About Sherry Ott

Recent Posts by Sherry Ott

Mongolia: Unavoidable Ulaanbaatar

I instinctively made it to the office building; it had been two years since I was there and even though the buildings around it had changed, the Ger to Ger office building stood out to me teasing my memory and providing me flashes of deja vu. I remembered the stairs, the odd sculpture outside the building, and as I walked through the lobby the sensation of something familiar in this foreign country enveloped me. I walked into the Ger to Ger office and noted that it hadn’t changed a bit. I started browsing through brochures on the wall when a familiar looking woman greeted me and asked if she could help me. I told her I was interested in a short trip to Terelj Park. As I was saying this a flash of discovery came across her face, she wrinkled her brow and said in a part statement, part questioning tone, “I know you – you traveled with us before?”

I was astonished that she would remember me after 2 years, but she did. As we embraced and chatted about what I had been doing for the past two years, Zanjan – the stunning looking manager of Ger to Ger, amazed me by recalling my past details of living in Vietnam, teaching, and being a travel writer.

It was a strange feeling to be back in a city that I had been to before; I seldom revisit places I travel to simply because the world is big and there are so many new things to see. However after seeing Zanjan again it reminded me how comforting it is to be recognized and have a familiar conversation in my constant motion I call “my life”.

I was last in Ulaanbaatar in the summer of 2009, and it has always been one of my least favorite cities in the world. Strangely, the country of Mongolia is one of my favorite countries in the world and it continues to pull me back to its different and simple culture and landscape. However if you are going to travel in Mongolia, you really can’t avoid Ulaanbaatar; it’s a necessary evil.

In many ways Ulaanbaatar was as I remember it; chaotic, difficult to navigate, dangerous (in petty crime ways), and not a place where I enjoy being a solo traveler. As I walked around the tourist area of the city, I was constantly reminded by locals to be careful, don’t walk alone at night, and don’t take out a flashy camera. I also heard tales told of other tourists being mugged, pick pocketed, and simply followed. I remember the familiar feeling of constantly being on edge in Ulaanbaatar.

However in many ways Ulaanbaatar was nothing as I remember it. Buildings sprung up like fresh green stalks in the soil reaching for the sun in the spring time; they were everywhere. I was staying in one of those shiny, new buildings built for the Mongolian and expat elite. Our Mongol Rally sponsor,  Roomorama,  had provided an apartment for our team’s time in Ulaanbaatar. It was a far cry from my previous hostel diggs on my first trip to Mongolia. The apartment was full of the latest amenities and comforts in a city that is anything but comfortable.

Big malls had been built in 2 short years, and it felt as if the population had doubled. High fashion and luxury goods appeared in shiny store windows of new buildings. The streets were at a complete gridlock of a mish-mash of cars from foreign origins. Luxury housing glistened and beckoned those with any bit of money, yet the destitute seemed as worse off as ever. There were more homeless and kids on the street than I recall seeing two years prior.

Basically, it was turning into another overcrowded, poorly planned Asian city.

The city had grown at rapid rates since I was last there. It had a population of 949,000 in 2009 and now in 2011 it has risen to 1.17 million. There is an approximate increase of 35,000 vehicles added to the vehicle pool each year in Ulaanbaatar. The city is complete gridlock and polluted and I have a hard time understanding why people would want more cars when the average speed is slower than a person can walk during rush hour.

There is little urban planning as the city population grows, infrastructure loses the battle to ‘Demand and Desire’ and the whole place appears chaotic. Quality loses out to speed in construction and planning. As I walked around the familiar streets of Ulaanbaatar for days I had the overwhelming feeling of sadness for it. Like you were watching a person gain weight with no idea how they were ever going to get their weight gain under control thanks to a lack of willpower.

It was that sadness and frustration I felt for Ulaanbaatar that ultimately led me to the Ger to Ger office once again. I needed to get out of the overcrowded, dangerous feeling city and instead experience the Mongolia I love. Even though I had just driven through the entire area of Western Mongolia independently with my Mongol Rally team, after just 6 days in Ulaanbaatar I was frustrated and overwhelmed with it. I wanted to breath in the fresh air, see the wide open spaces, peer out into vast nothingness, see the simplicity of herding and nomadic ger life.

