Halloween in Mongolia!

October, 7-day tour of northern Mongolia with Morene, 3rd grade teacher from ASU.

We stopped at this ger to stretch our legs.  The Mongolians are very friendly and always invite you in to have milk tea and biscuits.  You can see the biscuits "baking" in the sun.  For most of our trip we stayed in similar gers.  There's no running water and only the wide open spaces! 

We climbed all types of terrain in this vehicle!

Our tour guide, Oogii preparing lunch out of the back and our driver.  The two of them were so amazing!!!

We had pasta for lunch with a view of the rolling hills.  How did she do it?!

On our way to Lake Khuvsgul, but first a stop at Amarbayasgalant Monastery.

A view from the monastery of a Buddha statue.

As you walk up the stairs to the statue you pass three drums that you turn and circle three times in meditation.

A view from the top.  Much of the monastery was destroyed by the Russians, but around 1990 with the help of various organizations a lot has been restored.  Our ger is on the right. 

The monks are preparing for their ceremony.  Today 30 monks live here compared to 2000 in 1936.

We stopped at another ger for refreshments.  On the ground next to me was a slaughtered goat or sheep. 

Sometimes on our drive we were on a road like this and other times we were bumping along in the dirt.  Our driver was amazing!!!

Lake Khuvsgul in northern Mongolia, the "Switzerland of Mongolia."

Our ger is on the right and has a spectacular view of the lake as well as the beautiful mountains.

 

This is the deepest lake in Mongolia and sister lake to Lake Baikal in Russia.  We were not far from the border.  We were here for two nights and three days and I took lots of walks!

Sunrise!

The yak was not cooperating.

Yes, that's me and Morene ready to ride the famous Mongolian horses.  We were told they are not pets, have no names, semi-wild and don't make any sudden moves because they could just take off.  They are truly of Chinggis Khan!!!

We rode around part of the lake.

Our last view of the lake from the top.

Before and after....

This photo was taken on Friday when we had our Sports Day.  That's my blue team!  The temperature was around 60 F.

Two days later a shot from my apartment window as it's snowing and the temperature was 25 F.  Same field.  Also you can see all the construction that is going on.

A view from Bogd Khan, a sacred mountain looking down into the city of Ulaanbaatar.  ASU is very close by.

 

This is a ger camp in the same area with a two humped camel spitting at anyone who got to close!

Bogd Khan is a very popular hiking area.  I didn't go far because I had forgotten it's about 10 degrees less than in Zaisan.  As you can see the fall colors are coming alive.

It's very quiet--a perfect place to meditate.

Around and about in UB....

My PA, Muugii.  She's been at ASU for a long time and worked with my PA, Booggii in 2009-2011.  She's wonderful!!!

This is the area called Zaisan near ASU.  The cream colored building in the middle used to be a Buddhist sanctuary only surrounded by the beautiful hills.  I don't think the monks are there now.  You can see how much encroachment has occurred. 

A chain!!!  The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in UB.  The gals on the right are teachers, Morene and Christy.

We are celebrating my birthday at one of my favorite restaurants, Veranda--Italian.  In the background is a Buddhist temple surrounded by development.

My lunch at school--Udon with lots of beef, mushrooms and bok choy.  Only 5000 tughriks or $2.50.  Hot and delicious!

One of the few Buddhist temples in UB.  The boys are studying to be monks.  I went inside, but couldn't take any photos.