87’ tall Avalokitesvara in Gandan monastery! 67643495_2860850460653559_6958763161814040576_n
A prayer hall at Gandan 67251278_2860850407320231_2482016060820160512_n
BJ outside tonight’s accommodation, a Mongolian ger (yurt) 67581508_2860850470653558_7014494528597917696_n
Inside the ger! 67447201_2860850467320225_8215815658886135808_n
The endangered Mongolian wild horse, in one of the few places it has been reintroduced :: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Przewalski's_horse 67233946_2860851347320137_1165828504101584896_n
Hustain Nuruu - Biosphere Reserve - Hustai National Park 67115946_2860851097320162_1146601576194899968_n
Our view last night from the 20th floor, overlooking the Parliament building in the capital, Ulaanbaatar (UB) 67270898_2860851227320149_2906642688348520448_n
Gandan (the Avalokitesvara is inside!) 67086433_2860851463986792_3821963144691974144_n
Gandan 67084674_2860851740653431_1148375608141545472_n
This is just *Day 1* in Mongolia, and we already can’t wait to bring you here! 67313168_2860851847320087_1802357779948634112_n
This is just *Day 1* in Mongolia, and we already can’t wait to bring you here! 67555588_2860852060653399_7458551472209264640_n
This is just *Day 1* in Mongolia, and we already can’t wait to bring you here! 67387483_2860852237320048_3940247437377011712_n
This is a partial menu of the pujas (prayers) you can pay to have performed for you at Gandan 67082640_2860852573986681_1599427593189195776_n
Gursed buying us some pujas! 67235770_2860852450653360_7760801167075966976_n
Our puja receipt 😂 67344285_2860852457320026_4615634884373774336_n
Flying into UB 67341636_2860852610653344_6498982806788505600_n
Such interesting prayer wheels! 67555750_2860853310653274_2171247800833015808_n
One giant aisle of this UB market was candy! 67173204_2860853260653279_6620532571698626560_n
Our ger camp 67625818_2860853097319962_8839528636357804032_n
We finished this evening with a Mongolian beer! 67068305_2860853120653293_8108029073726373888_n
This is just *Day 1* in Mongolia, and we already can’t wait to bring you here! 67078955_2860853497319922_7453572866378825728_n
Hustain Nuruu - Biosphere Reserve - Hustai National Park 66658636_2860853527319919_109238335645417472_n
Wild horse bones in a gulch 67271936_2860853760653229_2637945269408235520_n
This is just *Day 1* in Mongolia, and we already can’t wait to bring you here! 67545979_2860853913986547_458141889426620416_n
A nursing wild horse 67340710_2860853893986549_6325373687448993792_n
This is just *Day 1* in Mongolia, and we already can’t wait to bring you here! 67168598_2860853873986551_5719261305567707136_n
Stomping in the watering hole 67239262_2860853960653209_6420389565311221760_n
Space shuttle debris that landed just miles away! 67260535_2860854137319858_3732833596818325504_n
Tiny jockeys (and their next album cover! 😂) More about this in another post! 67058751_2866471196758152_7431534268196585472_n
Not such an effective fence? 🤔😆🐐🐐🐐 67310709_2866471576758114_6212524568502861824_n
Our 2nd ger camp 67121143_2866472036758068_7816984342944546816_n
The road is a popular place to hang out! 67286682_2866472240091381_8499967551273435136_n
Since I took an accidental “happy model strutting out of a ger” photo of BJ, I think we’ll make that our theme! 67255662_2866472386758033_6075656738307047424_n
Inside of our 2nd ger. 67168394_2866472696758002_108409737669771264_n
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BJ, Aggy & Gursed taking a walk under the happy Buddha face! 67519837_2866473476757924_7844944245034057728_n
We’ve gotten some rain—good for the nomads! 67402089_2866473536757918_5567539429762924544_n
My first taste of airag getting readied—fermented horse milk! 67301373_2866474206757851_3171003534644609024_n
Aggy & the airag 67381635_2866474286757843_7778274683173994496_n
I think airag is absolutely delicious! It has a light yogurt-y taste! 🐴🥛 67646736_2866474393424499_5370088062200053760_n
Hands down, these are the best-looking camels we’ve ever seen (and we see a lot of camels! 😂) 67247800_2866474706757801_4773878612182958080_n
Well, I guess BJ owns a horse now 67706993_2866475066757765_8403556049558175744_n
Lots of grazing 67528965_2866475253424413_1300363247932669952_n
Globe thistle, or as Aggy said, Horse Chewing Gum (they love it!) 67228958_2866477913424147_5442358867004489728_n
This is when I *thought* the uphill portion of the hike was over (I was wrong 🤦♀️😆) 66730585_2866477990090806_6985121595152924672_n
Macro photography 67291606_2866478446757427_1024939265961754624_n
