First off, my apologies as this is going to be brief -- probably tantalizing and I hope you'll come back as time allows me to post things before we leave Mongolia for Siberia next week.
The group is all tucked into the Best Western Tuushin hotel here in Ulaanbaatar after an astonishing five days of pure magic as we moved across the Mongolian countryside having one remarkable experience after another. Part of the cause of it all has been our tour guide, Chimgee -- a bright young woman who has helped us see and understand the heart of Mongolia.
We've stayed most nights in traditional Mongolian gers, and have sat in them with families and had round-table discussions with Mongolians eager to know what we think of their incredible country. A temple hidden in the mountains that barely survived the 1930s purges -- the slaughter of the religious communities all over Mongolia and Siberia orchestrated by Stalin. We've watched up close and personal those cocky young Mongolian boys as they raced across the landscape...and on and on.
I'll post a few photographs to keep you interested and then will try and fill in some of the blanks. All's well out here if you're checking in on the health and well-being of family members in the group or friends.
More to come.
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| Chimgee amazing the History Dude, UB |
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| Ulaan Baatar - as seen from Zaisan Hill -- astonishing building and development going on here. |
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| Chinggis Khan vodka -- his name and face appear everywhere. |
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| Bayangobi ger camp breakfast. They're not starving! |
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| Chimgee explaining the intricacies of the Uvan khiid a temple now being re-born in the mountains of Mongolia. |
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| We road camels -- long enough to get saddle sores. |
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We watched Mongolian sunsets from our gers. |
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| The group - left to right standing - Mike Donnelly, Barbara McCrary, Lud McCrary, Mary Lynne Donnelly, Barbara Canfield, Janet Jones, Pat Loughlin, and Joe Jedrychowski. Front row, left - Sandy Lydon, Annie Lydon, and Chimgee. |
