#best tour companies mongolia

[mariacallous]

This article was first published in Russian by the Siberia-based outlet People of Baikal. The following translation appeared in The Beet, a weekly email dispatch from Meduza in English covering Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Sign up here to get the next issue delivered directly to your inbox.

“Don’t close your eyes! I told you: If you close them, I’ll stop doing the operation and send you home!” the surgeon hissed. 

It was 2009, and Natalya Badmayeva was lying on an operating table at the Republican Clinical Hospital in Ulan-Ude. She tried her best to stop trembling and keep her eyes open. After the surgeon made the last stitch, she told Natalya she could get up and go home. In the corridor, other patients were waiting their turn to go under the knife. 

Natalya, then a 20-year-old lawyer, had undergone eyelid surgery on her lunch break. “The operation took place clandestinely. I actually shouldn’t have been in that operating room,” she explained. “The surgery was over in half an hour.” 

Natalya put on a pair of dark glasses and went straight from the hospital to visit a client. At the pre-trial detention center entrance, she showed the duty officer her ID. “What did you get done? Your dabharyashki?” asked the officer, nodding knowingly. 

The term dabharyashka (from the Buryat word dabharyaa, which literally means “fold”) refers to the skin fold of the upper eyelid. Apparently, the officer had seen Natalya’s stitches through her sunglasses. She was one of the first people in Buryatia to have surgery to change the shape of her eyes. Three years later, she had another operation to make them even wider. 

The names of some of the people in this story have been changed at their request.

Scalpels, needles, and glue 

Many people of Asian descent are born with monolids — an eyelid shape that doesn’t have a crease. And some people go to great lengths to create this skin fold and widen their eyes. For those who undergo plastic surgery, the operation typically involves an incision along the upper eyelid, the removal of “excess” skin and fat, and the application of sutures to create an “eye-opening” crease (also known as a “double eyelid”). 

Blepharoplasty — the medical term for eyelid surgery — is the third most common plastic surgery procedure in the world, after breast augmentation and liposuction. With nearly half a million surgical procedures annually, Russia ranks ninth globally for the total number of plastic surgeries. But for eyelid surgery, Russia is in third place, with more than 92,000 operations in 2020 alone. 

Researchers in Russia note that the further east a region is from Moscow, the more eyelid surgeries are performed there. In Ulan-Ude — the regional capital of Buryatia, with a population of just over 400,000 people — there are about 10 clinics that offer this procedure for prices ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 rubles (about $225 to $335). 

Then there are the companies that offer “medical tours” to neighboring Mongolia. These packages cover a round-trip bus ticket from Ulan-Ude to Ulaanbaatar, the operation itself, and an interpreter’s services. One popular clinic in Ulaanbaatar offered eyelid surgery for just 18,500 rubles ($210). By comparison, a local Korean clinic charged around 160,000 rubles (about $1,800). Performers, entrepreneurs, and officials who want to get their eyelids done usually travel to South Korea, where the procedure costs anywhere from $1,800 to $3,000. 

Other people try to alter their eyelids themselves — using a needle or a sharpened pencil to damage the delicate skin, hoping that the scarring will form a crease over time. Alternative, less painful methods include using eyelid glue or adhesive tape to create a “double eyelid” temporarily. 

Natalya Badmayeva’s mother, Tamara, used a sharpened pencil to break the skin along her own upper eyelids; when the scratches healed, they formed a crease. Natalya would later try to replicate this procedure herself but found it too painful. “I realized that I wouldn’t be able to ‘draw’ a deep enough cut, and so I didn’t keep doing it,” she recalled.

When Natalya was a teenager, her mother bought her eyelid glue, but Natalya found it uncomfortable to wear. “It feels heavy on your eyelid. If you use glue, you can feel how everything is being pulled together. If you use tape, it’s uncomfortable when you blink,” she said. 

Tamara, who has since passed away, never explained why she gave herself eyelid creases or wanted her daughter to have them, too. “I didn’t want to look narrow-eyed. I wanted to look wide-eyed,” Natalya said, explaining her own thinking. “In my youth, Buryats were [considered] village people. Narrow-eyed, swarthy, uneducated, Buryat-speaking — this was the image I was trying to escape. I specifically didn’t learn to speak Buryat and had my eyelids done twice.” 

‘No one told me to my face’

Several sources told People of Baikal that, as children, they dreamed of being ethnically Russian; when their family members spoke their native language, they felt embarrassed and pretended they couldn’t understand them. 

Natalya remembers encountering aggression due to her appearance when she left Buryatia for the first time at age 18. She and her friends were waiting in line at a food stand in Novosibirsk when some old ladies started harassing them. “These old ladies said, ‘Who are you? We don’t go to your country!’ and they pushed us out of the line. We told them we’re from Buryatia, which is part of Russia. We’re citizens of the Russian Federation, just like them. But the old ladies didn’t believe us,” Natalya said. 

Ivan Romanov, 38, moved from Ulan-Ude to Moscow in 2012. A dentist by training, he spent a year applying for jobs in the capital. However, he found that some dental clinics — including ones at public hospitals — would post job ads explicitly seeking “Slavic” physicians. 

Even clinics that didn’t have this requirement wouldn’t hire Ivan. Having a Russian name and surname was often enough to get him an interview, but they never called him back. All his classmates soon found jobs, but he remained unemployed. “I didn’t understand what was happening. I’d go home, cry because I felt powerless, and get angry,” Ivan recalled. “No one told me to my face that they wouldn’t hire me because I’m Buryat, but the logic was clear.” 

Ivan took screenshots of the job ads from public clinics looking to hire “Slavic” doctors and wrote a complaint to the Russian Health Ministry. In response, ministry officials told him that government institutions don’t place such ads and suggested that the postings had appeared on the website “due to a technical glitch.” (At the same time, they acknowledged that such ads are common among private clinics.)

Ivan believes his dental career didn’t take off because of his appearance. After a year of unsuccessfully trying to land a job in his field, he began working for a company in Moscow selling medical equipment. Today, he runs his own business. 

At 35, Ivan had eyelid surgery to make himself look “European.” A surgeon at a Moscow clinic reshaped his eyelids, creating creases and removing the epicanthus — a skin fold stretching from the upper eyelid, covering the eye’s inner corner. Ivan had dreamed of this since his youth.