Mongolian wrestling! We’ll post more about this sport soon! 67344882_2866478566757415_8295190764799918080_n
A red deer we saw on our hike—so lucky! 67404507_2866478933424045_1233355474577915904_n
Grazing with some sand dunes in the background 67399662_2866478893424049_4094770980478517248_n
Takin’ selfies with BJ’s phone 67313445_2866479193424019_2171359676141142016_n
A small but important Tibetan Buddhist temple 67184685_2866479350090670_3461472022549233664_n
Marijuana flourishes here (but is not consumed much at all) 67493629_2866480023423936_1641097812571586560_n
Photo shoot 67455834_2866479940090611_8537383292016525312_n
You can’t wait to hear more about Mongolian wrestling, can you? I think we can all agree right now that this sport wins “Best uniform,” yes? For players AND referees! 67308514_2866480383423900_6681305594432847872_n
This is the mountain we hiked over! 66731880_2866480733423865_5351767922148638720_n
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A stripe of yellow (canola flowers) 67097307_2866481963423742_7641127375161262080_n
BJ & Aggy on the downslope of our hike 67351532_2866482996756972_8807408659010158592_n
The flowers seen on yesterday’s hike 🌼 67179564_2866483723423566_1993271481437519872_n
The goal of a match is to get your opponent to touch his upper body, knee, back, or elbow to the ground. 67315096_2866538236751448_5995270420998127616_n
The Zasuul (literally meaning a "fixer") of the wrestler is an on-field guide and coach of the wrestler. In lower round competitions when there are many wrestlers, most wrestlers don't have their own zasuuls. Successful wrestlers and those that get to the higher rounds get their own zasuuls. A Zasuuls' role is to hold the hat of his wrestler while he wrestles and give him encouragement and motivation on the field. For instance, if the match is going slowly, a zasuul might slap the butt of his wrestler to encourage him to engage his opponent faster. Zasuuls are not technically coaches in the literal sense. They are usually an elder and a friend of the wrestler who is there on the field to serve as a guide and help set up a fair competition. 67217946_2866538503418088_9177622908506210304_n
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The zodog is a tight, collarless, heavy-duty short-sleeved jacket of red or blue color. Traditionally made of wool, modern wrestlers have changed to lighter materials such as cotton and silk. It is fastened at the back with a simple knotted string, and the front is cut away, leaving the wrestler's chest exposed. According to legend, on one occasion a wrestler defeated all other combatants and ripped open the zodog to reveal her breasts, showing to all she was a woman. From that day, the zodog had to reveal the wrestler's chest. 67403682_2866539486751323_2974416494890319872_n
One of the defining features of bökh is a dance wrestlers perform as they enter the contest field and exiting at the end. Different locales have different dancing styles. In Mongolia the wrestler imitates falcons or phoenix taking off. 67217183_2866539690084636_2328875668986658816_n
This is where it gets wild:: there are NO weight classes, age limits, or time limits in a match. It is not uncommon to see a toddler wrestling a grown man during the Mongolian Naadam festivals (we actually saw that!) 67248266_2866539713417967_6132982620289499136_n
Bökh means "durability.” Wrestling is the most important of the Mongolian culture's historic "Three Manly Skills", that also include horsemanship and archery. Chinggis (Genghis) Khan considered wrestling to be an important way to keep his army in good physical shape and combat ready. 67056502_2866539830084622_1813682118354534400_n
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Horsing around with Moon Pies in their mouths (after a race) 67354021_2867761226629149_1255259889391894528_n
66980032_2867761379962467_5743242032126623744_n
Tough but sweet 😉 67460180_2867761583295780_60072105546350592_n
After a big race 67246500_2867761686629103_6005602385735450624_n
67108208_2867761806629091_318030482748997632_n
Classic Mongolian saddle and stirrups. These stirrups changed the face of the world at the time. This is worth a read::
https://www.google.com/amp/s/arstechnica.com/science/2017/05/the-mongols-built-an-empire-with-one-technological-breakthrough/%3famp=1 67544909_2867761969962408_8015478189264470016_n
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Walking the horses after a race 67181111_2867762473295691_4096153040824827904_n
The winner of the race 67173460_2867762586629013_7991302625809137664_n
