Mongolian steppes

Hi everbody!

It has been a bit more than a month now that I started my trip and a week in a raw that I’m in Mongolia. I just spent 4 amazing days crossing the Mongolian steppes. Speechless !

Mongolia is an awesome country, bluffing, touching. In order to experiment typical Mongolian family life style, we’ve been driving to the West of Ulaan Baatar together with my 6 trip mates. 1 from New Zealand, 1 from Croatia, 1 from Japan, 2 other frenchies and our driver named Irka.

Pictures are explicit themselves, I let you admire them right away. Credit to Taka for some of them. Thanks!
Bruno

SenseFood Explorer

See you in Brazil !

images-2Congrats. Blues!

Well, I admit I really thought I’ll be the only french guys going to Brazil next summer… I feel stressless.
Who’s gonna get its tickets?? Let me know if you do!
By the way, here are the last news from Mongolia :
– My Chinese VISA is in progress, it took me 20 minutes at the Chinese embassy, and cost me 22€.

– I’m organizing a 3-4 days trip to the steppes with other backpackers.
– I’ve found few signs of sustainable development and social entrepreneurial activity in Mongolia. A firm which selling American bio products, even if we still can wonder if imported bio is really sustainable or not… and tones of Toyota Prius! I wonder if this car isn’t actually the most popular one in Mongolia, and I still dunno why. However it is really interesting to see no problem with electric batteries here, whereas in France batteries are loosing power while temperature drops below 0˚C. The only fair trade shop in Mongolia, a french-mongolian social local business which is making cheese while keeping traditional methods of production. And last but not least, a Mongolian lombricompost sold in a shopping center!!! to explore more!

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Bruno 

SenseFood Explorer

Oulan Bator !

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Hi everybody,

Here I am! Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, a dream for many travelers…

After 31 more hours in Trans-Mongolian Railway, which seemed to me really fast compared to the 87 hours spent on the Trans-Siberian Railway, I’m now safely arrived on Gengis Khan hometown (you can notice him at the background of the place I’m standing at, place that I don’t even know the name yet).

For those who still worry about the temperatures here, I’ve checked -9˚C freshly arrived at 5am local time. So, I’ve finally decided to wear my beanie kindly offered by Anna from Moscow! Thanks Anna 😀 I must dedicate an entire post to this topic forecast ‘cause I think it’s on the top 3 of questions asked by people. « Don’t you feel too cold there? ». Can’t wait for Hong Kong’s worries : « Don’t you feel too hot there? » … 😀

Yesterday morning was pretty productive : I got the form in order to apply Chinese VISA. I found a french bakery :D, I found 2 veggie restaurants and the only fair trade shop of Mongolia. I’ve also visited some Mongolian temples and changed my Russian currency « Rouble » into local currency « Trogol » with also few Dollars needed for Chinese VISA.

The night spent at the backpacker dorm looked like a lovely mix of cultures. We were 11 of us staying at the cosy place named Golden Gobi area : Among us 2 from Brazil, 1 from Japan, 1 from Croatia, 1 girl from Finland, 1 girl from Canada, 1 from Wales, 1 from Argentina, 1 from New Zealand, 1 from Germany, 1 French (myself) and 1 amazing Italian so cliché who always has something to tell, speaking as well with his hands as with his mouth, and knowing almost all the world langages… well, almost…

Well, today’s duty is : red tape to complete my Chinese VISA application, which is a real « casse-tête chinois » (french joke meaning brainteaser)… organizing a pony steppes exploration maybe??? and search for local social entrepreneurs and food senses makers.

I still don’t understand how to say good bye, then see ya !

Bruno

Food Sense Explorer

Irkoutsk, finally !

IMG_20131113_114756After 87 hours of a very, very long trip, that’s it, i crossed the Siberia !! Irkoutsk, here i am ! What’s an adventure my friends ! It was a unforgeatable moment. Some greats meeting and a lot of story to tell. I had the time to write them and i will write these to you in a next post. This one was to give news to my mom… 🙂

8h of time lag from France, 1PM in the morning, i will rest in the cozy bed of the Youth Hostel.

And for you information, i don’t get cold ! Not yet ! We got 0°C here.

See you soon,

Bruno

SenseFood Explorer 

Check @Iekaterinbourg

Check, 40 minutes stop at Iekaterinbourg ! Already 2 nights and 34h in the trans-Siberian. 53 hours left !

The sensedrink has begun !

Continue to send me text message, you are amazing ! See you soon for the pics.
Bruno
Sense Food Explorer

87 hours…

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Ciao Moscou !

I will take the Tran-Siberian tonight ! 87 hours by train my friends, that is to say no less than 4 nights !

For those who wonder how much it costs, I paid about 100€. Not so expensive to cross an entire continent !!

Now, the challenge is to get my Mongol visa in one day at Irkoutsk!

I think my French phone number will still works inside the train. Don’t hesitate to send me text messages !!! Departure at 0:35 tonight !

Kiss,

Bruno

SenseFood Explorer

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SenseDrink Moscow

fotoznak_201311090200Sense Drink Moscow ! 

Wouaaaaah ! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you so much !

It was such a an extraordinary  time ! We  were  30 of us  yesterday  evening  in  the  Daily

Telegraph kitchen, at 5 minutes from the Red Place.

We  cooked  together  different  products,  and  I cooked  with  my  Russian  friends  a  good  French ratatouille. I added my little personal touch: honey.

I  met  a  lot  of  people  working  for  sustainable  development  in  Russia:  Slow  Food  Moscow,  a cooperative of  fare trade coffee, local producers, a start-up which makes chocolate in a traditional way, an association of sustainable development education… and also the great Yulia Razumova from Cook & Talk who helped me to organize this event and hosted me! Congratulations Russia, keep it up and I am sure that I will come back soon to see you!
But not before 375 days!

Spasibo!

Bruno

SenseFood Explorer ! 

Night train Saint Petersbourg – Moscou !

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Well, I put my hood to face the night I will spend on the train! Check out this evening at 11:36 p.m. to Moscow, arrival at 6:35!

Super welcoming in St. Petersburg, I recommend “Soul Kitchen Hostel” if you go by there! Cheap, very clean, very friendly, and full of communal areas. Anyway, I want to come back yet 🙂

Good evening!

Bruno

SenseFood Explorer