No shortage of insults 

The discourse around Asian people’s appearance inevitably leads to a discussion about “narrow eyes,” notes Erzhen Erdeni, a Buryat anti-colonial activist and researcher from the Siberian city of Irkutsk. “The expression ‘narrow eyes’ makes my blood boil,” she said. “Asian eyes can be considered narrow only if they’re compared with European eyes, which are taken as the standard.” 

“Russian speakers have come up with no shortage of insults for Asian eyes,” added Erzhen. 

The activist still remembers the first time she was insulted over her appearance. She was seven years old and walking to school alone in Irkutsk when a group of boys started throwing rocks at her and calling her names. 

People who don’t look “European” encounter racism everywhere in Russia, Erzhen said. After she moved to Moscow to study, for example, uniformed officers stopped her every two weeks or so, asking to see her documents, fishing for bribes, and threatening to take her to the police station. “I could walk with a Slavic-looking friend, and she wouldn’t get asked any questions. But I was stopped all the time — it could happen anywhere,” said Erzhen, who now lives in Tbilisi, Georgia. “I developed a persistent fear of people in uniform that I carry with me to this day. Every time I see a man in a uniform in Russia, my heart sinks, and the anxiety kicks in.” 

According to the SOVA Center, which monitors extremism and hate crimes in Russia, there was a spike in racially motivated attacks in 2023. Researchers recorded at least 60 violent acts last year — up from nine in 2022. In at least 21 of these cases, the attackers targeted people whom they perceived as “Asian.” 

SOVA Center director Alexander Verkhovsky said that while anyone who “looks different” can fall victim to a hate crime in Russia, people of “conventionally Asian appearance” are targeted most often. This includes not only Central Asians but also people indigenous to Russia, such as Buryats, Tyvans, and Kalmyks. “The attacker isn’t asking to see a passport; he’s looking at facial features,” Verkhovsky underscored.  

“If you’re a person of ‘non-Slavic’ appearance in any public place [...] you always have to be on guard. An insult could come your way at any moment,” said Buryat journalist Aleksandra Garmazhapova. “Any old conflict could end with the phrase: ‘Go back to China!’” 

Garmazhapova moved to St. Petersburg with her family at age six. She got involved in political activism in 2005 after far-right extremists murdered 20-year-old anti-fascist activist Timur Kacharava in the city center. She left Russia eight years ago and now heads the Free Buryatia Foundation. 

The Sova Center’s researchers attribute the surge in racially motivated violence in 2023 to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. “War inevitably brings about an increase in aggression in society. Legitimizing aggression is a side effect of war,” Verkhovsky explained. 

‘Why am I hurting myself a second time?’

Valentina Radnayeva, the head of the ophthalmology department at the Children’s Hospital in Ulan-Ude, said that people of all ages come in for eyelid surgery. It’s the most common cosmetic procedure in Buryatia, and the hospital accepts not only locals but also patients from Tyva, Khakassia, Altai, and other republics across Russia. “For young people, we don’t remove skin [from the upper eyelid]; we just form a fold. And it turns out beautifully!” the surgeon said with a smile. 

Enkhmaa, a surgeon at a clinic in Ulaanbaatar that patients on medical tours from Ulan-Ude often visit, claimed that eyelid surgery makes people “more beautiful” and more self-confident. She operates on patients 12 and up, so long as minors have parental consent. According to Enkhmaa, there hasn’t been a single case in her 20 years of experience where a patient regretted making their eyes wider (she said that the most common complaints have to do with side effects.) “This surgery changes people’s lives for the better,” the surgeon maintained. 

Natalya, the lawyer from Ulan-Ude, said that she also wanted to have “beautiful” eyes — and that’s why she opted for a second surgery. “I wasn’t satisfied with the results of the first operation. The shape of my eyes looked too natural. I wanted to see a difference. I wanted my eyes to be wider,” she explained. 

Natalya’s first surgery, at the Republican Hospital in 2009, took place without a consultation and only cost three or four thousand rubles. For her second surgery, she saved up about 20,000 rubles and went to a private clinic. But somehow, she found it scarier. “I remember lying on the operating table and saying to myself, ‘Stupid me! Why am I hurting myself a second time?’ The doctor was polite, he explained everything, there was good anesthetic, but it was still unpleasant,” she recalled.

After the operation, Natalya remained under observation at the clinic for 30 or 40 minutes. Then, her brother picked her up and took her home. She was on maternity leave at the time, so she didn’t have to go back to work. Natalya says the bruises and swelling from the second surgery went away after a few weeks — but to this day, she remains sensitive to bright light. 

“My friends don’t see a big difference between how I looked before and after the operation. But I think that I’ve changed,” Natalya said. “It’s possible that this is how I feel on the inside. I’ve lived with my eyelid folds longer than I lived without them. I’m more comfortable this way.”

Ivan, the dentist, paid 85,000 rubles (more than $950) to go under the knife in Moscow in 2020. “I was conscious, under local anesthesia, and I heard everything the doctor said. He explained what was happening in detail and commented, ‘You were right to get the surgery. You have a large accumulation of fat, and it weighs down your eyelids. It makes you seem sad. We’re going to correct it now, and you’ll look just great!’”

However, Ivan wasn’t happy with the end result. “I went through every circle of hell. It took a long time for everything to heal. I spent a lot of money to remove the scars left over from the stitches. Moreover, the surgeon didn’t stitch the skin of the upper eyelid on one eye properly,” he complained. “My life didn’t change at all. People who know me well noticed that something was different, but it’s usually difficult for them to say what exactly.” 

‘At least you can influence how you look’

Anna Tsyrenova, a 38-year-oldfrom Ulan-Ude, was surprised when she recently learned that all her friends her own age had undergone eyelid surgery by the time they were 20. “Many people hide the fact that they’ve had this surgery. It’s such a sensitive topic that even friends don’t want to talk about it,” she said. “When I finally started asking around, they said they had their eyelids done to look more kempt.”

Anna says it never occurred to her to have eyelid surgery. And she rejects the notion that she has experienced discrimination in Russia — even though she’s been mistaken for a tourist, told that she “speaks Russian well,” and stopped by police officers in Moscow and St. Petersburg. “I don’t judge people who’ve gone to the plastic surgeon and made their eyes wider. I just don’t understand them,” she said.