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Now you have some context for his bad-ass album cover 😂 67035106_2867762943295644_3861604043566612480_n
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A Chinese-style temple in the background, a truly Mongolian-style ger temple in the foreground! 67428288_2868541496551122_7283160916399489024_n
The protector Sri Devi 67052110_2868541903217748_1463896880801906688_n
The protector Mahakala 67168093_2868541986551073_5542711825847549952_n
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Prayer wheels of different designs 67152750_2868543566550915_4349650067993395200_n
Holy texts, wrapped in brocade 67695874_2868543689884236_6820021587710836736_n
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Portable shrines 67230005_2868544236550848_8816307187002376192_n
A big (slightly) boozy bowl of horse milk in the morning at the monastery! 67169711_2870115283060410_2359955379485409280_n
I love the 4 Friends crock! 67250753_2870119913059947_1821623946676535296_n
People bring airag to the monasteries as a donation and toss it in the pot. 67142458_2870122133059725_2425198355073204224_n
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When your car gets stuck in the mud... that’s a good time for a lunch break 😂 67456564_2873359812735957_554977081075695616_n
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Sunset last night 67158694_2873349609403644_2219105131058692096_n
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One of the best things I’ve ever eaten! Urum, a sort of clotted cream (cow milk), topped with sugar, on top of a freshly fried dough. Our host originally made it into a sandwich for me but I’m a little too messy for that! 😂 67327718_2874819245923347_1025585877583134720_n
Yummy yummy yummy! From the top left: airag, a fermented horse milk drink; the urum clotted cream (which they called butter); fried bits of curd; a plate of preserved goat meat; more airag; a young curd cheese made from horse milk (delicious); little, aged, sweet yak milk goodness; aged cheese chunks from cow, goat, and sheep Milan’s; and in the center, hands down the BEST yogurt I’ve ever had (made from yak’s milk, but you’d never know it). 67230601_2874819629256642_4587046418115461120_n
Our amazing host frying up some fresh bread (no ovens, so bread is fried) 67118141_2874820055923266_7065002317501693952_n
The mares must be milked every 2 hours, and only a small amount of milk is acquired each time. 67258571_2874820462589892_5711646388681441280_n
Our spread! 67120171_2874820739256531_4857400801078804480_n
These aged yak-milk dollops were sweetened with sugar! Seemed like something that would be a traditional winter holiday treat in the USA! 67247805_2874820792589859_2080362053716934656_n
The urum, clotted cream 😍🥰🤤 This is what is skimmed off cow milk after boiling and cooling 67165299_2874821002589838_5911215535898492928_n
This is what is left after you boil down yogurt and fry the curd in oil! (Photo of process in the comments) 67026239_2874821169256488_7281904578335866880_n
This was great—a horse milk curd cheese not aged so long (yet!) VERY tangy! Like a manouri Greek cheese. 67593081_2874821065923165_4275986113237090304_n
Aggy will kill me for posting this, but I love it! ❤️ 67188356_2874821302589808_2945291093295497216_n
Gursed taking advantage of the delicious traditional nomad bread. 67394915_2874821509256454_2834120438978707456_n
Agiimaa explaining the different vats of milk products! 67727588_2874821605923111_7855787796210909184_n
A sheep stomach bag used for storing butter (for up to three years!) 67389583_2874821765923095_7879917931797151744_n
One of the ger dogs lying next to a sheep skin drying (soon to be part of a winter coat!) 67404766_2874821902589748_3670655479828185088_n
Explaining the difference between manure (for fuel) gathered in winter/spring/summer. 67235064_2874822165923055_6124698603333091328_n
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The year’s first foal wears a blue khatak scarf, an honor 67336138_2874822575923014_8118937934175928320_n
What a WONDERFUL morning! 67119897_2874822689256336_8009107966785486848_n
Yesterday’s sunset from the edge of the Gobi desert 🌞 67633493_2876381845767087_1434304831010373632_n
All of the nomad’s gers and livestock in the valley 😍 67805542_2877134542358484_6099176516090855424_n
The bandanna was unintentional, I didn’t wear it for horse riding! 😂 (I was wearing it on my head before I put the hat on!) 67630994_2877134762358462_3074772653484015616_n
