Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Tiger Beer]

If so, what is it like? If it exits, is it only weekends and boring during the week? Any names of places to stop by for a drink or two? I think I read there are a lot of Peace Corps volunteers hitting the bars from time to time, and not a whole lot else?

Is Mongolia one of those countries where it is MUCH better to just hit the STEPPES soon after getting off the plane?

I'm thinking of Mongolia this Summer, and debating if I should just get out of UlaanBaatar as quickly as possible, or if its interesting enough to spend several days before the steppes.

[soviet_man]

Tiger,

My only limited advice on what to expect .... is go to Dongdaemun Stadium station exit #5 to the Mongolian building first (it is down one of the nearby streets) and just get a taste of what their Mongolian community is like. There are a few shops, restaurants, pc bangs run by Mongol migrants there.

You will be able to tell if you like it (and want to see more). Don't give up on Kazakh too easily.

Didn't SwissJames or someone like that have a blog posted on eslcafe about a year or two ago about Mongolia...I can't remember.

[jajdude]

hey Tiger,

In case you haven't thought of it, just do a google search for "ulan bator nightlife" ...I did out of curiosity and some was interesting.

[ajgeddes]

There was a guy on my hockey team here that moved to Ulaan Bataar and opened a bar. Yes, it's a Canadian style bar, and yes, I believe it's a little shady, and yes, the guy is a dirty asshole, but it's nightlife and last I heard he was busy.

[Yaya]

The owner of Woodstock in Shinchon ran a Ulaanbataar branch for a while. He said he had to pay the cops two million won to leave him alone, but that it was doing good biz while he ran it.

The interesting thing about Mongolians is that they can look exactly the same as Koreans, since Koreans are descended from Mongolians and Chinese. A lot of Korean things from cars to Hite and K-pop are popular in Mongolia.

[santafly]

I'm sorry, I have to say it....

This is the stupidest question a traveler has ever asked anyone ever - right up there with a guy in a remote mountain town in Nepal asking me where all the women were at or an Israeli couple knocking on my tent to ask me what the temperature was (it was perhaps -10 C).

Seriously OP, you do know there are other things in life besides bars right?Why the hell would you go to Mongolia if your the kind of person that likes nightlife? If you want exotic nightlife you should go to Latin America.

[endo]

[nicholas_chiasson]

bars are the BEST reason to travel. What counts as an Irish Bar makes me laugh in Paris. I've never been to a Canadian Bar until I went to the RMT in Itaewon(which was full of GI's). I love bars. Really where else can you go, travel solo, and meet people from weird countries? bars and hostels. And hostels always smell like mice and weed.

[ajgeddes]

[samd]

[samd]

I've always been interested in UB, and know a few people who've been there.

They say there are a few bars catering for foreigners, including some strip bars catering mainly for Koreans.

It seems to be a sketchy place after dark.

[Proustian]

I spent a night in UB in 2003 before boarding the transmongolian express to Moscow. It was a depressing looking city full of tragic soviet inspired buildings, tiny apartment blocks and miles of crumbling pavement.

I went out alone at dusk and noticed how many women were out, seemingly enjoying the nightlife. I had dinner in an Italian themed restaurant with a dj booth and a dancefloor. A few beers and some spagetti and goulash for $5. They were playing nirvana and pearljam and some women were drinking at the bar alone.

I walked around and noticed that the streets had taken on a different tenor. No women were to be seen, just drunken Mongolians staggering around looking for trouble.

I passed a few bars and nightsclubs with a handfull of foreigners but as I had a curfew (I was homestaying with a geriatric couple) I soon walked back to where I was staying. The city center is very small.

In general, I felt safe but there was a palatable tension in the air. A sense that something could easily happen. Many Mongolians work as guides and they all carry a gun and it aint just for mountain lions and such like!

By the way Tiger beer, I loved your story about Venezuela -scary shit man

[ed4444]

Check out the bar upstairs in the Marco Polo Cafe if it is still here. It is quite an eye opener. There are plenty of other bars as well. Some of them are seedy and a bit run down but they all have beer and music.

I went to UB about three years ago now.

It is a little dangerous a night so I would be a little careful. A lot of the streets are poorly lit and there are plenty of homeless people around who might resort to violence.

I got pickpocketed by Street Kids (about 10 of them) as well so watch out for that.

[Tiger Beer]

Thanks for the interesting posts here.

Didn't realize the Shinchon-Woodstock Bar owner also opened one up over there. Wonder if it was at all similar.

Mongolians and Koreans do have a lot of similarities. From what little I have read about Mongolians, them seem to have many similar characteristics. Mainly drinking, pride, more drinking, etc.

UB might be real interesting for a few days getting a good drink on before hitting the Steppes.

[Yaya]

Woodstock also has a branch in Tokyo, and the owner says it's doing well.

Back to Ulaanbataar, I've seen an Arirang TV program touting the popularity of things Korean in the Mongolian capital from pop culture to Hite beer (I know, pathetic). I guess growing up in Asia will give you a different perspective on things than if you grew up in the West.

The Woodstock owner also says Mongolians when drinking tend to get emotional and if one person in the group cries, they all follow, hahaha.