According to social scientist Maria Vyatchina, plastic surgery can give patients a sense of control over their own lives — even when they feel powerless to influence the world around them. “There are things you cannot change, but you can at least influence how you look. This gives you a sense of agency,” she explained. 

The development of new medical technologies is another powerful driver behind the popularity of plastic surgery, making it less risky, less painful, and cheaper. Indeed, certain surgeries are becoming more accessible and even “fashionable,” with trends transcending borders. For example, the eyelid surgery industry in Russia and Mongolia is heavily influenced by South Korea, which, in turn, is largely guided by standards adopted in Japan. 

Vyatchina also pointed to the work of anthropologists Sara Lenehan and Carmen Alvaro Jarrín, who found that the popularity of “nose jobs” in Iran and Brazil reflects shifts in how people signal their wealth and aspirations of upward mobility. The same is true in Russia, where poverty, a lack of social mobility, and patriarchal norms make one’s appearance a type of social currency. 

In this context, what eye shape is considered “beautiful” is directly related to popular attitudes. But, as Vyatchina underscored, beauty standards are far from neutral or implicit — on the contrary, they’re politically charged. “Racism and xenophobia take different forms, including defining dominant beauty standards that leave no room for acceptance and discussing diversity,” she said. “There is so much racism in Russian society.” 

‘Don’t become the dragon’

In the spring of 2022, Free Buryatia Foundation president Aleksandra Garmazhapova launched a campaign for the “Denazification of Russia.” On Instagram, she asked her followers to share stories of their encounters with racism and xenophobia. Over the next three weeks, she received some 4,000 testimonies. 

The responses show that even indigenous people who resemble ethnic Russians — including Udmurt, Chuvash, and other peoples — have to contend with racism in Russia. People recounted how, from childhood, they were censured for speaking their native language. One person said he had internalized the idea that it was “shameful” to be Mari. The campaign received countless emotional accounts: many people had never had the opportunity to talk openly about racism, while others had previously failed to recognize that what they experienced constitutes discrimination. 

The Russian language often lacks the terminology for discussions about racism and xenophobia. During her interview, Garmazhapova drew attention to how she sometimes slipped into using “not just literal translations but English terms.” Yet, Vyatchina says it’s still important to use these words, even if they seem complex or incomprehensible. Researchers believe that terms more suitable to Russian realities will emerge when Russian society begins to discuss racism actively. 

At the same time, Garmazhapova warned against going to rhetorical extremes, which she believes are just as harmful as not discussing racism at all. “The media, activists, and everyone else must work to avoid becoming xenophobes like Vladimir Putin. When fighting a dragon, you cannot become that same dragon yourself,” she said. “We must make every effort to fight narratives of hatred, racism, and xenophobia and not to end up producing the same ideas, just in a different sauce.” 

Now a mother of two, Natalya says she fears for her son and daughter because they are Buryat and feels the need to protect them from harmful stereotypes. “I understand the attitude the world has developed towards Buryats. The word ‘Buryat’ has become a symbol of savagery and cruelty. People need someone to hate, to take out their anger on. It will be difficult to rehabilitate this general perception and attitude,” she said. 

Natalya remembers how her own mother cared for her, buying her eyelid glue and encouraging her to get “folds.” Assuming her children would share her own insecurities, she tried to take the same approach with them. “I thought, Why don’t I tape my six-year-old daughter’s [eyelids],” Natalya said. “Thank God my child has a brain! She ran around a little and then took off the strips [of tape] I had stuck on her. She thinks she’s beautiful the way she is. She has insecurities, but they have nothing to do with the shape of her eyes.”

[nomadicofbluesky]

Golden Eagle Festival:

Mongolia is an excellent destination to enjoy the traditional golden eagle festival. The golden eagle festival held in October is the best way to explore the Kazakh culture. If you are going on a Mongolia tour, you can cover the golden eagle festival. Go ahead! And collect some beautiful memories in Mongolia.

[wemichalsmith]

The best Mongolia travel agency will help you plan your trip to wherever you go. The deals offered by the agency will help you enjoy your vacation to an amazing place with confidence.

[maritimesilkroad3]

Exploring the Silk Road

21st Century Maritime Silk Road

The actual Silk Road is one associated with China's most popular tourist destinations. There are actually already heaps of travel agents as well as tour companies offering excursions in 2010. So where is it and also why is it so popular?

21st Century Maritime Silk Road

Traditionally the actual Silk Road extends via Xian in central China and taiwan to either the Middle Far east or Europe. In fact there are several routes, some to Moscow in the north and those straight into India and Pakistan in the south. The same as travellers in the time regarding Marco Polo - the particular thirteenth century - typically the ancient trade routes remain although the type of goods available and the method of transport get changed. The reason why the Cotton Road starts/ends in Xian is that it was the ancient investment of China and dimensions trade routes, in many cases across the Yangtze and Yellow Estuaries and rivers, were already established for you to distribute goods within Cina.

Nowadays, many tourists start off their Silk Road trip in Beijing. The Poderoso City, the Great Wall involving China the many places connected with historic interest will make the 3-5 day stay useful. Add to it a little store shopping and time to experience n . Chinese cuisine and you are positioned for your Silk Road encounter.

Getting there. Most intercontinental airlines fly into Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. You will find a lesser choice of flights to help and from western Tiongkok and most of these are structured out of the capital of Xinjiang Province, Urumqi.

China offers rail connections north in order to Mongolia, Hong Kong, Tibet along with west to Moscow. To the even more adventurous there are multiple track links into Vietnam.

Instructor access from/to Pakistan is offered along the Karakorum Highway, in addition to November though April, introduced closed. Delays and distress can be part of this path so be prepared. Travel throughout Pakistan needs serious thought. We spent 12 great days travelling there at the end of 2007 but with the climb of the Taliban the risk intended for westerners has increased dramatically.

Integralinis are required for all access take into account China and I recommend that all these be obtained well in advance.

Driving around Train travel is famous in China although it is equipped with an extensive coach network. Naturally you could fly but that might really defeat the main intent behind visiting China - in order to meet the people. Train travel is usually reliable, fast and affordable. "Soft" sleeping compartments because of four or on a few routes for two persons are offered or if you want to join often the locals try the "hard" class, but unless you need treatment on a tight budget, it's not encouraged. You will need assistance buying the railroad tickets as few stop staff speak English. The particular timetables and options might be complex. Ask a travel company with China experience to help you.

