A week, just a week of life in Mongolia.

A week, just a week!! Plus beautiful antiques.

Starting the week, or ending it, Nigel and I had been invited to the newest Pub in town, Hennessy’s Irish Bar and were delighted with the decor and the food. Roast beef with Yorkshire puddings for me and roast turkey for Nigel, both delicious. Thank you Sean.

Monday I was back to the Mental Hospital to see what effect two specially built chairs were going to have on the most severely disabled of the children. These chairs had been very kindly lent from the institute that Rosanne (who came with us the previous week) volunteers for until we are able to sort something out long term for these children.

This little girl is 13 and able to understand everything said to her, in Mongolian, but has great difficulty in swallowing and has severe contractures of legs and hands and is also painfully thin. I fed her a banana which she relished, I am sure she would have eaten half a dozen if I had kept feeding her. The nurse commented that she was quiet and not moaning, which she did if she wasn’t happy, so was obviously enjoying sitting up fairly normally in this chair, let’s hope IWAM can get one made for her to make her life a little less miserable.

 This 17 year old girl also needs a special chair, but obviously bigger as she also has severe contractures of arms and legs.

This little girl was left at the institute about 4 weeks ago and hasn’t spoken at all although she does make noise and they are now unable to now find any of her relatives. She appears to be relatively normal, probably deaf and we think maybe she has been abused, she is always looking for food, she is affectionate and was happy to be held by Jude but we both felt there was more to her story than what we were told or even what they have been told.

Jude and I started our nursing training together in 1969 and are now both living in Mongolia, which is quite amazing really and what is also lovely she is living within champagne cork popping distance!!

 It has also been with Jude that I have been walking each morning and watched as we had 4 seasons in one week plus watched the terrible waste of water from a busted pipe in the Children’s Park.

Tuesday was the IWAM meeting and this month’s meeting was at Nairmadal Children’s Holiday Camp, about 22 kilometres northwest of Ulaanbaatar. We were met by the councillors from the camp and they had most of the IWAM members, except those with a camera, doing a little exercise to get the blood flowing and before we indulged in lunch.

I think there was close to 36 members who enjoyed the outing and also enjoyed the locally made products available from ‘Mary and Martha’’s which is the first business in Mongolia to enjoy Fair Trade status and who also has over 200 artisans from Mongolia who supply to the shop. It is certainly one stop shopping at this great little shop and a worthwhile place for IWAM to support.

If the lunch was anything like what the children are served, then they must be very satisfied and well fed as it was delicious.

Snowdrops have made their appearance as well and such gorgeous little flowers breaking the drabness of the brown of spring and surviving the heavy snow we have been having.

Coming back into UB you never know what you will see and I was surprised to see this young beast crossing the road as cattle and other livestock have been banned from within the city limits due to the threat of rabies, so heavens knows where this one had escaped from and hopefully he made it to the other side of the road safely although he appeared completely nonplussed by all the traffic.

Another early morning spring walk with Jude on Wednesday morning although you really can’t see it there is a tiny hint of green coming though so it won’t be long before the whole of Mongolia is lovely and green especially as they have had a lot more snow at this time of the year than in the last few springs allowing for a lot more moisture in the soil.

Spring really is a very drab season here with summer being the spring we know at home as the season is so short.

On to the new opening of the re-established library now at Julie Veloo’s home where we are also incorporating ‘Knitwits’ at least once a month and it was wonderful to see 18 women turn up to help make pompoms, knit, sew and crochet different items for the different groups we donate to. The pompoms are used at both the Mental Hospital and the Metropolitan Police Child Centre as the children can throw the balls at each other and windows and do little damage plus a great way to use up the ends of wool from other projects.

The snow started falling in the afternoon as we played Mahjong at Millies Cafe, as we do every Wednesday afternoon. I love Mahjong and was lucky enough to play it as a child so it wasn’t too hard to pick it up again when I started playing in Bahrain and I now teach it, which I love.

Even the stray dogs were having a wonderful time the following morning – Thursday – and were enjoying the snow as much as we were and we now have our winter scene on our early morning walk.

The giraffes were also enjoying the winter fishing opportunities although I don’t think anybody had told them that the tide was out!! The snow was still coming down quite heavily on Thursday morning which was just so lovely to be out in as it wasn’t really cold.

That evening was the IWAM evening meeting for the working members of IWAM and once again Irene spoke to members and bought lots of lovely goodies from Mary & Martha’s to sell. The dinner this month was at Delhi Darbar’s, one of the many Indian Restaurants in UB.

Irene, Julie, Emily, Hannah, Nicole and Lynne

The snow was still thick on our Friday morning for our walk but disappeared quickly during the day with the temperatures rapidly rising to over 10C.