By all accounts, there are 70 million livestock animals in Mongolia... and 3 million people! 67369372_2877134749025130_2990334438258245632_n
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Such a unique prayer wheel 67166733_2877135295691742_3269480245614346240_n
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A sheet of rain coming across the valley 67399665_2877135979025007_2417588695226908672_n
Livestock in the distance 67316653_2877136192358319_4983251108152475648_n
So many flowers this summer! 64293836_2877136415691630_8657636311810703360_n
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They call these “fat stones” for their resemblance to...well...fat! 😆 67171668_2877137722358166_1122841645314736128_n
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BJ, ready for anything 😂 67126440_2877138119024793_6653010878167777280_n
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A scenic place to get stuck in the mud! 67256737_2877143879024217_576709104492347392_n
A Buddha protecting the waters below near the ruins of Ongi monastery 67257071_2877697725635499_3990075320072929280_n
🐮❤️ 67402357_2877697858968819_9003701570814083072_n
You may have noticed there’s a distinct lack of trees in our photos, so most often you’ll see these majestic birds sitting on the ground! It’s a very strange sight! 67341839_2877697992302139_2081018195870744576_n
This nomadic family was moving their location by about 20 km (Ps, this boy is 6 years old!) 67554942_2877698362302102_503520705694924800_n
This nomadic family was moving their location by about 20 km 66889254_2877698452302093_9057115665302814720_n
This nomadic family was moving their location by about 20 km; their ger (broken down) would be in the vehicle. 67461850_2877698488968756_1059293571196125184_n
The son in the nomadic family we met led us to their summer home on his motorcycle—he is 14 years old! 67322546_2877698708968734_6085409548179341312_n
The outside of our nomadic hosts’ home yesterday 67268216_2877698812302057_8994922945423867904_n
❤️ 67766695_2877699108968694_7147160824216289280_n
These rock formations in this valley signify ancient burial areas 67196647_2877699282302010_3353093058320138240_n
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A high spot above Ongi monastery ruins 67170810_2877700512301887_6910111619120889856_n
This mountaintop had some cellphone coverage 😂 It’s nice to travel with other travel professionals who also know how to get stuff done on the fly!! 67095751_2877700792301859_669283220432355328_n
Hiking with Aggy 67166320_2877700945635177_2737386604262850560_n
Prayer wheels in Mongolia come in all shapes, colors, and sizes 67078207_2877701498968455_8536040861333454848_n
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A locust! I’d never seen one before our trip to Mongolia 67958168_2877702322301706_3897168163778854912_n
Gursed shows is a special sacred well at the Ongi temple ruins 67563730_2877702852301653_3399835732863352832_n
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Our ger camp mascot 67597604_2882818755123396_3466984866476720128_n
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This is completely unedited, save for straightening! 😲 (25-second exposure). I stepped outside to see the International Space Station go by (get the ISS app if you don’t have it yet!) which then turned into a whole photo shoot 📷✨💫✨ 67402047_2885561091515829_1434088983133945856_n
Thank you to Aggy who had to brave a windstorm shower of camel pee to take this photo 😳 67476723_2885561441515794_3071158872296128512_n
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Unedited stars ✨ (25-second exposure) 67636577_2885563978182207_4735369342701535232_n
🥛😍💫 (25-second exposure) 67494227_2885564218182183_2334593558947823616_n
The Bactrian camels of Mongolia are just stunningly gorgeous creatures. Read more about these two-humped camels here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bactrian_camel 67305706_2885470191524919_7392043521378615296_n
From wiki:: Bactrian camels have a remarkable ability to go without water for months at a time, but when water is available they may drink up to 57 liters at once. When well fed, the humps are plump and erect, but as resources decline, the humps shrink and lean to the side. 67634700_2885470304858241_194329003648090112_n
BJ posing on his beautiful camel 67363570_2885470541524884_8472034316635865088_n
The sunsets have been lovely in our Mongolian travels! 67508757_2885470678191537_7952458632346468352_n
