Mongolia Brief February 5, 2015 Part II
Fire
at Khaan Ger extinguished after ten-hour firefight
By M. Zoljargal
February 5 (UB
Post) A fire broke out at Khaan Ger restaurant on Wednesday afternoon, at
around 3:30 p.m. Firefighters managed to prevent the spread of the fire by 8:30
p.m., and it was fully extinguished after a ten-hour firefight, at 1:49 a.m.
A team of 70
firefighters from Fire Division No.10 worked together at the scene in the
Sukhbaatar District, and used a total of 203 tons of water. As the building
housed a large amount of alcohol and a brewery, the team struggled against
intense flames.
The street
between the University of Arts and Culture and Grocery Store No.4 was
temporarily closed during the fire.
Reports say
that the two-hour fight to contain the fire was complicated by highly-flammable
construction materials, and that the fire was close to spreading to a
neighboring apartment building and daycare center. Apartment residents and
preschoolers were immediately evacuated to safety.
Employees of
the restaurant, part of the Nomads Chain Restaurant were standing outside but
refused to talk about the possible cause of the fire. A preliminary
investigation suggests that the restaurant’s kitchen caught fire close to where
the on-site brewery was located.
The
firefighters first removed oxygen tanks, gas, and highly-flammable items from
the restaurant to prevent explosions, reported D.Erdenebaatar, Chief of the
Fire Fighting Department at the National Emergency Management Agency.
A few cars
parked outside the restaurant were damaged when a fire truck ladder fell on
them. A team of doctors was ready at the scene of the fire in the case of any
burns or injuries, although no one was hurt in the incident.
The owner of a
building next to Khaan Ger, N.Tsegmid, said during the fire that the
restaurant’s building was constructed without a permit and expressed criticism.
“The fire at Khaan Ger is affecting my building. If the Specialized Inspection
Agency and General Planning Authority fulfilled their duties properly, we
wouldn’t be facing financial losses caused by the fire. I had to close my small
cafeteria and karaoke business in the building I own, and had the gas and
electricity shut off,” he highlighted.
Chief
D.Erdenebaatar responded to the complaints, citing, “The recording studio,
cafeteria, and karaoke businesses are located near the restaurant and they were
not damaged, although smoke from the fire entered the buildings. Inspectors
will recheck the building’s construction permit to respond to the complaints.”
The
firefighters extinguished the fire with modern equipment, including a fire
truck made in Japan in 2013, as well as gas masks made in South Korea
specifically for fire fighting.
The
firefighters sprayed water from the roof of the building, breaking through the
roof to effectively reach the focus area of the fire.
The
restaurant’s building was constructed in 1957, and is located across the street
from the Creativity Center for Children. The second floor is completely ruined,
while the first floor was saved, according to representatives of the National
Emergency Management Agency.
Related:
Extinguished fire at "Khaan
Ger" restaurant for 10 hours – gogo.mn,
February 5
Explore
Northern Mongolia in Winter: The Huvsgul Lake
February 5
(gogo.mn) Wondering where to go and what to do during the long weekend at
Tsagaan Sar, which is just in a couple of weeks? We are suggesting you to visit
the beautiful Lake Huvsgul – so called the Blue Pearl of Mongolia. And I know
it’d sound quite extreme - it must be freezing cold out there!
The pristine
Lake Huvsgul is 2 million years old, and makes up to 1% of the world’s total
fresh water reserve. The Huvsgul stretches for 136km in the Alpine-like
mountains, and the deepest point of the lake is 262m. The Huvsgul region itself
is a home to the Tsaatan – Reindeer Herders of Mongolia, an ethnic group famous
for their distinctive lifestyle based on keeping reindeers in the depth of the
Taiga.
The Huvsgul
Lake is a part of the Huvsgul National Park. A small village Hatgal is at its
southern shore and is a popular destination among locals and visitors both in
summer and winter. Located at an altitude of 1645 meters above sea level the
Lake freezes over from December until April or May revealing fantastic lacy ice
patterns. Some visitors even imagine that the Lake ice doesn’t melt away even
in summer!
You can enjoy
spending a few days at the beautiful Lake and do some winter hiking in the
woods, reindeer sledding, ice fishing, and horse or yak riding, besides
visiting a nomad family or two to see their lifestyle in the winter.
Moreover, when
the large lake is frozen solid up to 3 meters deep, that Huvsgul’s most famous
event takes place – the Ice Festival! At the beginning of March the two day Ice
Festival is held on the frozen lake with locals and visitors partaking. Events
include a gala opening ceremony on the ice, a folklore concert, shaman ceremony
and many competitions featuring ice sculptures, ice ankle bone shooting, plus
horse, reindeer sled, jeep and ice skating races. Winter sports include
downhill and cross-country skiing, ice-fishing contests, a 100 kilometre
ice-skating marathon and a 12 kilometer horse sleigh race.