Many companies offer tours over the Silk Road. Most of these work with a combination of coach and also. International companies include DISTANCE, Peregrine, World Expeditions, Vacation Indo-China. You can find these applying Google. Some tours will include a lour leader and guideline. Standards of accommodation in addition to comfort are reflected from the pricing.

Another option is to work with a guide through Chinese firms like Xinjiang Silk Path Adventures in Urumqi. Community guides can be provided with a per day basis or all round for a tour, at inexpensive prices. Tour guides are required to always be licensed in China.

When is it best to Go China is a huge country covering eight timezones. Its climate varies noticeably. Summers can be hot as well as sticky and the winters really cold so the best several weeks are in Spring and Fall months. Consult a good guide reserve for the temperatures that you can knowledge at the time of your planned vacation so that you can dress appropriately.

Egypt Road Highlights To get the best of a Silk Road quest it should not be rushed. Let a minimum of 14 days in addition to just about any stay in Beijing. If you are such as Uzbekistan add another eight days:

The major attractions are generally:

o Xian the Clay Army and other historic web sites o The Labrang Monastery in Xiahe, in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous region to The Fort and Wonderful Wall of China Adult ed at Jiayuguan o Dunhuang for riding the two humped Bactrian camels in the great sand dunes. Nearby are definitely the Buddhist Mogao Caves fixed into a desert backdrop from the Flaming mountains. o Urumqi has an excellent Xinjiang Comarcal Museum. Two hours apart is the spectacular lake section of China, the Beautiful Lake. Here you'll find Kazakh people living in yurts and also grazing their herds associated with horses, sheep and goats. If you have the time, stay right away and experience the food and food of the locals. o Turpan is famous for its grapes, along with nearby are the ancient urban centers of Gaochang and Jiaohe, the Bezeklik thousand Juggernaut Tombs and the underground normal water systems called karez in which link Turpan to much essential snow melt from the far away Tian Shan mountains. a Kashgar, a trade option city for thousands of years. Visit the outdated city before it's destroyed and attend the famous On the animal market which though dusty is a great spectacle. e Those with extra time may find the actual southern Silk Road remanso towns of Yarkand in addition to Khotan of interest. This area is much less visited but does have several interesting side trips which includes camel safaris and journeys into the Taklamakan desert. This kind of predominantly Uyghur area provides much of interest for those that are seeking something a little different. i A short train journey or maybe flight will take you across the european Chinese border and then up on Tashkent the capital of Uzbekistan. Here the real gems in the Silk Road are to be within the ancient cities regarding Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Coach travel in Uzbekistan is comfortable and reasonably priced, although the rail line western world offers an alternative.

If you are looking for a getaway with a difference and you are a small adventurous, then travelling the particular Silk Road should be on the side your list. It is harmless and affordable. And it is any hugely rewarding experience. Sure, it will have its challenges but you may be asking yourself what a story you can tell if you get home, not to mention your excellent digital photographs of the best parts of this scenic journey.

[dancemotionusa]

Dance as Mutual Understanding

by: Sarah Horne, DMUSA Project Director

It’s difficult to reflect back on my time with DanceMotion USA℠ because I’m still processing that the program is really coming to a close. When I was first introduced to the concept of cultural diplomacy in 2014, it seemed a vehicle for political gain. When I actually experienced cultural diplomacy as the tour manager of the Mark Morris Dance Group’s DanceMotion USA℠ residency in Cambodia, Timor Leste, Taiwan, and China, I understood that it was a vehicle for change; a tool to be used to connect individuals through something as simple yet powerful as dance. I can honestly say that partaking in that residency changed my life.

Small town Massachusetts girl, never in my wildest dreams could I have foreseen travel to destinations like Cambodia; and Timor Leste, I had never even heard of it. Yet, the people I met in these destinations became my family for the 5 weeks we were abroad. We moved together, ate, laughed, shared highs and lows, connected on intimate and personal levels, and all expressed the same desire to live a happy, healthy life; to provide for our families; to take pride in our work. The world really is small and humans all need and want the same basic necessities. Whether we’re in South East Asia or America, we’re inevitably the same, this program allowed me to fully understand that.

Mark Morris and Sarah Horne at the closing ceremony of the Special Olympics in Timor Leste with a young participant

Almost a year after that residency experience, I had the opportunity to become a part of the DanceMotion USA℠ team; working to bring to fruition these residencies for other American dancers and dance companies. With the program having had such an impact on me personally, I wanted to work toward building experiences for others that would allow them the same opportunities I had. As the Project Manager for DanceMotion USA℠, I worked with embassies and cultural partners in Africa, Asia, South America, and Eurasia to build residency tours that connected American dancers with individuals who may never have met an American, or who may never have been given the opportunity to dance and move due to physical limitations and/or access to dance and dance education. Some of the vulnerable populations we worked with had caretakers who didn’t believe those in their care could dance perhaps because they were wheelchair bound or had other physical limitations. Yet, when the American residency companies were on the ground, the palpable energy of joy in the room radiated because dance really is for everyone. Those caretakers not only saw those in their care dance but they saw them light up with a happiness that comes from inclusion and the belief that we can achieve anything our hearts set out to do.

Sarah Horne being interviewed in Taiwan following a residency activity

I had the privilege to travel to Vientiane, Laos with Dance Heginbotham in 2016 and watching this company teach and exchange with individuals on the ground brought joy to my heart and tears of happiness to my eyes. I saw them experience the same transformation I had during my Mark Morris residency and I knew then that this program was more than about achieving foreign policy goals, it was about individual, person-to-person exchange; it was about the universal language of dance; it was about empowerment and joy.

John Heginbotham with Sarah Horne in Luang Prabang, Laos

In 2017, as the Project Director for the program, I traveled to Mongolia, Korea and Russia to meet with Embassy staff and cultural partners in advance of the seventh and final season of programming. Explaining the program and discussing how dance can be used as a way to connect is often harder than one would think. More often than not, those we work with expect us to want to work with professional dancers, dance students, companies, etc. and to put on performances. Yet, the power of what we do lies in the exact opposite; connecting individually with those new to dance and/or exchanging with local, traditional groups in an effort to absorb and appreciate the culture, history, and heritage of the countries we travel to.

