Eg Ur --rivers and countryside of Mongolia

Sain bain uu! I've just had my first capucchino coffee at Best'spresso here in UlanBataar (UB)--we're back in the city! I must admit that waking up this morning in a bed, I missed the feeling of a frozen face the the immediate need for fire. After 3 weeks of living in our ger, running water, sinks, cell phones and hip clothing of the city present us with more contrasts in Mongolian living. City life v. country life. We arrived last night on a MIAT flight after spending 8+ hours driving from the field station to the capital of the province. We arrived in UB 2 days after our driver and cook who spent 30+ hours driving. Bodihand, our cook and my English student, was making her first trip to the capital. I haven't seen her since our arrival but I hear she was silent once they hit paved roads. 28 years, no paved roads. rocks, trees, obstacles are a normal part of travel. as is breaking down and waiting while the Forgon (Russian van) driver disappears over the hills to the ask the nearest family for what is needed, returning 2 hours later with the needed part.
Mongolia is a country on the edge, what edge that is I cannot yet describe. Photos perhaps show the story, until then a story.
Oct 4, 2007
I sat sipping my Peets coffee (brought out by Brant, member of the science team). Sitting on the back porch of the log cabin style station, I watched Shigai kill a sheep. Very peaceful. Cold, I moved into the kitchen to watch Bodihand squeeze the shit (literally) out of the intestines into several bowls. One bowl for water, one for hot water, one for catching the shit being squeezed out....
jon is out fishing, routine for the science team. Who can catch the biggest Taimen?
Bodihand is sitting on a childs chair, squatting over the gut piles. Fingers moving at lightening speed as the meticulously squeezes out the intestines. She finishes the small and moves on to the large. Myaga (2nd cook) assists, bringing more utensils and adding wood to the fire appears to be slightly less practiced. perhaps because she has just spent the last 4 years in the city...she holds the ends for Bodihand. Myaga hands paper to Shigai who has recently washed the blood from his hands.
Visitors pass by. A herding family is moving on to their winter home. Their ger is loaded on to a wooden cart (wooden wheels). Small child perched on top. Man (husband?) is leading the oxen. Following is their flock of sheep followed by a woman dressed in her blue del on horse moving them along. She is assisted by another man on horse who has the baby in a sling tucked in his del. Peacefully asleep, 9 months old. Off their horses, they stop in for warm milk tea and bread biscutis. They move quickly and efficently as a team, don't stop for long--the sheep will have moved on. Such a strong sense of community and support. Bodihand packs up a few more buscuits and candy. Guests will usually leave with something. Nothing is expected from them. Community is survival. They say goodbye and are gone. I ask who they are, nobody knows. "They go winter house". I feel proud that Bodihand is putting into practice some of our lessons.
The sheep ribs are hung on the outside station wall. Head is on the floor. Fur is over the fence. Insides are inside. I say I only buy meat in a box (which takes 10 minutes to do, but after consulting the dictionary, we communicate). They laugh.
(running out of time...milk vodka, sheep, cows, goats, camping, tracking fish, offerings, snow, vehicles, rest, mongolian time, a local dance, ger living, visiting families, running out of gas, music and singing, a wedding, jon's birthday, boats, fish, politics, herding, gifts, food, spectacular valleys, rivers, stars...all to come)
much love
c