My Ger to Ger experience in 2009 was, and still remains, a highlight of all of my travels I’ve done around the world. It was the most immersive, educational, cultural exchange that I had ever experienced. I was excited at the thought of seeing how Ger to Ger had grown in the last two years; but as I peered around the office and talked with Zanjan, it seemed as if nothing had changed. They were still running unique cultural tours in the remote areas of Mongolia. They were still improving the lives of the locals involved in their cultural exchanges, and they still used the exact same cultural handbook.

It was good to see that some things hadn’t changed in Ulaanbaatar.

A Foreign Christmas Asia Style…

One of the most usual sites I witnessed in my travels was experiencing Christmas in Asia. I had been living in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam for 3 months when December 25th rolled around. In a country with no real religion, and no westernized consumerism (yet), Vietnam surprised me with their Christmas spirit.

Christmas in the western world seems to be more economic consumption than religion these days, so why should that be any different in Vietnam? The strange thing is that in Vietnam it seemed to be about neither. There was very little reference to anything religious about Christmas and there was really no one out shopping for gifts except for expats. So why do the Vietnamese care about Christmas? I never really knew, but my first guess was that they like any reason to drive their motorbikes around the city and get out of their homes! I may never understand the Vietnamese fascination with Christmas, but in the meantime, here’s what I was able to observe.

Merry Merry Christmas

Vietnamese referred to Christmas as “Merry Christmas”. For example, I frequently was asked, “Teacher, what are you going to do for Merry Christmas?” I found it kind of charming; it always reminded me that it was a merry holiday. And no matter how depressed I was about being on my own for Christmas, at least I could be doubly reminded that I should be merry.

Decking the Halls

On December 23rd I walked by a crew working at constructing yet another Christmas light display in District 1. In the US, the decorations start going up on November 1st, in Vietnam they go up on December 21st! As I saw the people frantically working to put their fake snowmen together and the reindeer carefully placed near the door, I wondered if they were going to all of this work to simply take it down again in a week. I’m assumed not. Why would anyone go to 2 weeks of work to set something up to simply tear it down again right away? Then again, nothing surprised me in Asia.

When you think of Christmas, you think of Heineken

In the center of HCMC near the market exists the pinnacle of all of Christmas displays; I called it the Heineken Snow Globe. No, it was not an actual snow globe, just a large light display shaped like a dome. I pass this monument to holiday beer (oops, I mean holiday cheer), every day on my way to work. I watched it go up piece by piece over the previous 3 weeks. Men dangled from the scaffolding, a giant disco ball was erected, and carefully placed ‘snow drifts’ were constructed. Then I finally saw it – the familiar green and white logo – a Heineken sign on the Christmas tree. There were Christmas light displays like this all over the city and many of them were sponsored by Heineken for some reason. I even saw a Christmas tree made of Heineken beer cans!

The Festive Smell of Pollution

I thought that the Heineken snow globe was rather impressive…or tacky….I couldn’t quite decide. That probably means I had been in Asia too long. However, I was not the only one who thought it was impressive, the other 7, 999,999 residents of HCMC also thought it was impressive. I believed this because the viewing of the snow globe was a family affair. Instead of hopping in the minivan, the Vietnamese put their family of 4 on a motorbike and took off to go view the holiday lights in District 1. There were lights hanging everywhere in the main part of the city. Displays of elves, reindeer, snowmen, Santa, and even a Winnie the Poo Santa littered the sidewalks. I supposed these lavish displays were in the same vein as window displays in NYC, but no one had a store front big enough to display their Holiday light extravaganza, so it spilled out into the streets; like most of life in HCMC.

The traffic was as unbelievable as seeing reindeer fly. I had never seen such a massive sea of motorbikes. They just slowly circled around and around looking at the light displays. I walked through the heart of Heineken Christmas Village to capture the absolute chaos and culture of the holiday. After an hour of walking around taking pictures of the traffic, families, kids dressed in Santa suits, and the street vendors; I realized that I couldn’t take it any longer. The pollution from the motorbikes was literally going to kill me.

Eat Papa, Eat!

At the snow globe, there weren’t only lights strung from all of the trees, and vendors selling little Santa, lollipops, and devil horns (not sure that those had to do with Christmas), but there was also St. Nick himself. Actually, there were about seven St. Nicks. They were all dressed up in their Santa outfits, shaking the kids hands and taking pictures with them. Of course in true Asian style there was no queue, that would be silly; there were just masses of people pushing and shoving to get to jolly old St. Nick. However I was a bit distraught when his belly didn’t jiggle like a bowl full of jelly. Instead, the belly was non-existent; this Christmasia Santa was a skinny Santa!

