I feel like I use this excuse a lot but it really has been a blur of busy these last two weeks. It was Mid-Center Days, a week of training when all the PCTs come back into Darkhan for sessions. That meant lots of prep before, managing everything during, then wrapping-up after. But we managed to sneak some fun in there too.
One Saturday we walked out to one of the monasteries here in Darkhan. It's located in the old part of town so it was pretty secluded and peaceful.
Then the weekend before MCD we had a khorkhog to celebrate all the hard work our first-half trainers did. WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS BELOW (I'll let you know when to look away)!
The river we crossed to get to the picnic site.
It was such a pretty place!
Tulga, the herder and the goat on the motocycle.
Tulga walking the goat the rest of the way...To its fate!
SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THE GOAT BEING PROCESSED!
Seriously...Last chance...
They hit the goat on the head with a hammer to stun it.
Then made a tiny incision in the abdomen, reached up and "unplugged" the aorta from the heart.
Then they strung up the goat to field-dress it.
Then the membrane was detached and all the organs fell out nice and neat.
Looking for the bladder, 'bout the only thing that didn't get eaten.
Cutting out the anus.
Once all the organs were out, the fur was blow-torched off.
Then the women got to work on processing the organs.
Rinsing out the stomach to make a blood sausage bag.
Processing the veggies.
Because it was too windy, the guys moved the goat in the tent to continue burning off the fur and scraping the hide.
Once the organs were cleaned and the blood sausage made, they went into a pot of boiling water to be cooked.
The goat, meanwhile, was getting washed off...
...The forelegs cut off and washed some more...
... Then cut into pieces to be put in the canister.
It started raining so hard they guys had to finish butchering the goat in the back of the mikr.
All that was left of our goat friend.
Tumee makin' liver kabobs.
Putting the chunks into the canister.
Taking the finished organ meat out of the pot. We ate that while the meat cooked in the canister.
THIS IS WHERE IT'S SAFE TO LOOK AGAIN. :)
The pieces of rubber over the opening turn the canister into a pressure cooker.
The guys rolled it around occasionally to marinate it.
Just hanging out with Tumee, my LCF and an LCF again this year.
While we were waiting for the meat to cook, we rode horses!
All done! Letting out some of the pressure before opening the canister.
Out comes the veg...
Out comes the meat...
Let's eat!
I found me a hunk of tasty backstrap...Om nom nom nom!
Then the clouds really rolled in and it was time to go.
It took us 90 minutes to get out to the khorkhog site...It took 5 hours to get back! We kept getting stuck, having to go around hills and cross flooded valleys. Best. Worst. Khorkhog. Ever. :)
Then it was Mid-Center Days. All the trainees came from their host communities into Darkhan for sessions and interviews. It was a crazy busy week!
Here we are playing in the annual MCD dodgeball tourney.
And now it's Naadam, the 3-day national sports holiday. I didn't think I was going to get to see Naadam this year with having to go out to sites for sessions then bring on duty over the holiday/on the weekend but on Wednesday morning, totally spur of the moment, we all hopped into the PC mikr and went to Darkhan's Naadam. It was great!
Opening Ceremony military parade.
Opening Ceremony instrumental/singing performance.
Opening Ceremony traditional dances.
Then we got some khuushuur (meat in fried dough) and airag (fermented mare's milk).
Leah & I were the only people in our group wearing deels!
The "Green Team" dressed as clowns. Such a great idea!
My fave, wrestling!
Engrish! :)
Then on the way out to a training site we caught up with one of the horse races.
And so now I'm at home (although on duty), relaxing a bit & catching up on things. Can't believe how fast this summer is going! How is it half-over already!? And if you've scrolled down to this point, head back up just a bit, looking for the caps declaration of safety. :)
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