"Frosted" trees

One of the blessings we have at our apartment is the view of 2 trees.

Trees are rare in Ulaanbaatar where any stick of wood us usually burned for heat in the winter. However, behind our apartment, reaching up 5 stories to our bedroom window, are 2 cottonwood trees.

Yesterday the conditions were just right to frost the trees.

Raising healthy Mongolian babies?

What is this man doing? He's standing outside our apartment building, holding his baby in the "fresh air" for about 20 minutes.

The current weather description is: "7F, Smoke"

Common Mongolian tradition says that babies need fresh air. Every day.

Even tho the temperature is very cold and the air is polluted with coal smoke, parents take their babies outside warm apartments for a daily dose of fresh air.

This is the warmest part of the day and the baby is completely wrapped in warm clothes with only a "breathing hole" between the hood and the scarf.

Impossible things happen

While putting away my clothes, my comb fell out of my pocket.

When I reached down to pick it up, I was shocked to see that it was "standing" on its edge! What are the odds of that happening? So I took this picture.

God is in the "impossible mission" business. Though it seems impossible that God should love and forgive us, He does. Psalm 78:38-39
"Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them.
Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath.
He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return."

Another solution to H1N1 - Horse meat

One thing you probably can't get in the USA - horse meat.

The Mongolian Prime Minister recommended eating horse meat as a nutritious way to prevent H1N1. It's available, canned and ready to eat.

It may look like a can of "Chicken of the Sea" but it's really "Horsey from the Steppes."

Mongolia's response to H1N1 - Ice Skate!

Mongolia's response to H1N1 has been to:
* close all schools except universities,
* stop all public intercity transportation (trains, buses and vans),
* close all taverns and clubs at 9pm (I guess you can't get H1N1 before 9pm?) and
* ban all cinemas, conferences, concerts and public gatherings.

AND flood the athletic fields so kids can go skating.

The schools have been closed for 5 weeks now.

Government television programming is almost all educational during this time.

No surprise - kids DON'T want to watch "School on TV."

Cold November

November 2008, it got to -20F once.

So far (21Nov) in November 2009, it has gotten below -20F 7 times. At about -10, your nose hairs freeze in 5 seconds.

Time for the heavy coats, boots, mittens and face coverings.

A cold way to earn a living

Each day, this man sits on the sidewalk curb with a scale in front of him.

People give him a few Tugriks (perhaps 50 cents) to weigh themselves on his scale.

He sits in the sun with a piece of carpet between him and the frozen curb.

Liz talks to this man everyday on her walk to school.

"Warming up" your truck

When it is below -20F, many vehicles will not start in the morning.

So how do you warm up a frozen vehicle?

Many people have a metal tray. They build a small fire in the tray and place it under the engine.

I've never hear of a car burning up this way but I wouldn't be surprised.

Sandbag sidewalk

Last summer, floods washed out part of the road I take to walk to work. City workers put hundreds of sandbags on the washed out road and shoulder.

4 months later, the sandbags remain and they are the safest place to walk.

Last week I shared the "sandbag sidewalk" with 4 dogs searching for dinner.

The Coal and Kindling Shop

Last week, along the road I walk to work, a man began selling bags of coal and kindling. Many families live in gers (felt tents) and heat their homes with coal. He also built a little shed where he can warm up. I don't think he got a building permit?

This morning at 8am it was -17F with a wind chill of -35F.
These Mongols are tough.

Mongolian street sweeping

It may be -20F but every morning the Ulaanbaatar street sweepers are at work. In this country of dust and wind, these guys and gals have real job security. Usually in January when the snow stops and the ice is thick, these workers trade their brooms for long handled chisels to chip the ice.

Public transportation in Mongolia

Public transportation in Mongolia is interesting. To control the spread of H1N1, the Mongolian government stopped all inter-state buses, vans, trains and planes.

And if the city bus breaks down, all passengers become pushers.

Сетчуп in Mongolia

Mongolians like ketchup (Сетчуп).

At the Korean store you can get it with
horseradish (spicy), peppers (sweet), bbq or even in #10 tin cans.