 

My ChristmAsia was eye opening, just as every day was living in HCMC. Merry Merry Christmas to all, and to all – let the lights and Heineken shine on. Merry Merry Christmasia!

Bloggers Build Libraries To Support Nepal’s Children

I walked into the brightly colored room with pillows and cushions strewn across the floor; the setting begs you to grab a book and lie down for a good read. Each wall was painted in a primary color; the little mountainside library was full of energy and fun. My eyes immediately went to the rows of bookcases neatly holding stacks of Nepalese and English books. I picked one up, flipped through some of it and saw the familiar logo on the inside front cover – Room to Read donated the books to this tiny village which I called my ‘Nepal home’. I was proud; proud I was a part of putting together this library in the little village of Puma, Nepal.

After volunteer teaching there a year prior in 2008, I had provided the principle with a financial donation to have the bulky library shelves be transported from Besisahar up to Puma which was perched high on a mountainside. It was such a treat to see that the shelves did actually make it up the mountain and had been filled with books just as we had discussed. The books were from Room To Read; an organization which works in collaboration with communities and local governments in developing countries to develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children.

We all frequently read about companies and philanthropic organizations helping out in other countries, but when you can be a part of it, see it with your own eyes, and see the outcome – it takes on a different meaning. It’s one of the most rewarding things about my traveling lifestyle; being able to make a positive impact on a community, family, or person.

We take books for granted. They sit on our shelves, we probably don’t even think about them. They end up in old boxes in an attic, forgotten. But for other countries, books are a commodity in great demand.

Books lead to education, education leads to reducing poverty.

That’s why I was thrilled to hear that Passports with Purpose, the annual travel blogging fundraiser, would be working with Room to Read this year. An organization which I believe in, and I’ve seen in action first hand in Nepal.

Holiday Giving Back

Passports with Purpose raises thousands of dollars each December as they partner with travel bloggers and travel industry leaders to host a large raffle fundraiser; giving away amazing travel prizes for the small price of a $10 raffle ticket. The last few years they raised enough money to build a school in Cambodia and a build a village in India. This year we are raising money to build libraries in Zambia via Room to Read!

The goal is to raise $80,000 through the travel bloggers who secured prizes from travel businesses. It’s really a wonderful way for the whole online travel industry to work together to improve the world in which we travel and do business.

Why should you care?

You should care because I’ve secured a kick ass travel prize from one of my favorite travel companies I worked with this year. In short, I can make your Europe travels this year cheaper and more rewarding – I guarantee it!

In the words of a used car salesman…”You’d be crazy to pass this up!”

I’m so excited to work with a Oh Barcelona this year to give away such a coveted lodging prize. Why? Because it’s not just any company – it’s a company I used when I traveled in Europe this year. I have met the people there, I love how they do business, and I believe in the many benefits of staying in apartments when traveling.
Apartments for Extended Travel – Namely it’s a way to travel slow and integrate into local neighborhoods equaling a more rewarding travel experience.

So – as you do your holiday spending this coming month, take a moment to think about your future travels and consider helping the future of kids in Zambia. It’s a mere $10, such a small amount to make such a large impact. Hell – you’ll simply spend $10 for parking this holiday season as you shop away with no real impact. So put your $10 to good use this holiday and consider giving to Passports with Purpose and consider it a down payment on your future Europe travels!

A huge thanks to Oh-Barcelona apartments for donating the prize on behalf of Ottsworld. If you are planning travel to Europe this year – you must check them out for your Europe apartment rental! Plus – if you have any plans to travel in Barcelona, then don’t miss their Barcelona Blog – it was my best source of information on what to do in Barcelona beyond the tourist sites!

 

How To Make Sure You Fit In Like A Local In Barcelona

We all know how to look like a tourist; carry a camera, map, wear tennis shoes and white socks. But how to you fit into a culture?  There are a few things I observed about the locals in Barcelona and with these tips, you can fit in too.

Carry a fan.

One of my favorite things about Spain culture is the fact that everyone carries a fan. I used to think those fans were just for show – but not at all. I saw them being used on the subway, in the market, walking down the street, by women, by men, and by all ages. I even bought my own.

Stay in an apartment in a local neighborhood.

I found that by staying in an apartment in Barcelona it was a great way to learn more about the locals and see how to better fit in. After all, by staying in a local neighborhood instead of a tourist hotel I was forced to get out to the grocery store, meet neighbors, and see the day to day life in Barcelona.

