5 consecutive overnight trains to reach Mongolia for this damn festival. was it worth it? my pictures say yes, my sensitive buttcheeks say no. only history will tell.

the Nadaam Festival is Mongolia's premiere national event complete with all sports related to their heritage and nomadic lifestyle: archery, wrestling, horse racing and an obscure event called anklebone shooting. in the world's least populated country (4.3 people per square mile) where many people still practice a nomadic lifestyle, these sports take on a greater meaning due to the simple fact that they're not intended solely for the delight of overweight package tourists. the festival is kicked off by Olympics-esque opening ceremonies and doesn't finish until 3 days later when a ceremonial sheep is gently escorted out of Ulan Bataar's central stadium. honestly, i couldn't make up the bit about the well dressed ceremonial sheep if i wanted to.

and here, some teaser photos (more to come eventually):

female archer:

(more fotos after the jump)