RANSVESTIA

Greece, etc. But there was nothing. Well, almost nothing. They have excavated the area and uncovered the bases to about eight columns that used to support the roof of the palace. Today they are just circular flat stones level with the surrounding terrain. Hardly worth the trip except to say, "I've been to Genghis Khan's home- town."

Back in the hotel in Ulan Bator, things came to a head between my roommate and me. For sometime back she had been sullen and not speaking. Then we began to have arguments about leaving the win- dows open at night. Daytimes she was the first to complain in the bus if the windows were closed but at night she wanted them closed and I wanted some air. So I'd arranged them in such a way that they opened toward my bed and away from hers and went to take a shower. When I came back, in my pajamas, I found them closed and proceeded to open the one by my bed. She climbed out of hers and before I knew what was happening she had pushed me away from the window and down on the bed tearing the top of my pajamas away from the shoulder strap in the process. When I could get out from under her and back on my feet I grabbed her wrist and folded it over in a very painful way-if you continue to struggle. I'm afraid Charles had taken over control instinctively until I suddenly realized that to let the little tiff get out of hand, whereby I might be revealed, would hardly be the wisest thing. It would be pretty disconcerting to have that happen anywhere, but in the middle of Mongolia where the only way out was back through the USSR didn't seem a very smart idea so I cooled it. But the window stayed open. She relapsed into silence and I informed her that as soon as we arrived in Japan I was paying the difference and getting a private room. This meant that she had to come up with the difference, too, which didn't make her any too hap- py. But I retained my identity.

Mongolia is a client state of the USSR. Although it is nominally in- dependent, has a separate vote in the UN, etc., it is dependent on the USSR. Their planes are all Russian and factory equipment comes from Russia, too. It is, of course, a socialist country with the usual slogans all over the place and the inevitable Lenin square in front of the "city hall." The people are friendly, proud and ambitious. They evidently learn certain bad habits easily, too. I found the greatest rip-off of all time going on there. I wanted to buy some Mongolian stamps for a collector friend at home so I went to the post office. With the help of sign language and a few German words translated by another tourist, I let it be known that I wanted to buy a certain set whose collective

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