Stay up late.

This culture is all about late nights. People don’t go to eat here until around 10PM, which means on a weekend they go to the bars at midnight and clubs not before 3AM. All ages seem to be out late – kids, grandparents, and of course teenagers. Granted – I don’t think everyone goes clubbing, but they do enjoy the late nights and being outside.

Take a nap.

The Spanish really do have the right idea – you are never too old for a nap. If you are going to stay up late, then you better make sure you get your siesta from 2 to 5PM. Prior to siesta, everyone goes to the market gets what they need, goes home, makes lunch, and then promptly takes a nap. Granted – not everyone does this, but they should!

Shop with wheels.

The sidewalks are littered with bags on wheels. Since Barcelona is traditional European city, there are no real big ‘super-stores’, instead the locals simply walk to their neighborhood market and get what they need on a frequent basis. Since everyone walks, they all pull a little bag with wheels to put all of their shopping purchases in and then wheel them back home. In grocery stores they even have a little ‘parking’ area for these carts so you can store your wheelie bag while you shop.

Eat Small.

It’s all about tapas – small bites with wine. I have yet to see many restaurants where you sit down and have a big meal. Instead people tend to eat small amounts and eat frequently.  My neighborhood was full of little tapa restaurants where the locals would sit, eat, drink, and gossip.

When you travel to Barcelona, make sure you wander out of the touristy Las Ramblas and see how the locals live when in Barcelona!

Spanish Food Specialties

Instead of photos of grand landscapes,  today I tempt your taste-buds…with delectable Spanish food. I was in Spain for 3 weeks this summer and had the opportunity to eat at high end and rustic places. I even learned how to cook Spanish food for myself.  Spain is full of regional food specialties, however on this trip I was only in Valencia and Barcelona, but both were packed with food options. So, pull up a chair, tuck the napkin into your collar, pick up a fork, and join me for this photo feast!

Paella

Valencia is known for it’s paella.  A traditional rice dish normally made with meat, vegetables, or seafood is made in a special paella pan.  A very, very big pan.

Tapas

Tapas are part of the Spanish way of life. Whenever you go to a bar and buy a drink, you’ll be served small portions of food – anything from a few nuts or a bowl of olives to a mini gourmet meal. I went on a Tapas tour of Barcelona sponsored by Viator Tours  and learned a bit about the tapas culture in Barcelona…not to mention was able to taste a few too! The word tapa means ‘lid’ or ‘covering’ and according to tradition the first tapas were slices of ham placed over a glass to keep the flies out. Now they’ve turned into a artistic presentation of a variety of foods that you nibble with your glass of wine to hold you over until dinner time.

Spanish Specialties

Pork

I fell in love with the cured pork called Jamón ibérico, (cured ham leg from the black Iberian pig).  I ate it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

 

Tomatoes

 

Gazpacho – a cold tomato soup.  Mmmmm – so fresh!

Salted Cod

The flavor is magnificent!  You soak the cod and remove the salt before serving, leaving a flavorful fish feast!

Drinks

And of course you have to have something to wash all of that yummy food down with.

Horchata (orxata de xufa) is the Spanish drink made from made from tigernuts, water, and sugar.  In the summer it’s served with ice and a little pastry for dipping!

Or if you are looking for alcohol, then you must have a Mojito while in Spain!

Bottom’s up and bon appetit!

Disclosure:  Oh Barcelona Apartments is hosting my accommodation in Barcelona. My trip to Valencia and surrounding areas was provided by Tour Spain and Valencia Tourism. However, all of the opinions expressed here though are my own – as you know how I love to speak my mind!

London’s Fabulous Commitment to History, Museums & Culture

London has done it right, they’ve made their many museums completely accessible to everyone.  Unlike other art hub cities (ahem…New York City) – London has made their museum admission completely free encouraging everyone to enjoy and hopefully appreciate the art treasures inside.  I only had a short time in London, but I was able to get to a couple of museums thanks to the ‘free’ policy.

The free policy allows you to simply make a quick stop in a museum and stay for a couple of hours to maybe see a particular wing or exhibit and not feel like you have to spend the whole day there to recoup the value of the ticket.    My stops included the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum (which is massive).  I ran out of time for the modern art I wanted to see, but I know that next time I’m back in London I can simply pop on it for a bit and check it out!