 We had the delightful opportunity on Friday for six of us to join a lovely young Mongolian man very knowledgeable in Calligraphy and antiques, so we did a walking tour of a few antique shops and like most places in the world they do have some exquisite antiques here.

 Beautiful carved boxes of different shapes and sizes

Elaborately decorated saddles with silver adorning many parts of them.

 

 Brass milk jugs, chests and exquisite silk hangings.

 Huge cooking pot....., I actually just loved the photo

 Reported to be the human femur of an 87 year old woman, now made into a musical instrument.

One of Nigel’s favourite, the holder with knife, chop sticks and silver adornments usually worn on the belt of Mongolian nomads.

Stunning beautifully carved bowls, chest, tables and buckets to name a few.

In addition to these activities I also had numerous meetings with different people, each taking an hour or so on different days, all relating to IWAM.

Friday night out to dinner at friends, was a delightful evening with great food and great company.

Saturday I was up early making tomato chutney and Anzac biscuits as IWAM had a stall at a Fair and I had to be there at 11am to set up, fortunately it was all over by just after 3pm. We made 485,000 tugri which is over $400.00US so a good days work for IWAM and all those wonderful cooks who made so many delicious biscuits for sale.

Saturday evening, would you believe, Nigel and I had a quite night in by ourselves which was just so nice and very relaxing. Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing!

Sunday we took a walk with Jude and her husband Col back down to the antique shops but even by 1130 most of them were closed so it was coffee time at a very delightful cafe as we waited for the shops to open, which is usually 11am on a Sunday but it was already1145 and still no sign of life.

I think fortunately they weren’t open early as I had my eye on an antique Chinese carpet that I wanted to show Nigel and still by 1230 the shop wasn’t open, so maybe that saved us some money.

A young dog enjoying the warmth of the spring sunshine and note the grass now beginning to grow.

Joined up with more friends for a quick lunch of Ramen Japanese noodles and then a hour heavenly foot massage before we had to be with friends for dinner and a enjoy great game of dominos.

So ends one week of activities here in Mongolia... quite place really!!

Off cruising the Turkish coast and Greek Islands on Saturday for the week thanks to amazing, wonderful generous friends Andy & Peter. We will also catch up with friends who were here and have now left so it bodes to be a wonderful week as Nigel has also written a Murder Mystery that we will do on board the 90 feet ketch that sleeps 12 in ensuited bedrooms..... so excited.

So ends another busy week in Mongolia.

Take care

Spring snow storm

Snow is falling blinding white,
Oh so beautiful for the sight.

Now that little poem is mine, not very good but it is mine.

 The snow started falling on Wednesday, big, white, fluffy flakes and has continued to fall until now and it has made the brown drabness of spring disappear under a white blanket.
It has played hell with the traffic though, with many road closures and a large number of accidents as for some reason any moisture causes chaos. When it starts to thaw in the next week I think it will continue to play havoc with the roads and trying to get anywhere in the country-side on the dirt roads will be very problematical.

 We watched yesterday through the window at the snow falling yesterday but this morning Jude and I were off for our walk in the Children's park just a few hundred metres from our front door and it was a gorgeous fairy land of white.

 Jude with her trusty stick enjoying our walk in the snow.

 Although it was 0C it wasn't too cold and just such a glorious morning to walk and as we did so the snow got heavier and heavier.

 Sadly this part of the Children's Park has become very neglected and it could be stunning with very little cost. You can imagine what it looked like in Soviet time's, over 20 years ago.

 I will try and photograph this park through the seasons.

 Jude and I thought we could see some vegetables growing in there but it may have been weeds!!

 Part of the Children's Park has been renovated and looks lovely now with a fairy tale castle having been built which they have put in a clock that chimes the hour and we can hear from our place which is quite delightful.

 Jude drawing in the snow and we felt like children playing in the snow... it draws out the child in you somehow which is just so nice, especially as we were in the Children's Park.

 Jude on the phone to her husband trying to find out where he was, as he had been caught in the snow storm down on the Gobi and unable to get home. Notice the snow really beginning to fall.

 The neglect includes the water pipe which has been spraying precious water into the air for at least the last three days and heavens knows how long it will continue for, as nobody seems very interested in fixing it.

 View from the steps of Millies looking towards the Monastery with the snow coming down and actually settling.

 A timeless photo.

 Inside the Monastery grounds, so picturesque

 So beautiful.

 Spring buds on the trees now being covered in snow.

Snow is falling

Snow is falling From the sky above Snow is falling Put on scarf and glove Snow is falling Go look outside Snow is falling The old landscape it hide Snow is falling What a beautiful sight Snow is falling It sparkles in the light Snow is falling Soft cotton wool flakes Snow is falling A white blanket it makes Snow is falling Short flowers disappear Snow is falling The cold is here Snow is falling Its time to play Snow is falling Lets make snowmen today :)

By Micron
Couldn't resist this poem either.