Where to stay:
·
Ashihai Resort is operating this winter by the
shore of the Lake (106km from Murun), and provides comfortable traditional Ger
accomodation and luxury wooden house starting from 100 USD. Ashihai Resort
contact number is: 7000-5459; 9926-4484 (English & Mongolian speaking) Or
you can email at info@ashihai.mn
·
MS Guesthouse in Khatgal village (100km from
Murun) is open all year around, and offers bed & breakfast at 20000 MNT per
person (charges extra for other meals & activities). You can get more info
from Mrs. Batchimeg (her mobile is 8836-7666, English & Mongolian
speaking).
Getting there:
·
You may want to drive yourself, in this case,
from Ulaanbaatar to Murun is 760km. And from Murun to Khatgal it’s 100km, and to
Ashikhai Resort it’s 106km.
·
Or you can take the Ulaanbaatar – Murun bus
service at 3pm everyday (arrives in Murun by 10am next day) – the bus leaves
from Dragon Centre (ticket price is 32000 MNT one way. Tel: 70174902). Both
Ashihai Resort & MS Guesthouse offer pick up & transfer service from
Murun.
Prepared by
Zola, Managing partner of Selena Travel for GoGo Travel. © All rights reserved
2015.
Composition
of sub-committee changed
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar,
February 5 (MONTSAME) At its plenary meeting on Thursday, the parliamentary
session discussed its draft resolution on altering a composition of the
Sub-committee of parliament on local governance.
A proposal and
conclusion of the Standing committee on state structure was presented by
M.Batchimeg MP. She said this matter was considered earlier on Tuesday by the
committee, and that a proposal from the Democratic Party’s faction was backed
on letting N.Batbayar and S.Bayartsogt MPs join this Sub-committee.
After Mr
Batchimeg, the plenary meeting gave its 85.4% votes for the above draft
resolution.
US
Ambassador cuts ribbon at ceremony
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar,
February 5 (MONTSAME) The US Ambassador to Mongolia Ms Piper Anne Wind Campbell
attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday for opening a new construction and
renovation projects at the "Five Hills" military training center in
Ulaanbaatar, the US Embassy’s website published.
Apart from the
US Ambassador, the ceremony brought together Mr Ts.Tsolmon, Mongolia’s Minister
of Defense; Lieutenant-General Byambajav, a head of the General Headquarters of
Mongolian Armed Forces, and other officials.
The projects
are funded by the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) at the U.S.
Department of State.
The ceremony on
Monday officially turned over a soldier’s barracks, a dining facility, and a
shower and laundry facility that have been completely renovated. The remaining
projects will be completed by November of 2015 and include a new multipurpose
training facility, a new military vehicle garage, a new field latrine, a
renovated field dining facility, and several projects to upgrade the
electricity and water infrastructure. This construction is a part two of GPOI
funding. Part one GPOI construction projects were completed from 2006-2008.
This initiative
is meant to assist the Mongolian military with improving the training of its
soldiers for United Nations peacekeeping missions.
Also on hand at
the ceremony were Colonel Christopher Lestochi, Mr Randy Bowker and Mr Jathan
Garrett from the U.S. Corps of Engineers.
President’s
Office receives representatives from Aabar Investments
February 5
(news.mn) Head of the President’s Office P.Tsagaan has received representatives
of Aabar Investments from the United Arab Emirates.
Head of Finance
at Aabar Investments Andrew Thornber, Chairman of Gobi Coal and Energy LLC Mo
Munshi, President of Razia Group of Industries Joseph Boroski, and
M.Choidorj from Gobi Coal and Energy LLC attended the meeting.
During the
meeting, Thornber and Munshi stressed that it is very important to keep a
stable investment and legal environment in Mongolia.
Aabar
Investments is a private sector joint investment fund from the United Arab
Emirates. Its head office is located in Abu Dhabi, and the main activity of the
fund is investments in the mining, immovable property, energy, banking, and
financial sectors.
The fund has
cooperated in investments in Mongolia's mining and financial sectors and
representatives of the fund mentioned during the meeting that they are
interested in making additional investments.
They Aabar
Investments representative stated that they value Mongolian democracy and
believe in the value of further cooperation.
Related:
"Investment
environment and its legal term should be stable and understandable" – Montsame, February 5
P.Tsagaan receives Aabar
Investments representatives – UB Post,
February 5
Maternity
house to be commissioned in Amgalan
By B.
Amarsaikhan
Ulaanbaatar,
February 5 (MONTSAME) Actions were included in the Social and Economic Plan of
Ulaanbaatar for 2015 such as commissioning of a maternity house in Amgalan town
with 150 beds and of a General hospital with 300 beds in a second khoroo of
Nalaikh district, informed the Municipality administration Wednesday.
