him, his face lit up and he said "of course - he is a really good footballer!"
Didi has told me that Chinza is not going to school, and I talked about it to him. He says that he has no friends there, and that when he stopped going because he was ill the teacher did not believe him, and that "she doesn't like me". He said that he might prefer to go to the government school (because he is exceptionally bright he is one of the 3 kids at Lotus who goes to a private school), and that maybe he would start going again if he could move. We asked him what he would like to do in later life, and he said he would like to become an architect. He understands that to do that he has to pass the exams, but clearly he has significant issues at the moment and life is not easy for him. I do hope he gest back on track somehow, as he is a kind and caring person, who could achieve whatever he wants. He had made a small bag for us on which he had embroidered our names. This place is capable of touching the emotions like no other.
In a pause in the rain we made our way back to UB, promising to see them all again on Tuesday. All being well we are expecting to go to Erdenet tomorrrow with Didi, but this is Mongolia, so who knows?
Mongolia CallingPosted by fraserstravels.com 2008-06-27 03:21PMJune 26 - Ego, ambition, desire for power. All precisely the opposite of the way Didi lives her life, but sadly they have rudely intruded into it. We had two meetings yesterday in connection with a particular project, and all that I can say on an open blog is that they were an eye opener. Further meetings are planned for next week.
The meetings took up much of the day, but we did have time to adjourn with Didi (and Ocean of Happiness!) to the Ananda Cafe for lunch. There, Didi told us the story of one of the children who came to her as a tiny baby. She had beeen at Lotus for about 10 months when her mother appeared to ask for her back. Nothing more was heard until Didi received a visit about 7 months later from the little girl's grandfather. Apparently her mother had exchanged her for a new ger, but her new "adoptive parents" were unable to cope with her. She cried all the time, refused to eat, and just clung on to a set of beads, which they were unable to prise away from her without causing a crescendo of screaming. Her grandfather was sure she was dying, and Didi went to see her. As soon as she heard Didi's voice the little girl turned to her and stopped crying. After a long negotiation Didi was allowed to take the child back to Lotus, where she is now four years old, and doing fine. The beads had been put on her by Didi when she was tiny.
We have walked right into the last few days of campaigning for the Mongolian general election, which takes place this Sunday. There are over 350 candidates for 63 seats, and there are cars with flags and loudspeakers parading up and down the streets of UB all the time. Although there are a large number of fringe parties involved, the fight is really between the Communists and the Democrats. But the distinction between the two is much narrower than you might think - both believe in the free market economy, and there is now no turning back from capitalism for Mongolia.
In the evening we saw Osca, the dance teacher from last years Camp. She retired at the end of last term, and I wasn't sure that we would be seeing her. However, I'm glad to say that she got my mobile number from somewhere, and called to say "I want see you now!" She brought with her gifts of Mongolian liqueur, biscuits, and fruit juice, and we will be visiting her apartment next week, when she has promised to cook us a Mongolian dinner.
June 27 -
We spent a restless night listening to quite a lot of questionable nocturnal activity outside our window, and did not really sleep properly until after dawn. We dragged ourselves out of bed at about 9:30, and after breakfast went back up to the Centre. I went over to the "Boys House", which is about 10 minutes walk from the main Centre, to see Gala. To my surprise he remembered me - as I walked into the yard his face lit up, and he came racing over. "Hello Fraser, how are you?" he said, as indeed he had said every day in the Camp for 3 months last summer! "I'm fine, Gala, how are you?" "Mehtque" (I don't know) was his stock reply, as he had now exhausted his supply of English! It was good to see him again - he will never grow up (he is 21 now), but he has a lovely sunny nature, and is always trying to help the little ones.
Back in the main Centre Brenda went off to help in an art class, and I kicked a ball around with Basca and one of the other kids. There was then a bit of a commotion, and a crash, and I saw Gantaluk trying to hold Umesh up. He was having a grand mal epilectic fit, and the smaller children were quite frightened. We managed to get him to lie down and then he passed out completely. We put him in the shade, and one of the ger mothers sponged his forehead with a wet towel. His pulse was very fast to start with , and he was hot. But gradually his body settled down, and he slept for about 4 hours, after which he seemed much better. He carries tablets all the time for his epilepsy, and can usually feel a fit coming on and take a tablet before he passes out. This time it appears to have taken him by surprise.
The Lotus children are taking part this year in the opening parade of the Nadaam Festival on July 11. The opening ceremnony fills the National SDtadium to its 10,000 capacity, and the kids are very excited. We accompanied them back into the City this evening for a rehearsal. They had all been well scrubbed and had on their best clothes. They looked great, and I was very proud of them!