These advance trips held an extra special meaning for me, not only did I know they would establish the residencies for the last season of DanceMotion USA℠ programming, but I was near the end of my first trimester of pregnancy, carrying with me my daughter. In her, I hope to instill not only an appreciation and love for travel but also the respect and admiration for other cultures and societies that has grown within me since my involvement with DanceMotion USA℠ began. As the world continues to grow, preserving and respecting culture and traditions is all the more important. Cultural exchange programs do that, not only by sending Americans abroad, but by bringing international artists and curators to the United States. The connections fostered through these exchanges help create space for dialogue and discussion, demonstrate shared values, and increase cross-cultural understanding.

Sarah Horne in Moscow, Russia during an advance trip

Now as the program end looms in site, I have the weight and responsibility of keeping the legacy of these residency exchanges alive for years to come so that others may understand the powerful impact of cultural diplomacy.  In bidding goodbye to this chapter of dance diplomacy, I reflect back on how dance diplomacy began during the Cold War. It was President Dwight D. Eisenhower who created the means for the State Department to facilitate cultural exchange as a way to “stimulate the presentation abroad by private firms and groups of the best American industrial and cultural achievements, in order to demonstrate the dedication of the United States to peace and human well-being [and] to offset worldwide Communist propaganda charges that the United States has no culture.” Since then, dance diplomacy has ebbed and flowed as foreign policy goals and objectives have changed. Today, dance is used as a means to foster cultural exchange and mutual understanding and to establish relationships between individuals. As we look at the next chapter of cultural diplomacy, I hope the State Department maintains these goals which I hold near and dear to my heart and continues to encourage individuals to connect through the arts because they represent a universal language equal to none. It has been a privilege and an honor to be both a participant and administrator of this program; for what it has taught me and instilled within me, I am eternally changed and grateful.

[amirsethi-blog]

Trips of a Lifetime

Cruise Western Africa in Senegal and the Gambia

Tour the lesser-known part of the African continent with Peregrine’s eight-day Cruising the Rivers of West Africa tour. You’ll see wildlife like dolphins, crocodiles, manatees, and more while aboard the company’s small cruise ship. Then you’ll head inland for a visit to The Gambia National Park to see chimpanzees and make a humbling stop at the island of Kunteh Kinteh, where the American slave trade began. lead with reason A new airport in Dakar makes travel even more accessible this year.

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Witness the Great Elephant Migration

For another amazing wildlife experience, book Wilderness Travel’s new trip, The Great Elephant Migration. This 11-day tour takes you through Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Victoria Falls. It’s timed with the elephant migration (July and August departures only) that takes place in Hwange National Park. You’ll also have the opportunity to find leopards, lions, spotted hyenas, jackals, giraffes, buffalo, antelope, and sable, and even participate in night drives for some nocturnal animal sightings. Accommodations include luxurious camps like Camp Kuzuma and Zambezi Sands.

Asia

Be a Nomad in Mongolia

Experience nomadic life in Mongolia on G Adventures’ 10-day tour through the northern part of the country. You’ll ride horseback through the countryside and stay overnight in a homestay at a nomadic camp where you get to sleep in a ger(similar to a yurt). Visit Mongolia now while it’s still a relatively untouched tourist destination; the government recently said it wants to increase tourist visits to 1 million per year in 2020.

Trek the Hidden Himalayas

Head to Dolpo, a part of the Himalayas that’s only accessible by foot. Wilderness Travel’s 13-day trek takes you to the untouched trails and villages of this part of Nepal as you see how ancient Tibetans lived (this part of the region is culturally Tibetan). Highlights include Phoksundo Lake, Kathmandu’s temples, and of course plenty of mani (prayer) walls and chortens (shrines).

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View Japan in a Different Light

Many visitors flock to Japan’s tourist hot spots in spring (to see cherry blossoms) or fall (to enjoy the vivid foliage), and with the country drawing increased attention thanks to the upcoming 2020 Olympics, these times of year are even more crowded. Instead, opt for something different and take a tour of Japan in winter with Topdeck’s seven-day Japan Winter tour. You’ll get the chance to ski at the country’s famed resorts, visit a historical theme park, enjoy sulfuric hot springs, and take a city tour of less-touristy Sapporo.

Central America

See a Different Side of Mexico Than You Did on Spring Break

Mexico’s heartlands are literally the heart and soul of authentic Mexican culture. While the coastal beaches are breathtaking, opt for a more immersive experience on Intrepid’s 15-day tour throughout central Mexico. You’ll visit a pueblo magico, explore the trendy city of San Miguel de Allende, taste tequila in Guadalajara, take a walking tour of Mexico City, and see the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan up close.

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North Africa/Middle East

Explore Undiscovered Oman

SmarterTravel named Oman an emerging destination two years ago, and the country is starting to see more visitors for its blend of culture, beaches, and natural landscapes. G Adventures offers an eight-day tour that takes you through highlights like the Wadi Kakar (Oman’s version of the Grand Canyon), desert camping in the Wahiba Sands, a visit to a turtle reserve, and a tour of the capital, Muscat.

Oceania

Discover Australia Without Going to Sydney

While Sydney is an amazing part of Australia, there’s so much more to the country than just its East Coast. G Adventures’ affordable North to South trip includes the unspoiled national parks in the Northern Territory and makes overnight stops in the Outback at Alice Springs and Uluru before heading down to South Australia’s urban hot spot, Adelaide. Most of the accommodations on this budget-conscious trip are basic, but they include experiences like camping in the Outback and sleeping underground in an opal-mining town.

Europe

Eat (and Hike) Your Way Through Italy’s Boot

If you’re an Anthony Bourdain fan, you may remember the season 10 finale that aired in late 2017, Southern Italy: The Heel of the Boot, which has inspired travelers to get off the beaten path in Italy ever since. Wilderness Travel’s new tour this year, Hiking Puglia and Calabria, visit some of the same mystical towns Bourdain did in what’s sure to be the next popular tourist spot in Italy. Activities range from culinary experiences like wine and olive oil tastings to excursions like cliffside hiking and cave exploring. You’ll also see two UNESCO World Heritage sites: the cave dwellings of Matera (also a European Capital of Culture this year) and the famed Trulli houses in Alberobello.

