Mongolia | World’s Fourth Coolest Country

Yes, Mongolia is the Fourth Coolest Country In The World, exceeded in the hipness factor only by Jamaica, Singapore (?!?) and Brazil, apparently the coolest place in the world (blame it on the Bossa Nova). 

My pal Yooton, celebrating her coolness on a mountaintop above Lake Khövsgöl

 Yooton: “Hey, I’m Cool!”

What is supposed to be not so cool about Mongolia: “Yak-based dairy products … at every meal,” is surely an exaggeration. Yak-based dairy products are found only in certain areas of Mongolia. Gov-Altai Aimag does boast of vodka made from the milk of yaks, however.

Yak Milk Vodka made in the Town of Biger, in Gov-Altai Aimag. Cool, if you like vodka. 

Mongolia | World’s Fourth Coolest Country

Yes, Mongolia is the Fourth Coolest Country In The World, exceeded in the hipness factor only by Jamaica, Singapore (?!?) and Brazil, apparently the coolest place in the world (blame it on the Bossa Nova). 

My pal Yooton, celebrating her coolness on a mountaintop above Lake Khövsgöl

 Yooton: “Hey, I’m Cool!”

What is supposed to be not so cool about Mongolia: “Yak-based dairy products … at every meal,” is surely an exaggeration. Yak-based dairy products are found only in certain areas of Mongolia. Gov-Altai Aimag does boast of vodka made from the milk of yaks, however.

Yak Milk Vodka made in the Town of Biger, in Gov-Altai Aimag. Cool, if you like vodka. 

Mongolia | Fourth Nine Nine | Dönön Ükhiin Ever Khöldöne | Montblanc Pens

The Fourth of the Nine-Nines, known as Dönön Ükhiin Ever Khöldöne—Time When Four Year-Old Cows’ Horns Freeze—begins today, January 18. This is supposed to be the coldest of the Nine-Nines, nine periods of nine days each, each period marked by some description of winter weather. It was chilly 36 below 0 F. (-38 Cº) at 8:30 am, which is about normal for This Time Of The Year.

Yet another story about luxury goods in Mongolia. The media seems obsessed with this subject. This time it is Montblanc Pens. There is even a religious angle:

In the past, Mongolian families used to hand down highly decorated snuff boxes from father to son. Now this is being replaced by Montblanc pens and watches, Mr Enkhbazar said. “Traditionally when people have a pen, it shows they are highly educated and they are really proud to have these pens,” he added. Pens sell better than watches, partly because the Dalai Lama also uses a Montblanc pen. Most Mongolians are Buddhists, so they want to follow their spiritual leader’s choice of writing instrument.

Of course there is no doubt about the Dalai Lama’s choice of computer:

One More Enlightened Mac User

Mongolia | Fourth Nine Nine | Dönön Ükhiin Ever Khöldöne | Montblanc Pens

The Fourth of the Nine-Nines, known as Dönön Ükhiin Ever Khöldöne—Time When Four Year-Old Cows’ Horns Freeze—begins today, January 18. This is supposed to be the coldest of the Nine-Nines, nine periods of nine days each, each period marked by some description of winter weather. It was chilly 36 below 0 F. (-38 Cº) at 8:30 am, which is about normal for This Time Of The Year.



Yet another story about luxury goods in Mongolia. The media seems obsessed with this subject. This time it is Montblanc Pens. There is even a religious angle:

In the past, Mongolian families used to hand down highly decorated snuff boxes from father to son. Now this is being replaced by Montblanc pens and watches, Mr Enkhbazar said. “Traditionally when people have a pen, it shows they are highly educated and they are really proud to have these pens,” he added. Pens sell better than watches, partly because the Dalai Lama also uses a Montblanc pen. Most Mongolians are Buddhists, so they want to follow their spiritual leader’s choice of writing instrument.

Of course there is no doubt about the Dalai Lama’s choice of computer:

One More Enlightened Mac User

Mongolia | Third of the Nine Nines | Gurvan Ükhrii Ever Khöldönö

The Third of The Nine-Nines begins on January 9. Gurvan Ükhrii Ever Khöldönö is the nine-day period of Winter when the horns of three year-old cows freeze. This period is supposed to be colder than the First of the Nine Nines and the Second of the Nine Nines. So far this has not been the case. At 8:00 this morning it was 24 below 0º F and 9 below 0º F at noon, warmer than nine days ago, and relatively mild for this time of the year.

Tsagaan Sar, the Mongolian Lunar New Year, is coming up on February 3. We can expect some colder weather before then. The coming year is, of course, the Year of the Iron Rabbit. 

Mongolia | Third of the Nine Nines | Gurvan Ükhrii Ever Khöldönö

The Third of The Nine-Nines begins on January 9. Gurvan Ükhrii Ever Khöldönö is the nine-day period of Winter when the horns of three year-old cows freeze. This period is supposed to be colder than the First of the Nine Nines and the Second of the Nine Nines. So far this has not been the case. At 8:00 this morning it was 24 below 0º F and 9 below 0º F at noon, warmer than nine days ago, and relatively mild for this time of the year.

Tsagaan Sar, the Mongolian Lunar New Year, is coming up on February 3. We can expect some colder weather before then. The coming year is, of course, the Year of the Iron Rabbit. 

Mongolia | Second of the Nine Nines | Khorz Arkhi Khöldönö

Update: By 8:30 am the temperature has dropped to 36º below O F. This is a drop of 15 degrees since 5:30 am, which hardly seems possible, but I have rechecked the weather reports and this seems to be the case. 36 below 0 F. is certainly cold enough to freeze twice-distilled arkhi, so it seems we are indeed experiencing Khorz Arkhi Khöldönö.


I mentioned earlier that the First of the Nine-Nines—the Nine-Nines being nine periods of nine days each, each period characterized by a certain type of winter weather—started on the day of the Winter Solstice, which occurred here in Mongolia on December 22. The Second of the Nine Nines begins today, December 31. Known as Khorz Arkhi Khöldönö, this is the time when twice-distilled homemade Mongolian arkhi (vodka) freezes. As you will recall, the first of the Nine-Nines was the time when regular, or once distilled, arkhi freezes. As this indicates, the second period should be colder than the first, since twice distilled arkhi obviously has a much higher alcohol content. This morning at 5:00 it was a relatively balmy Minus 21°F / –29°C, however, almost exactly the same temperature on the same day last year. The Third of the Nine Nines begins on January 8th. 


As some of you may know, today is also the last day of the year according to the admittedly outdated and outmoded Gregorian calendar which unfortunately seems to hold much of the world in its thrall. I have been boycotting the Gregorian calendar for several years now (I prefer the Lunar Calendar myself), so as usual I will not be celebrating anything tonight. Don’t expect to find me in any of Ulaan Baatar’s notoriously Louche Coffee Shops. I will spend the evening in my hovel, but since it is Friday Night I may treat myself to some twenty-year old Puerh Tea while perusing the latest addition to the Scriptorium, the biography of Lesley Blanch.

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