A Thursday Stroll

Thursday afternoons are rapidly becoming my favorite time.  I don't have any lessons until 4pm, and with the gorgeous weather, Bams and I are all too glad to get out, exercise and soak up some Vitamin D.  I may have gotten a little too much sun today (see: sunburned shoulders) but it was worth it!  

 

Frisky froggies!

 

 Noting but pure evil in those eyes!

 

Pretty yellow bird.

 Another songbird.

 

In the words of Mrs. Ray: Wanna go svimmin'!?  We walked to the other side; the water never got above my knees.

Boys swimming.

Hangin' at the river.  Shouldn't they be in school!?

A herder & his hobbled horse watching the cattle.

 Goats and sheep in the hodoo.

Baaaaaaaa!

 We walked the farthest west we've ever been, discovering this vehicle bridge.

 View from on the bridge to the west.

Soggy puppy!

 View from the bridge to the east.

 View straight down.

Looking to the south, out to the hodoo.

 Saw this arch from the bridge, decided to keep walking west!

 Strike a pose!

These girls loved Bams!

 Old theatre.

 Walking up to the arch.

Pretty sure it's a WWII memorial.

 

 To the left/east.

 To the right/west.

Mosaic to the right/west.

 Close up of a cool mosaic scene on the west side.

Mosaic on the left/east.

Slightly strange mosaic close up on the left/east. 

 Yah!

A skin being stretched & tanned.

The Natural History Museum.  Have to get back there without the dog!

Statue of Choibalsan.

Reminds me of a certain uncle...

Mural on a building we passed.

Mural on the sister building.

Sounds of Summer

I've been wearing shorts/skirts and tees/tank-tops for nearly two weeks.  Where was spring!?  Not that I'm complaining; spring around here meant sandstorms that stung your flesh and kept everything coated in grime.  And as you all know, summer is my favorite season.  Yeay warm!  I've been taking Bambuul to the Fake Lake for our walks lately.  Taking a leisurely stroll around a body of water reminds me of home, and inevitably there are kids around who want to distract entertain Bams for a bit.

 Ger district on the way to the Fake Lake.

  

Ger district.

 

A ger in the...wait for it...Ger district!

 Water station for the "North Side" ger district.

  

Panoramic of the Fake Lake.

The Fake Lake.

Statue in the middle of the Fake Lake.

  

Strays in the Fake Lake.

 

Ducks in the Fake Lake.

And this, the glorious sound of summer.  I miss hearing the frogs announce the arrival of summer in our front pond. 

  

People chillin' at the Fake Lake.

 Ger the Fake Lake workers live in.

 Burning trash on a rooftop.

The NEW jumbotron next to the Khaan Bank.  Now you can sit in the town square and watch the fountain OR tv!

Cinco de Mayo

NPR says that if the French had won the battle instead of the Mexicans, they would have sided with the South during the Civil War and things could have been quite different.  So, why not celebrate!?

Pregaming with Dos Equis (aka Khar Khorum).

SO. MUCH. DELICIOUSNESS! Homemade tortillas, seasons rice, refried beans, fajitas, fish tacos, fiesta salad, chips & queso-esque dip, salsa and guacamole.  Damn it was good!

 Koty gives it two thumbs up!

John & Merrie

Beth (our newest C-town volunteer from Red Cross Australia), me and Zoloo.