On the market again :-)

Yes that's one of my favorite occupation here, go to the market or the supermarket !!!

 Ok this was his sunday, so very windy and dark
This is the Darkhan old market

 With containers outside.
I was not able to take pictures inside ...

And you see the outside part of the market.
This is quite big and always full of people

Another view. You see the big hole on the front. You have that everywhere in Darkhan, so when you walk especially at night you really have to be careful, especially because there is no light!!!
Some people already disappeared!!!

You see the name of the market: Darkhan sach (translated)

 I bought myself a new wallet.
This model is for men but I don't care, this is with Genghis!!
The girl models are really too girly for me!!

all leather, great quality, made in Mongolia, what else do you need!!!

I also bought some socks made from camel.
very warm and also great!!

You find everything in the market, except the mongolian style pullover that I was searching, but I don't give up!!!

oh and the weather is not better

Yesterday I was out with a friend, and there a a great storm!!

At the beginning it was just windy, and there more and more
And then it was like a storm.
Strong wind a and a lot of sand, terrible.
I don't know if you can see it from the videos!!

And the in the evening it was snowing/raining and very cold.
Apocalyptic… well just normal in Mongolia!!!

And then in the morning it was all white of course!!
When is the summer coming!!!!!

Weather in spring time

One thing is sure, the weather in Mongolia is changing quite quickly.

One day this is very sunny and warm and you think youpi the summer is there

And the next day the temperatures are dropping it's snowing or raining
You can also have some great winds with earth on it, not very nice

See suddenly all white!!!
And also during the raining time I was thinking that this is a great idea to take the umbrella…
Very bad, the spring time is very windy, so no chance with it!!
And also I was the only one with it, so people where looking at me strangely:-)
I think weather is one reason why mongolian people have the reputation to be strong people!!!
Let's see how the summer looks like :-)

Amarbayasgalant Khiid

This Sunday with 2 german students, working at the university for a water recycling project, and an girl from Belgium, visiting Darkhan, we have been to Amarbayasgalant Khiid.

We have rented a taxi for the day and then direction the monastery, 3 hours away from Darkhan.

This is really the first time that I am going in the Mongolian steppes.
Finally!!!

So for the moment this is all brown, and there is most of the time nothing.

This is our driver, and expert of driving, because a big part of the way was on bumpy roads.
We had to cross a small river, on the way we have chosen the way through, well I am still surprised that we have managed it, but that was very limit :-)
So on the way back our driver have tried something else!!

And then after 3 hours we are finally there.
There is a small village around the temple, with different kind of houses
The Norwegian style

and the traditional one: ger

What I really like are the doors, always these bright colors!

One of the german guy was already there, so we went to a lady that he knows to have our lunch.
She was preparing the khuushuur(хуушууp)

she no more living in a ger, but the inside of the house is like a ger.
This is the place where the khuushuur will be fried!!

we had also some salty tea (but not with milk) and sweets :-)

And all these brights colors everywhere.
This is the place for offering to buddha.
They always give a part of their food.

After that we went to the monastery.
In this red thing the young monks (around 10 to 15) are praying.

the monastery (of tranquil felicity) is one of the most 3 famous one in Mongolia

We were the only tourist and this monk was opening all the doors for us.

in all the building you have a lot of representations of buddha, in different styles

the style of the monastery is chinese, but there are some touch from mongolia and tibet.

this one is the Chinese legend, we saw it also in Korea.
But the horse is first (we are in Mongolia)

I am wondering if there were tigers in Mongolia…
But the guy has really mongolian style, especially the boots

I particularly like the big eyes, kind of scary

but not as scary as this one
But these are beautiful ones

This is to pray and make a wish.
There were many around the monastery

There are 2 small hills surrounding the monastery. On the top of one there is a big buddha

And a great view on the valley.
There they are building a ger camp for the tourists

And on the other hill you have this representation (a stupa)
This one is surrounded by buddhas
One of the tradition is to turn around 3 times (clockwise) with a wish.
That's what I have done!!!

You have also everywhere (on the road, on the hills)
These are khadag that you give in sign of respect

After that this is time to go to the bathroom.
Well in small village or ger you simply have a big hole and sometimes with a small house around.
Can you imaging using it in winter (-30 degrees)
This is not so easy.

On the way back we saw some ger, and you see they have solar panel.
Mostly this is to watch the tv...

And then free horses or goat, or sheep everywhere.
Well there is enough space ...

Since I am speaking a little bit of mongolian, enough to explain who I am, what I do, and ask for some prices :-)
We had a good contact with our driver.
After coming back to Darkhan he has invited us to his family.
He is living in a ger camp in Darkhan but in a house (ger camp in city are a mix)
We had a great dinner!!!

And this is the all family.
The daughter is dancing some traditional mongolian dance and we had a demonstration:

Of course I have taken a lot of pictures. You can see more there: amarbayasgalant-khiid
But this was a great experience, but at the end of the day I was really dead!! The bumpy road and the dry air.
But I am waiting for the next excursion!!!

it's really arriving

this morning I have received a call from my colleague.
You have to go at the post office, you have received something and take your passport.
I was expecting something, but so quick…
Very strange...

Once there you have to go to the custom, they open your packet, check everything, take your passport number.
That's a bit scary…
And the packet was already open once...

 And inside, wouahh so marvelous, chocolate and sweets from Switzerland from Ljiljana!!!
Look at the treasure :-)

 And also a lot of vitamins, maybe I look blast on the pictures!!!

And a nice postcard also :-)
That's a really great surprise, thanks very much.
We have already tried some candies with the colleagues :-)

But that's great mail is arriving in Mongolia.
I tell you this is not the case in every country that I have visited.
Now I am waiting for the next expected one !!!
Youpiiii!!!
I am going some chocolates :-)