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Should I eat the local food when it is offered
to me?
When visiting local nomadic people you
will generally be offered a cup of tea. This is
the salty, milky variety. Sometimes, especially
in the summer or if they have become very fond
of you, you will also be offered Mongolian vodka
or the local drink 'airag' (fermented mares milk)
There will also be visitors to camp offering 'aaruul'
which is dried curd and is very hard.
It is advisable to drink the tea when in someone's
ger. It is offered in the spirit of friendship
and hospitality so would be rude to refuse. It
is not the best taste first time but you get used
to it and some people actually end up liking it.
Vodka and airag should be drunk with caution especially
airag in large doses as it can do very strange
things to your stomach.
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