A little working vacay

These last two-ish weeks I took my first real Mongol vacation.  I was able to mix in a little work so I didn't have to take as many vacation days which was nice since I've got a bit more in-country travel planned.

 The original plan had been to visit Tsesterleg and Bayankhongor but the logistics of the latter became too inefficient so I hopped up to Erdenet instead.  So it went a little something like this: Choibalsan (A) to UB (D) to Tsetserleg (C) to UB to Erdenet (E) to UB to Choibalsan.  Whew!

This is the same row of jarlons I took a picture of back in November.  What a difference 6+ months makes!

One of many guanz stops.

Since it takes 14 hours to get to UB, I didn't get in until about 11pm on Friday night.  I wearily made my way to Bob's apartment and passed out.  The following day (Saturday, June 2), a bunch of us made our way to the airport to welcome the new group of volunteers.

At the airport.  Welcome M23s!

Daniel, Bryce

Stephanie

Elliot, Jerry

Chris

Bob

Nick, Bryant, Joe, Nathan

Krissy, Rachel, Jennifer
Rachel's amazing sign says "We hope you <3 mutton!!  Because mutton <3 s you!"

Jaclyn

Ben

We made a tunnel for the new volunteers to walk through as they came out of customs, cheering and encouraging them.  They probably won't remember all our faces, but they will remember the event, just like we did.

On Sunday, Bryce and I decided to do some cheap and toursity things since we don't usually get a lot of free time in UB.  We went monastery "hopping" then wandered the 3/4 shopping district, followed by dinner at Namaste (delicious Indian food) and dessert.

This is part of the Gandan Monastery complex.

Another small heed, part of the larger complex.

Inside Gandan.

Feeding the pigeons is good karma.

Bryce spinning the drums.

There's a giant Buddha in there.  They tried to make us pay so we didn't go in.

The entrance/exit gates.  Reminded me of Chinatown in San Francisco.

Found "corn" dogs while wandering 3/4 shopping district!

Gelato for dessert!

Monday morning I had a meeting then Bryce and I headed off to Tsetserleg in the afternoon.

The view from Bryce's apartment.

Heed on a hill.

The mountain behind the heed is Bulgan Mountain.

On Tuesday Bryce and I hiked up to the heed then around the back of Bulgan Mountain.

Heading up to the heed.

View of Tsetserleg from the Buddha.

Going into the heed.

Inside.

There's an ovoo behind the heed.

View from the ovoo.

View from the ovoo.

Then we decided to hike down and around the base of the mountain.

Holy cow!  No, wait, yak!

Pretty much just hairy cows.

There's an inscription and ovoo on those rocks.

The tourist ger camp we hiked past.

I really liked the A-Frames.

What a beautiful setting!

Pretty creek.

We followed it nearly the whole time.

A shamanistic ovoo.

Yep, that's a horse head on top.

Beautiful landscape!

Wild rhubarb!

Nom nom nom!

I was pretty excited about this.  We turned it into a rhubarb-cherry pie (complete with lattice top) later that evening!

A weathered skull.

I dipped my toes in the creek on the way back.  The water was freezing!  And that white spot is a cow or horse tooth...

Heading back toward town.

Pretty blue-tailed bird.

More yak.

On Wednesday Ciarra and I climbed up Bulgan mountain.  We packed lunches and headed out in the late morning.  It was super grueling but well worth it!

Here we go!

Tsetserleg from the top of Bulgan Mountain.

At the top.

Yeah, I made it!

So strong!

Strike a pose!

Stretch it out!

Might as well jump!

Deke protected us the whole time.

I loved the craggy rocks and scrub evergreens.

Wait, is this somewhere on the Canadian border!?

Cool rock formation.

Soaring hawk (?).

Seriously cool rocks.

We climbed in one of the holes.

I'm hiding!

It was so peaceful up there.

Straddling the rocks.

Mountains in the distance.

Still snowy.

We headed down the backside and about 3/4 of the way stopped for lunch.