International Departures: The Royal Wedding - Mongolian Style!

International Departures: The Royal Wedding - Mongolian Style!

A Moment in Time - Dancers from around the world.

Sitting having a quite cup of coffee at home with my friend Jude Tipney, who I first met 40 plus years ago when we started nursing training together, her phone rang and her sense of urgency was such that I though we had a medical emergency on our hands as she commented 'we will be there in a minute'. Fortunately it wasn't, it was her husband Col calling to say that there was a parade just coming past his office window and although he didn't know where they were going many were dressed in National Costume and other fancy outfits and we should get there as soon as possible.

It didn't take long for us to be out the door with camera in hand to see what was happening and where they had gone. Less than 200 metres from our front door we saw a small crowd gathering on the steps of the Childrens Palace Theatre Centre.

Couldn't think that it was a political rally, too many young children, wasn't to do with mining - not enough men or animals..... there has been rallies against all the mining that is taking place in the country as it is disrupting the nomads way of life so they have been bringing their horses into Sukhbaatar Square and speaking to the press but with elections coming up it is going to get a lot more heated than that around here.

 There were people in uniforms with flags but on the whole, a totally disinterested bunch of people all looking in different directions and focusing on different things. Little did they or we realise what was in store for us.....  well I certainly didn't know even if they had an inkling.

 Then we got a little hint of what was going on..... they were dance groups but we still had no idea what was about to happen.

Even the elderly were dressed in some wonderful costumes, although they still appeared bored and disinterested in the whole proceedings.
There were speeches in Mongolian but we had little hope of understanding what they were saying and by the looks on the faces of almost everyone, they didn't know what was going on either or weren't interested.

Loved the costume's of the elderly, some wearing medals they have earned from the government - the women get a medal if they have more than 5 children, I believe.

The first group to perform for us on the steps of the Children's Palace Theatre were these beautifully dressed women in traditional garments, usually worn by royalty, who so obligingly posed for me. Just loved these women who were so happy and delightful. The four men they danced with were also beautifully costumed.

 

Just stunning and what an absolute privilege to see all this by sheer chance for free.

 

 Just stunning outfits.

 

 Next were a group of 6 boys and 6 girls who gave some wonderful displays of acrobatics and dancing but we were particularly impressed with the routine below where two young boys swung the two girls round and round, probably about 10 times or more and they did it so well and so quickly.

Just loved the smile on the face of the little girl above who was so obviously enjoying herself.
Next out were even smaller children who also performed so well doing more traditional dancers.

Just so cute.

 

  They touched each other gently on the face at the end of the dance which was just so sweet.

 Next was the professional dancers who much have been freezing although with the routine they did they wouldn't have been cold for very long. They just seemed to enjoy every minute of the dancing and danced with such enthusiasm, which was lovely so see.

Next were a bright happy bunch of dancers in lovely bright costumes who were extremely energetic as were the next lot in blue and white.

Very enthusiastic and happy.

Waiting in the wings for their performance were this lovely lot of elderly dancers.

Wonderful faces and expressions on this group of perhaps 20 dancers and I could have taken hundreds of photos of just this group of wonderful people.

 

They were just so special and for me, it was such a privilege to have seen them dance.

Next were the military and they were fantastic with their dancing and the story they told with their dance, plus the energy they all had.

It just didn't stop and I was completely enthralled by the wonderful display of dancing and the variety that we saw. It was cold, probably only 1C or 2C and my fingers were beginning to get very stiff cold. But it wasn't over yet.
Next was the Police and they were also great with a great performance of dancing and acrobatics.

Army was next with another brilliant display of dancing and acrobatics.

Comedy w next but they were also wonderful dancers with great costumes as well.

Here was the comic part of it all with the children thoroughly enjoying this performance. The costumes of this dance group were certainly varied and interesting and I would have loved to known what country or area they represented.

This group were almost Santa Claus like in appearance but those sticks looked lethal and I was really worried one was going to go flying, but they were all far to professional for that to happen.

Once again a very enthusiastic group of dancers.

Next up were four energetic young men doing rap dancing and were once again, outstanding.

The finale was a big group of young children brightly and colourfully dressed.

Gorgeous children dancing with such professionalism and enthusiasm.

Just wonderful and so colourful.

From just one quick phone call and being in the right place at the right time, Jude and I were only a handful of westerners and not that many Mongolians to witness an hour and a half of the most wonderful display of dancing I have seen anywhere in the world. From the time we arrived to the time we left we were enthralled and awed by the talent, the costumes, the choreography, the professionalism and just the spirit of these wonderful dancers.

I took over 400 photos so consider yourselves lucky that I didn't put a lot more photos in this blog.

Wow, living in Mongolia brings some truly special moments.

I hope you enjoyed, not as much as we did but I hope you get a little flavour of what it was like.