A little blurry but still beautiful. (This was an impromptu 1 AM photo shoot, where I learned how to use BJ’s newest camera via Google while he was asleep, using a buckwheat pillow as a makeshift tripod on the ground 😆) 68396581_2885470711524867_3233846985018572800_n
Black tailed gazelles! 67580306_2885470901524848_334590261734670336_n
Kashmir goats 🐐 dot the landscape, even in the Gobi. 67821020_2885470924858179_6795992989446438912_n
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khongoryn_Els 67312273_2885471031524835_1604911257108873216_n
My floppy-humped, floppy-faced camel 67282203_2885471134858158_3821032567012851712_n
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Black and white.... 67520886_2885471358191469_4767516477127393280_n
....or color? 67704407_2885471438191461_3789700226537750528_n
This was round 5—only 8 wrestlers left, down from 128! 67285745_2886620228076582_1292144368450273280_n
Singing before the start of the horse race today 67604980_2886620054743266_2270860530652545024_n
The finish of the 2-year-old horse race—10 km (with jockeys age 6-12) 67401924_2886620258076579_1516865011656425472_n
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I couldn’t crop this photo, I just love everything going on on the sidelines, including the omnipresent white fedora 67368054_2886620504743221_1022844674836004864_n
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Heading off the the starting line, 10km away 67379564_2886620644743207_3659162267603173376_n
67401775_2886620708076534_1734858658040250368_n
The loneliest basketball hoop 67406015_2886620781409860_6566836254908874752_n
Tonight’s sunset 67367457_2886620874743184_8113835006222139392_n
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There’s Jupiter on the far right! 67958792_2889516084453663_3441986473186820096_n
67679228_2889516177786987_2809198977143013376_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67306917_2891603257578279_9166971887828336640_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67478806_2891603334244938_3373761214042603520_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67333956_2891603597578245_2155511835229421568_n
Some local campers were keeping their airag (fermented mare’s milk) cool in the stream! 67348700_2891603577578247_2479049247735939072_n
Love the random red rocks, love my weird shoes ❤️ 67565070_2891603870911551_4671451605042724864_n
A pika! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pika 67639059_2891603807578224_3402217661596172288_n
Mongolia’s symbol, the Soyombo 🇲🇳 67310476_2891603994244872_2550679058736218112_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67845831_2891604144244857_7562078463423676416_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67582163_2891604267578178_8882718105931874304_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67400155_2891604330911505_7169113222404898816_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67760064_2891604370911501_5270721425416650752_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67385250_2891604504244821_609392654563672064_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67361568_2891604690911469_2676080584677130240_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67815277_2891604847578120_4751502176168181760_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67225621_2891604927578112_1759817975717691392_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67596827_2891605187578086_570539203583016960_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67839570_2891605204244751_1615596976827531264_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67302597_2891605310911407_590255938150072320_n
A beautiful hike through Yol Valley this morning! 67309770_2891605420911396_2348254582901047296_n
There was a great little museum nearby—dinosaur egg fossils! 67300521_2891605587578046_6987367579580891136_n
Had to get my foot in there for 🦖 bone size reference! 67594730_2891605597578045_2275464958932156416_n
BJ and one of our mascots, Kyle the Condor, pose with the namesake of Yol Valley, the bearded vulture. 67522625_2891605770911361_5681554503480901632_n
Oh my 😳 68326758_2891605894244682_7832400973434716160_n
We were so lucky to have Gursed introduce us to the Venerable Thupten Ngodup. 67412126_2892363777502227_5243169618234703872_n
We were told that we were VERY lucky to be visiting today, as some precious artifacts were in transit from the President of Mongolia, via the Nechung Oracle, to be placed inside the Avalokitesvara at Gandan Monastery. Included is a relic that is said to contain the hair of Padmasambhava, the Buddhist master responsible for bringing Buddhism to Tibet and Bhutan.