Float Down the Danube on a Reinvented River Cruise

A river cruise is one of the best ways to see Europe, and U by Uniworld is shaking things up for the industry. With ships and itineraries designed for the “young at heart,” this isn’t your grandparents’ river cruise. My pick for 2019 is the Danube Flow cruise, which covers three countries in eight days: Germany, Austria, and Hungary. There are also departure dates with special itineraries that overlap with Oktoberfest, Sziget Festival, and the holiday Christmas markets and New Year’s Eve celebrations.

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Walk England Coast to Coast

Sleep in cozy countryside inns while you cross England by walking 192 miles over nine days. REI Adventures’ England Coast to Coast Hiking trip takes you through three national parks: Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, and North York Moors, where you’ll see grazing sheep, storybook villages, and stunning landscapes. Along the way, you rest at local pubs and teahouses, and the tour includes stops at the home of William Wordsworth, Richmond Castle, Easby Abbey, and more.

Bike the Causeway Coast

The adventurous and active can take a weeklong, self-guided tour through Northern Ireland. Viator’s Causeway Coast Cycle Self-Guided tour is ideal for travelers who want to go at it alone but need some help planning. The itinerary starts with a city cycle tour in Belfast, where you’ll explore iconic sights. You then bike along the coastline with stops in villages and castles to rest and sleep at small inns. The tour includes a ferry ride to Rathlin Island, Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Bushmills Whiskey Distillery, an optional trip to the Dark Hedges, and return transportation to Dublin.

Explore Portuguese and Spanish Islands You’ve Never Heard Of

Portugal was 2018’s hottest destination, and tourism growth shows no signs of slowing down in 2019. Avoid the overcrowded spots with a 15-day cruise throughout the Portuguese and Spanish islands. Hurtigruten’s Atlantic Exploration itinerary is new this year and covers the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands. The journey begins and ends in Lisbon, so you’ll have plenty of time to explore the capital. Stops include three areas of the volcanic archipelago—the Green Island (Sao Miguel), the Blue Island (Ilha Azul or Faial), and the Purple Island (Angra), as well the islands of Porto Santo and Madeira of Portugal, and two islands in the Canaries: Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the less-visited San Sebastian de la Gomera.

North America

Visit a Rainforest in Canada

Home to fjords, rare wildlife, and, yes, a rainforest, is Canada’s British Columbia province. Maple Leaf Adventures’ Great Bear Rainforest trips are sailing-based and include tons of wildlife excursions with opportunities to see grizzly bears, spirit bears, black bears, baleen whales, orcas, gray wolves, and bald eagles. The itinerary also includes cultural experiences with First Nation villages, a trip to hot springs, and kayaking.

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Go on a Snow-for Adventure

If you’re into snow sports, then this trip should be on your bucket list. Topdeck’s 10-day Great White North tour takes you to Whistler, Big White, and the Big Three ski resorts in Banff.  You’ll also experience some of Canada’s epic drives and sights, like the Sea to Sky Highway, Fraser Valley, the Coquihalla Pass, Kicking Horse Pass, and the Continental Divide.    

South America

Tour Chilean Wine Country

Chile is a hot destination in 2019 with Patagonia’s popularity and the 2019 solar eclipse, but you should visit this destination for another reason: the Casablanca Valley. The area is known for its Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir, but has distinct microclimates that growers are learning more about to produce other varieties, like Malbec and Merlot. This trip of a lifetime is just 90 minutes from Santiago by car. Use Upscale travel to plan your perfect trip through the region; activities can include cycling, a helicopter ride, dining with winemakers, and more.

RELATED:

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Backpack Through Bolivia

Bolivia’s salt flats are otherworldly, and the country as a whole is on its way to becoming the next South American hot spot. Contiki’s 13-day Bella Bolivia tour covers tons of ground, starting in La Paz, the capital, and ending in Chile’s Santiago—the first nine days are spent in Bolivia with an included flight to Santiago on day 11. You’ll truly see it all: the cathedrals of La Paz, the Witches’ Market, the white stone buildings in Sucre, Salar de Uyuni (salt flats), Avaroa National Reserve, the Salvador Dali desert, and plenty more to make this trip of life worthwhile.

Go to the Remote Falkland Islands

Getting to these remote and almost-polar islands isn’t easy—or cheap—but this year marks the first new flight route to the U.K. territory since the late ‘90s. Though no date has been set, the flights will go from Argentina to the islands with LATAM Airlines. Intrepid is offering a new-to-2019 tour for eight days, Falkland Island Expedition: Past & Present, which will take you to beaches, nature reserves, and the battlegrounds from the war of 1982. And don’t forget about the wildlife; a king, Magellanic, and gentoo penguins all call this place home.

Polar

Spend a Night on a Glacier in the Arctic Fjords

If Norway’s Arctic fjords are on your bucket list, take your vacation to the next level with a trip to Svalbard. Off the Map Travel’s summer trip to the archipelago includes dog sledding, kayaking, a glacier climb, and the once-in-a-lifetime chance to sleep on a glacier at the Nordenskiold Lodge. Note that you won’t see the northern lights this time of year, but rather experience the “land of the midnight sun,” which also happens to give you the best chance to see polar bears. If you’re looking for a northern lights experience, the tour company has a four-day All Day Aurora tour to the same region.

[amankhuurtrails]

How can you choose the best tour operator?

It is the responsibility of the tour operator to provide a trouble-free travel. For the travel, they plan itineraries and assign all the necessary resources. For example, they may book tickets, hotels, transportation, and other services, as well as manage the itinerary. There is a single fee for all of the aforementioned services. In addition, a number of tour providers focus only on a single location.

When it comes to organising large-scale events, tour operators are just as useful as those who aid with vacations. A tour operator may be a huge asset when it comes to creating large-scale preparations for conferences and meetings in exotic locales. If you're looking to book a flight or a hotel, they're a great resource. Mongolia tours UK are indeed outstanding.

Because of their ability to communicate quickly, they are able to efficiently distribute resources in a short period of time. They may not have the authority to intervene between government authorities, but they may be able to aid you with your visa processing.Mongolia guided tours are preferred by a lot of people.

This trip would not be possible without the assistance of the tour operator. However, be sure that the travel agency you choose has a good track record of providing high-quality service.

However, keep these things in mind while selecting a trip operator.

You want to make sure that they're customized for your chosen location. A more comprehensive search is necessary if this is the case. If this is the case, take note of what they've learned from it. Also take into account how long they want to be gone while planning their trip. Asking for references from prior customers is also a good idea. This informationis often readily available from the best trip companies. Most of the people choose Mongolia bike tours.