Constructions
of a Narcology Clinic and a health center in Tuul town, and of a health center
in Khonkhor town will be conducted under concession agreements within this
year.
The
administrators reflected in Ulaanbaatar’s budget for 2015 the construction of
three pediatric hospitals each with 100 beds, to be located in Chingeltei,
Khan-Uul and Bayanzurkh districts. The decision was made due to citizens’
requests addressing the current situation and increased occupancy in existing
hospitals of the city.
O.Baasankhuu
MP turns 40
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar,
February 5 (MONTSAME) The Speaker of parliament Z.Enkhbold Thursday received
O.Baasankhuu on his 40th year birthday and gave him a silver cup with a silk
scarf.
The Speaker
greeted the parliamentarian on his 40th year birthday and wished him success.
Oktyabr
Baasankhuu graduated from the city’s 42nd secondary school in 1992 and the
School of Law at the Mongolian State University (MSU) in 1997. He worked as a
teacher in the Institute of State Administration and Management Development in
1997-1999, as a chair of the “Delgerengui khuuli” /Laws in details/ NGO in
1998-2011. He has served as a non-staff member of the Committee for Human
Rights at the Mongolian President, and as a legal advisor to the Embassy of
Japan in Mongolia between 2008 and 2012.
He was elected
the MP in 2012.
Mongolians
to compete in memory tournament
By B. Khuder
Ulaanbaatar,
February 5 (MONTSAME) A national team of Mongolia with six players from the
Intellectual Academy of Mongolia will take part in the Extreme Memory
Tournament of the world’s top 24 competitors.
The competition
will run this May 2-3 in San Diego of the USA. The qualification competitions
have taken place online for the Extreme Memory Tournament-2015, Mongolia was
represented by nine players. Grandmasters S.Tsogbadrakh, S.Akjol,
E.Purevjav, also junior world champion E.Enkhmoron, a gold medalist of Memory
World Cup T.Myagmarsuren, and a junior international champion T.Enkhjin have
achieved the right to compete in the USA.
During the
qualification tournament, E.Enkhmonkh and S.Akjol won gold medals in the
“numbers” and “names and faces” events, respectively. Silver medals went to
E.Enkhmonkh and T.Enkhjin.
The Extreme
Memory Tournament will also be participated by Germany, Sweden, England, the
USA, the Philippines and Norway.
E.Sugarmaa:
Our customers love seabuckthorn chocolate
By A.
Narantsatsral
February 5
(gogo.mn) “Chocolate Paradise” handmade chocolate shop had opened in front of
the State Department Store. Even, operating for only five months, they already
had regular customers.
We are
delivering the interview with E.Sugarmaa, director of the “Chocolate
Paradise” shop.
- When did you open the shop? How you made
the products?
- I opened
my “Chocolate Paradise” shop in the middle of August, 2014. I truly love
to eat chocolate. Thus, I had learnt the technology to make chocolate.
Perfection requires many to do. Anyway, I learned and found the method.
- Share us the recipe of your chocolate?
- I purchase
all recipes and raw materials including dried friuts, variety of nuts from US.
I use E.Guittard brand`s raw material for the chocolate. I regularly
changing the choice of the chocolate. There are minimum of 14-16 chocolate
choices. The main focus is taste. For example, I prefer to put spicery or
ginger to dark chocolate than making typical dark chocolate.
- Does it mean that there is no such a
delicious chocolate in Mongolia?
- I think there
are no handmade, unique and delicious chocolate in Mongolia.
- There are many handmade chocolate shops
in abroad.
- I agree with
you. Especially, handmade chocolates are very popular in abroad. In Addition,
handmade chocolates are expected as luxury consumption. Our shop has
kitchen inside besides no chemicals were added in our chocolates.
- Color and paintings of chocolates are
looking very attractive?
- It is not
suitable to use food coloring which is being sold at markets, chocolate has
dedicatory coloring itself.
- How do customers feel when they taste
your chocolates?
- People are
realizing the existence of handmade chocolate, recently. Some people seems
wondered and say "how delicious" after tasting.
- Have you thought about opening the
branch?
- First of all,
I want to expand my shop to chocolate cafe in further. Currently, it is
relatively new business.
- Valentine and International Women`s day
are coming. What are you planned?
- Actually,
I`ve planned lot to do. We made red, heart-shaped chocolates and heart-shaped
lolipops. We are planned to make brand new products in this week. In scope of
International women`s day, we planned to make special chocolates dedicated to
mothers and women. The main focus is the taste. In other hands, we had trying
to keep tradition of Mongolia. For example, we have seabuckthorn dark
chocolate. People extremely loved it. Also, we
make seabuckthorn marmalades, blueberry chocolate and
marshmallow.
Link to
interview
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