Tomorrow we go out to the Summer Camp for one night to see Chinzorig, Batra and Inkhey. The weather has still not properly relented, and there is no sign of the other children going back there yet.
On Sunday we go to Erdenet withn Didi to see the Lotus Centre there, and to agree the final negotiations for the Summer Camo that is being put in place outside the city. We will be back Monday evening, when I shall resume the blog.
Mongolia CallingPosted by fraserstravels.com 2008-06-27 05:25AMJune 26 (I think) - "I do shits now"..."I'm sorry?" "I do shits now..." said Saikhnaa to me at 1am this morning as I wandered back to our room in my boxers having visited the toilet in the middle of the night. With that she scooped up the bed linen and was gone. Saikhnaa works incredibly hard - she runs the main Guest House, with 2 dormitories and 2 double rooms, plus 2 other appartments, each with 3 rooms. People tend to stay in UB for very short periods - off the Trans Sib for a 2 or 3 day break, and then back on it again. So she is for ever changing the sheets, and cleaning the 3 premises. On top of that she does her visitors washing as well (for 1 dollar a load), so she seems to get very little sleep. But she has reaped the rewards of her hard work in the new capitalist Mongolia, and the 3 apartments are now probably worth at least $200k.
After breakfast, B and I took the bus out into the Yarmag shanty town to the Lotus Centre. I had a rather odd knot in my stomach as I approached. As I entered the yard I saw children playing on the trampoline and others just running and jumping and letting off steam. Uurgana saw me first, and with a sudden shout of "FRASER" he jumped into my arms. After that it was a whirlwimd of hugs and kisses and high fives as the children raced over to say hello. Welcomed as if I'd never been gone. As if they'd always known I'd come back, and here I was. Just undemanding, uncomplicated, love. No wonder this place has changed me.
The ger mothers from the summer camp also all came over and greeted me with lovely smiles and laughter. The bad news is that my music teacher friend from last time, Zorig, has reverted to drinking heavily, and although Didi has kept him on, it is becoming a serioous problem, as he can become aggressive. I doubt that I will see him during this visit.
Ankhar and Umesh soon became my shadows as I wandered around the place taking it all in again. Ariunzaya came to talk to us, and her English, always good, is now better than ever. She is very fond of B, and soon took her off to show her where she slept (on the floor, in a crowded room, but which is kept immaculately by the older girls and their ger mother.
As we chatted to Didi a little girl of about 5 came over, and Didi told us that she had been aborted at about 24 weeks, and borne just under 2 pounds. She has half of one ear where it was burnt in the incubator, and the mother then abandoned her. She came to Lotus at 6 weeeks old, and is now a happy thriving little girl.
Outside I saw the baby borne blind with syphillis who I mentioned last year - now with her sight completely restored and toddling around in the yard; tumbling over and then struggling up again. Because she was relativley immobile for some time she is behind in her walking, but otherwise seems fine.
I didn't see Gala who was at the other house where some of the older boys live, but I'll see him next time. The weather forecast is not good, and Didi doesn't know when she will be able to get the children back to the camp. So for the time being B and I will stay in UB and go up to the Center and play with, chat, and talk to the children.
In the evening we had dinner with Monbhat, a local consultant who is a good friend of David Allen, the chairtman of DHL, and who I had met in London. David has been instrumental in setting up a kidney dialysis unit in UB, and in funding and organising the training in Korea of a Mongolian transplant surgeon, who has now successfully carried out 20 kidney transplants. The next step is liver transplants, and the training will again be funded by David and his friends. They are keen to help Lotus, and so a very good contact. The hotel group, Six Senses (google them if you don't know them) have asked me if there would be an appropraite site in the countryside for a high end resort. Six Senses policy is to build their resorts using local materials and labour, and staff it with local people. They always give back at least 2% of Gross Revenue to local communities. They are building (in Turkey) the first totally carbon neutral resort in the world, and are just the sort of developer that Mongolia needs. They would bring some wealth and skills to the local community, but wthout damaging the pristine environment of the steppe.
I discussed this with Monhbat, and he believes that there is an appropriate site available about 200k from the City, that has the advantage of hot springs that could be used for the spa, and for heating in the winter. He will try to take me to see it before I go.
Tomorrow we have meetings regarding the new Lotus Centre which Didi is hoping to build, as the existing premises are desparately cramped, and have a limited life span. Some good progress has been made in fundraising, but there are issues regarding the title to the site, and other matters that I will deal with in the next day or so.
The weather forecast is not good, so we are unlikely to get to the summer camp fpor a few days yet.