To learn more about Padmasambhava, visit https://www.learnreligions.com/padmasambhava-450201 67421322_2892363990835539_5792363336867774464_n
No matter what your beliefs, receiving a blessing from the head medium of Tibet and chief oracle adviser to the Dalai Lama is a gift! 67427522_2892364144168857_1259308729292029952_n
The Tarbosaurus Bataar 😲🦖 67574928_2895067197231885_3906777861045878784_n
The outside of the 8th Bogd’s Winter Palace 67730585_2895067177231887_1131121818275414016_n
A specimen inside the Choijin Lama Museum—one of the finest collections of Vajrayana art we’ve ever seen! 67562710_2895067410565197_7928065825150337024_n
Inside a ger temple, complete with a relatively new “Four Friends” display 67470544_2895067513898520_1180317327166537728_n
The bathroom area outside the ger temple... any chance to remind yourself of the impermanence of life! 67388680_2895067627231842_5505263718230917120_n
67741828_2895067713898500_2541099666758434816_n
Prayer beads can be borrowed inside many temples! 67725375_2895068040565134_5532511038001381376_n
A stunning Avalokitesvara 67368452_2895068060565132_5711991485008707584_n
A fierce Sri Devi 67362621_2895068443898427_6045741505111392256_n
67389807_2895068670565071_6226428077719683072_n
67386377_2895068800565058_6849617971124371456_n
A wonderfully intricate butter sculpture 67561710_2895071770564761_1398700926516068352_n
Detail 67762610_2895071813898090_8680846839064297472_n
A roof detail 67590222_2895072003898071_2049489012749500416_n
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Thangka (painting) detail 67460911_2895072183898053_15046322704875520_n
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67653137_2895072757231329_8322717394883575808_n
68515850_2895072937231311_158427530934616064_n
Inside UB’s dinosaur museum 67765645_2895072973897974_4876075108428414976_n
What an honor to meet this shaman today 🙏 He’s been practicing since he was 13 years old & feels it’s his duty to serve humanity 67404050_2895073167231288_2660775885329661952_n
The shaman’s shrine 67498569_2895073233897948_6427158562618736640_n
Those are some big doors! 67654752_2895073450564593_2756105278624628736_n
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67777736_2895073640564574_473625744744906752_n
Protoceratops! 64328308_2895073707231234_179463533426114560_n
Posing with 🦕 67471240_2895073897231215_2642954446815887360_n
The first Mongolian astronaut’s spacesuit! 67364033_2895073967231208_8423423202469871616_n
😍 67947377_2895074087231196_4743555743641239552_n
Looky what I found—margaritas in Mongolia! 😆 67396034_2895074147231190_3528700832100909056_n
Lama Pürevbat showing us one of ten volumes of this series of instructional art books he created (every painting and drawing inside is his!) 67414132_2897643813640890_6570526452154892288_n
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Aglag Buteel Monastery 67805535_2897644000307538_5949924014553038848_n
One of the softest dogs ever! Outside Purevbat’s residence 67630997_2897644103640861_2813595511825629184_n
One of Pürevbat’s creations 67789335_2897644206974184_7212809437990354944_n
❤️🙏❤️ 67586637_2897644310307507_3220116206501494784_n
BJ and the jewel-vomiting mongoose 67449775_2897644406974164_4243906654610915328_n
The jewel-vomiting mongoose (gotta love Tibetan Buddhist iconography!) Here's the scoop: Buddhist Sanskrit texts offer explanation for the mongoose’s association with wealth. It was said that wealthy people in ancient India carried a purse made of mongoose’s hide and that when they gambled they often shook the purse. The mongoose or mongoose’s hide then regurgitated gold coins and other precious things from its mouth. 67402113_2897644500307488_4930707934247124992_n
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The carvings are so deep! 67480608_2897644740307464_1328566021832835072_n
Lots of critters live here, including THIS turkey! 67600961_2897644846974120_8781242481292345344_n
🦃 67973309_2897644913640780_6121792761604603904_n
Piggies! 🐖🐖🐖 67536235_2897645033640768_4743849257411280896_n
Lama Pürevbat is an extraordinary human being! He just kept bringing out more and more volumes of his work, of collected books of interviews with him, of his museum's book, his magazine, etc etc! 67420836_2897645073640764_7190494604691505152_n