London is full of museums, so be sure to make a stop in a few of them…you don’t have to stay long!

 

 

To learn more about the free museums in London and get a complete list of London museums, check out Visit London website.

 

London is Getting Ready for Those Olympic Lodging Games

London is getting ready; it’s digging, building, expanding, erecting, tearing down, wiring, and preparing for the world’s summer party – the Olympics. During my visit there this summer it was evident the moment I walked off the train in St. Pancras station.

My heart went a flutter when I looked up and saw the 5 shiny, colorful rings placed high in the rafters. That’s when I was reminded that London was getting ready for the world to arrive; so many nationalities from Europe would be arriving on a train like I did that morning. They will be pouring into London with anticipation and excitement to see the opening ceremonies.

When I stepped outside the station it hit me…jackhammers and horns invaded my ears and I looked around to see more cranes around me than trees. London was preparing rapidly and I wondered if they would ever get done in time. It reminded me of when I visited Beijing in 2007 as they were hectically putting the finishing touches on their big Olympic party preparations. Somehow they pulled it off and I’m sure London will do the same.

I looked around this already crowded, heavily touristed city and wondered – where will all of these people stay during the Olympics? I’m sure some Europeans may just take the train in for the day and not even bother with accommodations in London when it’s only an 2 hour train ride to Brussels or Paris. However people coming in from further distances will most certainly be fighting for hotel rooms and hostel bunks.

If you are looking for Olympic lodging, then don’t forget to check out the less obvious places such as Couchsurfing or Tripping (hospitality networks where locals invite you into their homes for cultural exchange), and certainly don’t forget short-term apartment rentals.

In my recent trip to London our Mongol Rally sponsor, Oh London, put us up in one of their short-term apartment rentals. Apartments have turned into my favorite ways to travel lately. This summer it was the perfect way to experience London, save money, and be ultra comfortable. Four of us stayed in a local neighborhood close to the tube, and were able to save money by eating in and doing our own laundry.

It’s most convenient to use apartments when you are traveling with a group of 3+ people or are staying in a location for an extended period of time.

For the 4 of us we had plenty of room to spread out, and had two bathrooms. We could all sit in the living room and utilize the wireless in comfy chairs. The cost of the apartment was about the same or slightly less than a hotel in which 4 of us would have been crowded into one little hotel room with two beds all sharing one bathroom!

If you are in a location for a longer period of time (5+ days), then you can also save money by going to the local grocery store and buying your own food which can be utilized over a number of days. Even if you just plan on eating breakfast in the apartment you can save money. Think about buying one bag of coffee for $12 that can be used for the whole 5 days of your stay or stopping at Starbucks and buying a latte every day at $3.50 for 17.50 multiplied by 4 people equaling $70 just for coffee!

If you are considering a trip to London this summer to watch the summer games, then start to consider your lodging choices early and make sure that you don’t overlook short and long term apartment stays as a great place to rest your weary Olympic feet.

Learn more about the pros and cons of utilizing apartments when you travel.

London’s Infamous Borough Market

I am a sucker for the ‘M’ word…no, not men…markets.  Markets are fascinating to me, I can wander around them for hours and looking at the perfectly placed produce, marvel at new shapes and smells, or watch the interactions with the sellers and customers.  I can appreciate dirty, smelly markets as well as upscale markets; yet I must admit that I prefer the dirty, smelly ones!  So when a friend recommended I go check out the Borough Market  in London this summer, I didn’t even hesitate.  I picked up my camera and took the tube to go check out Borough Market which was nestled under railway viaducts near London Bridge.

I went early to avoid crowds and figured that all the best stuff would be there early.  However, to my surprise many of the stalls hadn’t opened up yet!  Apparently this wasn’t like Asian markets where things opened as the sun came up in order to beat the heat.  I continued to wander around with my camera watching vendors get set up for the day feeling as if I wasn’t actually a tourist, but instead that I was part of the market atmosphere prepping for a date.  The upside was that I had the place to myself.  The downside was that there wasn’t as much food out to sample!

Borough Market was definitely more upscale than what I’m used to and had all varieties of prepared food as well as fruits and vegetables.  But I think my favorite thing about it was the location of it under the viaduct and the hundreds of tiny little restaurants which surrounded the market.  All looked so yummy and made me wish I could come back later that evening for dinner!  But, for this trip to Borough Market all I could do was look around, take pictures, and interact with the vendors.  Just what I love to do!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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