An ovoo as we walked back toward the city.

A foal and an ovoo.  Pretty much sums up Mongolia.

As my plans for Bayankhongor deteriorated, I made arrangements to head back to UB then home.  Bummed to be cutting my vacation short, I instead quickly thought of all the places I could get to within half a day of UB in an attempt to salvage the weekend.  Having already spent time in Darkhon (training last summer), I spontaneously texted my friend Gracie to see if she could host me in Erdenet for a few days.  She graciously agreed!  I arrived in Erdenet on Friday late afternoon.  We did a quiet dinner out then met up with a few other Erdenet PCVs at some local bars.  On Saturday Gracie and I explored the town.

The friendship monument, as seen from the bus stop.

View of Erdenet from the friendship monument.

Gracie and me at the friendship monument.

Big Buddha on the hill.

The mine that lead to the city's formation about 35 years ago.

For dinner Saturday, we went over to Carolyn's house.  She had a HUGE house with a giant hashaa.  We were going to be grilling out with the other Erdenet (and Bulgan) PCVs.

Clockwise from me: Ali, Tenzin, Carolyn, Gracie.

Obligatory "Ger in the Background" picture.

Makin' the veggie kabobs.

Eric and Tenzin tending the fire/grill.

Grilled BBQ chicken.  MMMMMM!

The veggies were so unbelieveably delicious.

In the kitchen while Katie finishes up the pasta salads.

Oh yeah, and there was grilled steak too!  Say what!?  With an onion-mushroom-red wine sauce...So good!

After dinner, we stoaked the fire then watched the sun set from the hashaa.

The M22s!  Bryant, me, Nathan, Tenzin and Gracie.

On Sunday Gracie and I hiked around town, starting with the Children's Park.

Oh yes we did!

Going up!

View from the top.

At the top.

At the top.

Then we hiked up to an ovoo.  Moogi was lovin' it!

View from the ovoo.

The Nadaam stadium.

The soccer field the mining money paid for.

 

 We wandered the black market then downtown where these two fountains were. 

Back at the Children's Park to enjoy the sun, a quick beer then over to Carolyn's for another bonfire.

As I made my way back to UB on Monday morning, I watched for something special I had seen on the way to Erdenet...

ORKHON!

Oh Orkhon.  I found out that PC placed another girl with my host family.  I'll be very interested to hear her experiences with them come August!

Back in UB on Monday night. Clockwise: Patrick, Daniel, Natalie, Marikaa, Ben, Me, Anh.

The Beatles statue all lit up for summer.

I spent Tuesday running errands and shopping for things I can't get in Choibalsan, then had a quiet dinner in with Daniel (as I was staying with him).  Early Wednesday I headed out to the Eastside bus station to make my way home, but the bus was sold out so I had to grab a meeker.  Turns out it wasn't all bad.  The meeker made the trek in only 12 hours!

About 90 minutes outside Choibalsan we spotted the gazelle!

They can be quite elusive so I was pretty stoaked to see them.

Then about an hour outside town we stopped (for the 3rd? 5th? time) to let a poor carsick kid puke.  I looked East and saw a herd of camels!

Look at all the temee!

We got into town at about 8pm, an unheard of time to return.  I was grateful to get in so early as it gave me an opportunity to get started on laundry and snuggle with my sweet baby girl before passing out.

Bams got a new blue & blinged collar and lots of chews from Mommy's trip to UB!  Lucky girl!

It was an exhausting 13 days, but it was great to finally see some of the West.  And I am so grateful to the PCVs that hosted me, saving me the expense of a hostel but most importantly for their wonderful company.  I picked up a bit of a head cold toward the end, in addition to being travel weary and sore from sleeping on floors/buses.  But I am not deterred!  I'm in the process of re-planning my Gobi trip for late summer, and am also planning a trip up to Lake Huvsgul for next years Winter/Reindeer festival.  And I'd love to do the far West (Khovd, Olgii) but that may be a logistical impossibility.  With one year down and one year to go, let the adventure continue!