On the road again . . .

On a lovely day in mid-June, I received some information about a English test prep company wanting a native speaker to join them on a tour of 5 provinces in Mongolia, for free. Naturally I jumped on that opportunity. All I had to do was speak to the participants. No teaching what so ever. For those who don't know much about the Peace Corps, this is a pretty sweet deal.

On to the pictures . . .

Khuvsgol Lake (in the super north)

With Yak

Midnight shot (opened shutter for 60 sec)

A rainy horse ride to see . . . 

REINDEER! 

On the road in Arkhangi Province (I think)

floating lanterns

Waiting while the vans were unstuck

White Lake
It's near a volcano so those pointy rocks are lava rocks that people have stacked to make those pilers.

The Grand Canyon of Mongolia

Taikhar Chuluu in Arkhangi Province
If you can throw a rock up and over this thing you get either good luck or good health. I can't remember

Erdenezuu Monastery

Angry clouds

Yes, this is a picture of the picture I bought of me holding an eagle

Kids are so naughty

Orkhon River Valley National Park

There is suppose to be a waterfall
I centered it. Just look straight ahead.

More naughty kids at the waterfall

The black dots are horses and yaks
Also at the waterfall

This is not a stream. It is actually a raging river. I guess the angle is odd.

South Gobi

We went to the same sand dunes that I went to with my sister.

Guess who got their hair cut ...

Gathering 'drinking' water. This well had tiny shrimp-looking things in it.

Sand sledding

The camels we rode in on, literally.
A few of us went to a near by ger camp and ran into a herder and rode the camels back to camp.

My favorite picture of the trip.

On the same sand we stood on together a few months before.
Okay, not the exact same sand, because the wind blows a lot there.

Sunset at the sand dune

After a two day drive, we arrived in Ulaanbaatar.

Ulaanbaatar's T.Bataar Exhibit in Sukhbaatar Square

Shortest version ever of the T. Bataar exhibit: 
The "U.S." stole this nearly complete t-rex skeleton from Mongolia's South Gobi in a year I can't remember. Then tried to auction it off to the highest bidder in a very nice NY Auction House in a year not as far in the past as the one I can't remember. There was a restraining order involved. As in every true conquering hero story, that restraining order was ignored and he was sold, pending verification he was not actually Mongolian. After lots of paper work, signatures, official stamps, and political looking pictures taken with a poster size verification certificate, T. Bataar was crated up and shipped home. Welcome home T. Bataar!


And thus ends my road trip through 5 provinces of Mongolia. 

P.S. There are not pictures from all 5 provinces, so here they are: Bulgan, Khuvsgul, Arkhangi, Uvurkhangi, and Umnugobi

Who Is That Adorable Person?

It's Kyra! Yep, my darling sister came to visit me, and for bonus points it was over my birthday!

She flew into Ulaanbaatar (U.B.) and we were able to witness the one day a year there is no driving from 10-5. Here's a pic from when we were strolling down the busiest street in U.B.

We spent Easter in the Terejl National Park just outside U.B. visiting the largest statue of Chinggis Khan and riding a horse.

We went to the Mongolian National Museum and then to dinner with my friends. On April 4th we started our Gobi Tour to Omnogobi a.k.a. South Gobi.

Our Russian Chariot

Cooking lunch in the van because it was so cold outside.

We stopped to help the truck that carried these cows out of the mud.

Flaming Cliffs in Bayanzag. Where dinosaur fossils and eggs were.

More Flaming Cliffs

Mongolian 2 humped Bactrian Camel herd

Our two amigos, Kyra, me, and our guide.

Part of the Khongor Sand Dunes

Khongor Sand Dunes

Khongor Sand Dunes

Eagle Valley
When it's not iced over, there is a giant waterfall right there.

Eagle Valley was cold.

Morning kisses
The herders rounded up the babies and the mamas stayed nearby. 

Looks a bit like home doesn't it?
I can't remember the name of this.

Herd of horse on the way back to Ulaanbaatar

We returned to U.B. on April 10th and took the overnight train to my town. We spent the day there and took the night train to Beijing, China.

A few pictures from Beijing, China.

A little country side from the train.

View of Beijing from the Drum Tower.

The Drum Tower
(there is also a Bell Tower)

Confucius statue and me at the Confucius Temple

Confucius Temple

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest
at The Temple of Heaven Park

Inside the Forbidden Palace Museum.

One of many ornate throne rooms in the Forbidden Palace

Dagoba in Beihai Park. 

Also Beihai Park Dagoba

Great Wall of China
Mutianyu Section

Great Wall of China
Mutianyu Section

The East entrance of the Summer Palace
looks like somewhere else I've been ... 

Tower of Buddhist Incense
at the Summer Palace

And then Kyra and I parted ways. I am SO glad she came!