Back from Mongolia

R

RML

Guest
Ah! It's been a long time since I last was really active here in RFF.

In the meantime I've been to Mongolia on vacation and I'm writing my blog and posting photos on http://shardsofmongolia.blogspot.com/ .

I'm also doing some photography work for my employer, shooting events concerning the micro financing projects my employer employs.

I'm also putting more attention and time in my family and my "goals and targets".

But I'm ready again to drop in on RFF on a more regular basis. :)

Thanks for having me back. :eek:
 
Interesting tidbits on your blog. From the train schedule, depart Ulan Bator on Thursday, arrive rested and relaxed in Moscow on the following Monday.
 
Welcome back Remy! Things are pretty much the same around here, except for back alley Joe's photo gear, which has gone through 1 or 2 reincarnations while you were away. :)
 
Joe changed gear again?! :)

As to my gear, I get the idea that my R-D1 has developed an disaligned rangefinder. I'm not too surprised about that, really. Though I kept it on my lap (or in a Tenba bag on my lap) during the traveling through the Mongolian countryside, the dirt roads are pretty bumpy. And I schleppt the camera literally everywhere; I did not leave the house without it. After having served me flawlessly for nearly 16 months, I guess it's time now for a little TLC. I just have to make time for it, not easy with a wife going to work, having to catch up with my blog and posting the photos, and an 8 year old demanding I make elderberry jam with her. :)
 
Solinar said:
Interesting tidbits on your blog. From the train schedule, depart Ulan Bator on Thursday, arrive rested and relaxed in Moscow on the following Monday.
Click to expand...

Ah, that's a five day ride by train. It's a great way to travel 5-6000 kilometers. And if you're lucky you travel with some interesting people with a few bottles of vodka and pivo. Buy some bread, smoked sausage, canned fish and a pot of noodles on the platforms (about every 4 hours there's a short stop. For me the stop "Taiga", in the middle of the Siberian taiga was a milestone) and you're settled. Get hot water from the provodnik and pour yourself a nice cuppa tea or joe, sit down and read a good book (can I recommend "Lolita" or "War and peace"?). How can you beat that?

Too bad you end up in Moscow in the end. IMO that's one of the least interesting cities in the world. The Red Square is nice as squares go, the Kremlin is beautiful and can take you have a day, the Pushkin museum was a bit of a let-down but still loaded with master pieces, etc. But the people are really what took away the fun from my stay there. I met just one (1!) nice guy there and he was a portrait photographer with huge, self-built, wooden plate cameras in a basement of a tenament building miles away from the city centre. I'll never go to Moscow again but maybe St Petersburg might tempt me some day (if I don't need any visa).
 
Remy
I know it's not your fault, don't misuderstand me
but you complain about visas - visas are always *both ways*, and they are always invented on* this side*. I bet you wish there would be no suich invention on Earth, but that's not what the average western population wish for.

On another note, I've heard similar complaints about Moscow but I've heard also, that St Petersburg is a magic town well worthy of a long visit.
 
Csab', I'm not against visas. I'm against the incompetence of visa issueing officers, which seems to be a special training they get in Russia. I've never experienced such gross disregard for applicants, their time and their money as when applying for a Russian visa last vacation. I have to apply for a Mongolian visa, too, which is just a matter of two days for a 30-day tourist visa and 38 euro. China, same thing: easy, quick and not too dear. Thailand, again same thing. India, same story. My wife and kid coming to Holland for vacation and, later, for permanent residence: not a hitch.

Russia, however, makes the process extremely difficult (asking for all kinds of proof of travel, proof of residence, personal documentation, etc), extremely long (serving just a handful of applications per hour and not offering an opportunity to just leave the application and needed documentation, and return several days later to collect the visa), and extremely expensive based on arbitrary (or at least unverifiable) rules (Mongolians pay anything from $15-60, Brits pay $60, I had to pay $120) and with random pick-up times (next day is not possible except for Brits, Mongolians can pick it up within 2 days, I had to wait 5 working days or pay double to pick up my visa in 3 days). Visa are fine. I don't really mind having to get one. But making the process as difficult and unpleasant as possible is IMO not necessary. Unless, of course, you don't want me to come there in the first place. :)
 
"Csab', I'm not against visas."
Well... I am. :)

"Unless, of course, you don't want me to come there in the first place."
I think that's the main idea behind visas, LOL. Maybe not YOU, personally, but "bad people".

In my experience, the handling of people, the waiting times etc are all a matter of luck, and more important, personality of the 'ambtenaar' at the consulate. The behaviour of the people at the Dutch consulate in Bucharest, e.g., changed dramatically (improved!) in the last few years. The romanian consulate in the Hague is loaded with extremely helpful and polite people, while the hungarian one...just terrible. If i would quote what the lady told to my Hindi friend (dutch resident), i would get banned from RFF.
On the other hand, the US consulate in Amsterdam e.g. is extremely fair and polite with the clients, but the rules/requirements themselves are breaking some human rights, in my oppinion.

Anyway, when do you have an opening of a photo exhibition, and where?:)
 
Pherdinand said:
Anyway, when do you have an opening of a photo exhibition, and where?:)
Click to expand...

I wish I'd have one some day. I guess I'll have to prepare for one and just see if I can get an exhibition in Mongolia with the help of my brother-in-law. :)
 
Welcome back Remy. Agree about the visa problem, everything is very expensive if you plan a trip from here in the US. As for Moscow and St. Petersburg there is no comparison. St. Petersburg is a wonder and you will need to set aside a few days for the Hermitage alone... :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom