Nomad living

When driving in the mongolian countryside, the beauty and tranquility overwhelms you.  Especially during the summer.  The fact that you are driving on something that can not be called a "road", and you, very often bump your head if you are not buckled down, doesn't matter.  But then, when you arrive at a ger, in the middle of nowhere, you realize that the beauty of the countryside has a tough side to it.  Carrying water from a well several kilometers away, a small solar panel to provide electricity, and only a few cows and horses for milk is part of the everyday life.  

We visited this family about an hour's  drive outside Darhan.  Two elderly sisters, with many grandchildren sent by their parents from the city to spend summer in the countryside.  The one-room building is the kitchen.  We found lots of huge containers with sour milk, ready to be made into hard, dried yogurt for the winter.  And a ger for the children and the two grandmothers to sleep in.  

Until next time ..... from Mongolia.

A Basic Diet

It is something you have to get used to, and it is also something that will bring out the creativity in you. The selection is limited, especially when it comes to vegetables and fruit.  Summertime brings some relief to the limited choices, but it means a lot more trips to the market to grab those opportunities.  It is already July, and vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower are nowhere to be seen.  Lettuce (only one kind), spring onions and radish are available.  At least you can have a salad, just add the tomatoes and you're there.  My first trip to the market delivered all of these (in the picture), well, there were also potatoes, but that would have been just a little bit too adventurous.  So, for now, we will be content, and wait for the month or so when we will have more choices and get those much needed nutrients before winter is bringing us back to only the basics.  

Until another time .... from Mongolia.