Carefully review their trip packages and determine whether your health permits you to participate in the activities included in their itinerary. If not, inquire about other options that may be available. Also, be sure to let them know if you're experiencing any of the health issues.Mongolia Gobi desert tour is indeed very reasonable.

While visiting historical landmarks, inquire as to whether or not a tour guide is available.

Read their rules on refunds, deposits, and bookings in full before making a reservation. In the event of a doubt, don't be afraid to question them.

Find out what is included and what isn't in the price and extras.

They will make arrangements for your travel companions even if you are alone.Make a note of the size of the group.

Last but not least, thoroughly review their terms and conditions.

Choosing a tour operator should be a piece of cake if you know exactly what you're looking for. In general, all travel brokers provide customized itineraries created just for you. Never rush into making a decision on your strategy. Always use your own judgment.

[knowledghhub123]

Akk Crusier's Guide for Travellers

The Silk Route connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, being one of the world’s most ancient and historically important trade routes. The route is not a single path but rather a

network of tributaries spanning over 7,000km. Once used by traders transporting goods varying from gold to melons, military goods to, of course, silk, the term "Silk Road" was coined in the 19th century

by Ferdinand von Richthofen, a German explorer. The route traverses arguably some of the most inhospitable terrains on the planet, covering vast plains and deserts, making this a truly venturesome

land. So it's no surprise that Overlanding and adventure travel originated here, and Dragoman's Overlanding journey begins here. Click here to know more trips along with the Akk Crusier Silk Road.

What to expect: Travelling on the Silk Route

Traveling the Silk Route should be viewed as just that: travel, not as a vacation. It holds endless gems, overflowing with myths and bedded in rich and varied lands. 

There are few means of luxury en-route when not in the cities, with toilet facilities not always being of the highest standards and the traveling conditions can be demanding at times.

However, this is more than outweighed by the magnificent scenery and engrossing culture. As you overland, you will have the

opportunity to see first-hand semi-nomadic farming lifestyles, including hunting using eagles, in contrast to the oil-rich contemporary cities that hinge on the route.

When to visit the Silk Route As the Silk Route covers various countries and climates, the question as to when to travel can seem complicated. The best times of the year to go are late spring and early autumn.

August and September are glorious, with warm days and ripe fruits everywhere, so this would be the best time to visit if you wish to

enjoy the long summer climate. For instance, Central Asia is perfect for sightseeing anytime from March to June as the weather is mild and sunny with little rain.

However, avoid the high summer as the temperatures are incredibly high and the markets become very busy, making an uncomfortable

mix for sightseeing. January In Central Asia in January, the temperatures can be as low as -30 degrees, and as a result, we

would not recommend visiting at this time of year as it can be unbearably bitter. February is cold, but not unbearable, and is a

a superb time to visit if you're looking for a frost-covered landscape with crisp blue skies, but be sure to wrap up warm.

What Visas are needed to visit the Silk Route? Although the visas for central Asia can be complicated, with a bit of planning and preparation, they should be trouble-free. The following advice is to act merely as a guide. Visa requirements often change, so please be sure to check before traveling.

So where should we start? Let’s start with the simplest: no visa is required for Kyrgyzstan for visits of up to 60 days, and UK passport holders can go to Kazakhstan without a visa for 15 days. Beyond that, China, Mongolia, and Tajikistan all require

visas; Azerbaijan requires an E visa; and Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and China all require a letter of invitation. This letter needs to be certified by the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan from a private individual or company to support your

application (tour firms from the UK are able to provide this).

Medicines to take on the Silk Road

There are various medicines that might be required on a Silk Route journey, depending on your route and the climate in which you visit, but here are some suggestions. However, we would also suggest you consult your doctor prior to

traveling. Anti-mosquito spray, cream, or lotion is always a welcome item to have with you. During the summer months, it is essential to be armed with anti-stroke medicines. It would be recommended to pack treatments for colds, diarrhea, nausea, and fever. 

If you insist to know when should go on the trip to these places here are some guides for you for trips, which month is best suitable for you.

January

In Central Asia in January, the temperatures can be as low as -30 degrees, and as a result, we would not recommend visiting at this

time of year as it can be unbearably bitter. February is cold, but not unbearable, and is a superb time to visit if you're looking for a frost-covered landscape with crisp blue skies, but be sure to wrap up warm.

April, March, and May

Spring makes for a beautiful time to visit the Silk Route; the temperatures are around 15-20 degrees, plants are blossoming, and grasslands are rich.

making it a perfect time to visit cities along the Silk Road, although, be warned, this time of the year can be busy along the Silk Route.

June 

is a warm, dry month, making it a perfect time to visit cities along the Silk Road, although, be warned, this time of the year can be busy along the Silk Route.

July and August 

These two months are too hot, with temperatures reaching approximately 40 degrees in the desert areas of the Silk Road. The air is dry, the sand becomes hot to the touch, and there is not much cover for shade.

November

During this month, the weather is less predictable; it is quite cold and can rain often without warning. This cooler weather means that the crowds will lessen.

December

Temperatures during this winter month are incredibly low, reaching -30 degrees, and are not fun for visitors.

Road transport on the Silk Route

Buses are the cheapest form of public transport on the Silk Route, but they are a slower option than rail. An alternative way to use the roads would be to travel in cars, minibusses, or trucks, which are offered by travel companies and some hotels.

Akk Crusier provides the best travel packages not only for the Silk route but also offers the best northeast tour packages for you at affordable prices.

Feel free to contact us for more information or visit here and book an online tour package. Still have questions then contact us direct. We would guide you to choose the best and most affordable tour packages that will not be a burden on your pocket.

[nomadicofbluesky]

Naadam Festival Tour - Festivals are always engrossing for everyone. Naadam festival tours will be a real refreshment for everyone. If you are a wrestling and horse arching fan, then the Naadam festival tour is the best tourist spot. The Naadam festival tour will take place in July month. You can check out the Mongolia tour packages to cover the Naadam festival tour at low prices.

[wemichalsmith]

There is no journey like visiting Mongolia, so whenever you are planning first you need to be sure what all you need for yourself in the tour through best Mongolia travel agency.

