Mongolia

The People

Everyone is quick to notice the physical similarities between Japanese and Mongolians.

DNA research has recently confirmed that Mongolians, Tibetans, Bhutanese, Japanese

and North American Indians came from the same ancestors, who probably lived in

Siberia ten or twenty thousand years ago. Mieko was often mistaken for a

Mongolian. I did not have this problem, but was once asked if I was

Russian. Mieko is shown here with a few of her cousins, three

hundred generations removed.

Mongolian Hero

Asashoryu, who is Mongolian, is the reigning grand champion of Japanese sumo.

In Mongolia only Genghis Khan is more famous than Asashoryu. Although the

population of Mongolia is only 2% that of Japan, 20% of the sumo wrestlers

are from Mongolia. This has led some Japanese to comment that the

Japanese youth of today are getting soft.

Other Heroes

These are the champions of Mongolian Wrestling.

Nomad Girl

The kids are always happy to smile for the camera.

University of Michigan Fan

This boy's faded cap identifies him as a Wolverine fan.

Easy Rider

This little guy found a toy in his father's motorcycle.

Communications

There are few land based telephones and almost no public phones in the country.

A large number of people make a business out of selling phone time on their

portable phones.

Traditional Game

These two in Ulan Bator are playing a card game on the street.

New Age Games

This monk took a break from meditation to play a game at the local internet center.

Visit to the Capital

I got this picture of this guy and his little sister in front of the parliament building.

School Excursion

These junior high school children, who were on school excursion, posed for a picture  with

toothbrushes that I gave them.

Mongolian Dental School

We  are  with  Dean Bazar Amarsaikhan of the dental school in Ulan Bator.  He  speaks

Mongolian, Spanish, Russian, English and Japanese, and received a PhD in Dentistry

from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University.

Thirteenth Century Mongolian

This man is dressed up as a chieftain in the reconstructed thirteenth century Mongolian

village outside Ulan Bator.