26 May 2009

Wknd in Manzushir, Ruth's Bday, Walking back to UB (23/24.05.09)

We all like a bit of fresh air... We all like a bit of celebration... and the 2 together is rather nice... So 17 of us (mainly VSO's vols and staff) headed to Manzushir monastery/temple/museum/ruins.... to spend the night and 4 of us decided to come back to UB by foot as done last May 2008. The idea to climb the Tsetsegun uul (2300m) and the head down to the city, it's about 7-8 hour walk...

i know i shouldn't compare but this time not only we had a lovely warn/breezy weather but also and above all we didn't get lost!!!!!! so all good times!


the beginning of the afternoon, chilling by the ger...


night time the celebration starts, all you need is some music and a lot of happy people!

all in, no matter the age!




And next day, the walk... and here we start...
perfect blue sky!

This one is for my fellow manzushir walkers: do you remember, this is the spot were we had lunch and nearly died frozen...?



the amazing owoo, this time snowless!


the group: Claire, Aki, Chris, me


the boulder fields haven't moved...

We are oh! so close... this is the presidential valley... if you get 2 close you might have a close encounter with the security...
to avoid them we had to go down and up the mountain again... and as you can imagine no, i wasnt very happy to have to climb again!


and Zaizan! this is the south of the city... from there we took a bus (down there in the valley i mean!), the wrong bus... so ended up having to walk still...


The link to last year's walk, Manzushir Part 1

Hike (17.05.09)

In major need to get out of the city, we decided to go and hike to Tsetsegum mountain, however we didn't make it: the restricted area was closed to the public to prevent fires.... we went around the mountain and tried again... this time we were too far from the intended pick but the guard did let us in, and off we went for a little picnic up the hills, no tsetsegun though... exercise, fresh air, good company and a way to realise i need to stop smoking and being so sedentary!!!







Respite (sometime in May)

It's been tough times in the office... many changes happening, a bit of tension... i decided to take it the European way and invited my colleagues at home to have a couple of drinks and just have a good time together... no work-talking allowed... it ended up the Mongolian way with vodka pouring and some salsa lessons... good times!







05 May 2009

Terelj or Sarah's farewell wknd (24-26.04.09)

Sarah's last time in the Mongolian country side... Terelj will never let us down... I could come here every wknd and never be bored... This time close to the turtle rock and we even made it to the monastery...


A little stroll that lasted 5 hours...


and the turtle!





From the turtle to the monastery


lost in the bushes, seriously!






Finally!


always so peaceful in these places...

the ger camp, you can see the green is starting to pop out!
soon! soon!

the whole group
Peter, Sarah, me
Saskia, Claire, Joltz (?)

VSO-Sarah's-Pinoi Diner... 23.04.09

hmmmm Philippino food!!!!