[nomadicofbluesky]

Golden Eagle Festival- Mongolia is an excellent destination to enjoy the traditional golden eagle festival. The golden eagle festival held in October is the best way to explore the Kazakh culture. If you are going on a Mongolia tour, you can cover the golden eagle festival. Go ahead! And collect some beautiful memories in Mongolia.

[wemichalsmith]

Mongolia travel agency keeps very busy during this time as it’s something that everybody travelling to Mongolia wants to enjoy so they never miss chance to visit the country during this period of the year.

[newstfionline]

Russia’s Asian and European halves meet and mix in remote Buryatia

Fred Weir, CS Monitor, August 3, 2018

ULAN UDE, RUSSIA--On a June evening, everyone in a downtown restaurant of this river valley city is cheering wildly for Russia’s World Cup soccer team. This is not surprising. Ulan Ude is very much part of Russia.

But this is a Russia remarkably different from expectations in many ways.

The city and the Montana-sized republic of which it is the capital, Buryatia, is unmistakably Asian. Some 2,700 miles to the east of Moscow, Buryatia is physically closer to Mongolia and China than to the land most associate with the word “Russian.” Buryatia’s million inhabitants illustrate its place in between worlds: a mix of ethnic Mongols, descendants of Cossack settlers, and members of a Russian Orthodox sect exiled by the czars, among others. The republic offers proof that Russia is more than the cathedral-and-Kremlin society envisaged by the West.

But while Buryatia’s destiny is married to a Western-oriented Russia, there has been little economic development here since the Soviet Union’s collapse. Buryats appear torn between the perceived opportunities of the red-hot “Asian tiger” economies nearby and the more familiar Kremlin-run programs proposed by Vladimir Putin. The republic has been stalled on this crossroads for almost three decades.

“We can’t have our own economic or social policy here. Everything depends on Moscow,” says Andrei Rinchino, an economist at Buryat State University. “We know there are dynamic economies, like China and South Korea, that are right in our neighborhood,” he says. “About 35,000 young Buryats are guest workers in South Korea at any given time, and we have considerable trade with China, which is just a few hours’ drive away. A lot of young people here are learning to speak Chinese, for practical reasons, but the public mood is quite anti-Chinese. There is a fear that if we let them in, they will buy everything up and squeeze us out.”

Buryats, who make up about half the population, are ethnic Mongols, descendants of Genghis Khan’s hordes that once conquered and ruled over half the known world, including Russia. They still identify closely with their brethren in independent Mongolia just a couple hours away.

Since the Soviet Union’s collapse, Buryats have been embracing their ancestral religion, Buddhism, and the republic’s forested mountainsides and steppes are today dotted with Buddhist monasteries, or datsans, whose soaring pagoda-like temples and cone-shaped stupa reliquaries stand out from miles away.

The origins of the ethnic-Russian half of the population are varied. Some are related to the Cossacks who came to conquer this land in the 17th century in a process analogous to the US settlement of North America. Others are Old Believers, religious dissidents who were exiled from European Russia 250 years ago, who unexpectedly thrived here amid the wilds of Siberia.

At Buryatia’s heart is Lake Baikal, considered to be sacred by native Buryats, and today a recognized UNESCO protected zone. It’s the world’s deepest lake, containing a staggering 22 percent of our planet’s fresh water supplies. It has a unique ecosystem, with scenic rocky shorelines in some places, and broad sandy beaches in others.

It all makes for a surprisingly diverse landscape, and a population who appear--so far--comfortable with their differences. They share the common goal of finding a path out of the economic malaise that has engulfed them since most Soviet-era industries shut down and big Russian companies took over most of Buryatia’s natural resources, such as coal, gold, uranium, and jade. That launched an ongoing exodus that sees the best and brightest young people head for opportunities of Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Given all this, it may seem that developing tourism is an obvious route out of Buryatia’s deep economic torpor. But the republic’s government, which is dependent on subsidies from Moscow to keep operating, didn’t even have an official tourist department until this year.

During the Soviet era, Buryatia was completely closed to foreigners amid security concerns over its military industries and its proximity to Mongolia and China. Only 63,000 foreign tourists came to Buryatia in 2017, the vast majority of them on Mongolian and Chinese bus tours. The Mongolians even come on day trips, and tend to spend very little on local services. Fewer than 100 US citizens spent at least one night in a hotel here in all of 2017.

The new minister of tourism, Maria Badmanatsirevnova, is an enthusiastic booster of her republic, but also cautions that mass tourism is not an option for Buryatia because of environmental concerns around Lake Baikal, the tremendous distance from most of the developed world, and the very short summer tourist season.

Local experts fear there are very few available alternatives to end the exodus of young people and turn the republic’s economic fortunes around.

“If Buryatia is the last on Moscow’s list of priorities, it’s because the situation here is calm and stable. There are no conditions that might lead to a social explosion, or anything that would get the Kremlin’s attention,” says Stanislav Beloborodov, editor of the local edition of the Moscow tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets. “So, we are funded in a minimal way. Enough to maintain national standards, but not enough to engage in any major infrastructure projects or develop new industries.”

And while Buryatia’s Asian neighbors offer alternative ways forward, they generally hold little appeal.

Next-door Mongolia, where traditions and language are almost indistinguishable, has embraced its national independence since the Soviet collapse, and also taken the path of enthusiastic capitalism. Five years ago visa requirements were abolished for Mongolians visiting Buryatia, and the interchange between the two is increasingly intense. But it doesn’t seem to generate any desire for change in the Russian republic.

“Everyone who wants to has visited Mongolia, and nobody idealizes the country or the way they live,” says Tuyana Zondueva, editor of Inform-Polis, an independent local newspaper. “They live differently from us, but not better. They do have a democratic system, and people here discuss that. Some people say that’s a good thing, but others say it’s a big drawback because their government keeps changing. Nobody gets very excited about it.”

Nor does the Chinese model seem to exert much attraction. That could change as Beijing rolls out its $1 trillion “One Belt, One Road” project to restore the old Silk Road--which ran through here--with massive infrastructure upgrades. But any decisions about that would have to be made in Moscow, and no one in Buryatia seems to be holding their breath.

Maybe time, and advancing technology, will bring solutions.

“I have a friend who is a very successful designer of book covers,” Ms. Zondueva says. “He has orders from all over the world, but he lives in Ulan Ude because it’s his native city and the nature around here cannot be matched anywhere else. In future, it may not matter where you live. Let’s hope for that.”