More of Pürevbat’s creations 67513186_2897645183640753_6645873153622933504_n
An emaciated Buddha image 67479792_2897645386974066_5800170663993933824_n
This was before Buddha realized the middle path was best (not the one of self-indulgence OR self-torture!) 67708275_2897645440307394_6436640445953998848_n
❤️🐽 67619833_2897645636974041_5607178125319340032_n
This ger-shaped boulder is naturally occurring inside the monastery 67808703_2897645623640709_5179420174574419968_n
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Sometimes the way through is the way around! 67668715_2897645886974016_125298141783130112_n
Such a gorgeous mountain setting 67736262_2897645986974006_7933102314255024128_n
67403236_2897646120307326_2601893567328681984_n
Reclining Buddha 67419421_2897646190307319_6841030888390656000_n
Loved the stripes on the babies! 67406510_2897646290307309_4217465246798839808_n
67801472_2897646403640631_7920532950729359360_n
67709778_2897646556973949_2615450919361314816_n
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Blessing the area’s natural spirits with milk 67651445_2897646740307264_1414221671308460032_n
The sculpture in the foreground represents the fat of a sheep’s tail, served traditionally around Losar (new year) 67500545_2897646883640583_2335415778897035264_n
We’re Very serious about modeling our new cashmere hats (with some Aperol Spritzes 😂) The cashmere here is divine and cheap (BJ’s hat was $10, mine was $18!) 68449480_2909573035781301_6705416166443057152_n
Paul is barefoot 🦶 67896132_2909573772447894_5538464549868404736_n
A GIANT set of mala beads, donated from Japan 67555738_2909574442447827_5725333118013931520_n
We too a swing by the so-called “Black Market” (and snagged a few giveaways for you—stay tuned!) 67884811_2909574915781113_7448246960902897664_n
Cheese, glorious cheese! 67801585_2909575612447710_7666700770082816000_n
A dairy aisle 67816595_2909593145779290_4512595573810921472_n
Agiimaa told us, mostly serious, that every Mongolian must have three things—Reindeer boots (above), an iPhone, and a Prius 😂 (You can’t even imagine how many used Priuses are in Ulaanbaatar!!) 68426998_2909593409112597_2919917891094577152_n
Child jockey protective gear 🏇 67532510_2909594305779174_7508804612502061056_n
Beautiful brocade in the market 67949828_2909595199112418_4128993417331998720_n
View of Gandan monastery from our hotel 67564057_2909595312445740_4301767706698317824_n
🇺🇸 ??? 67589277_2909595449112393_4137134983108100096_n
😤 🤣 67639743_2909595502445721_1625882405594202112_n
😍 in love with the Shaman’s puppy 67778720_2909595515779053_6747348919996383232_n
Did you know that contortion is a Mongolian art? 68254019_2909595632445708_1187047064177999872_n
67967856_2909595685779036_4056902623196872704_n
67761246_2909595719112366_7119032632423219200_n
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67635567_2909595845779020_5396179047925415936_n
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67556691_2909595975779007_7135736206913961984_n
67625184_2909596095778995_1436670992918249472_n
Our generous nomadic hosts 67566953_2909596219112316_4203465895386808320_n
😘 68282263_2909596355778969_8229337371280146432_n
Little did I know I’d be ruined for life by the deliciousness of her freshly fried dough, clotted cream, and sugar 🤤 67620425_2909596435778961_3742943339947753472_n
South Gobi 67879782_2909596489112289_1893670940735176704_n
Kashmir goats (aka Cashmere goats!) 🐐 67720660_2909596552445616_5936089473921056768_n
The mix of traditional gers and big buildings in UB is fascinating 68659242_2909596652445606_3459749470080598016_n
Mongolian nomad GPS 67611087_2909596759112262_6903720643359932416_n
This is how you Really enjoy fresh clotted cream from a Mongolian nomad family’s kitchen! 😋 67612153_2912558215482783_8588886254907555840_n
68374557_2914423231962948_1692467665836179456_n
This 131-foot tall zinc statue of Chinggis Khan is truly a site to behold! 67910100_2914423248629613_8449964133264130048_n
Contemplating his mortality 😉🐕 67879769_2914423371962934_112885694887624704_n
67873263_2914423388629599_7418454722685698048_n
I love this statue of Chinggis Khan in Sukhbaatar Square 68490160_2914423481962923_319669652722548736_n
68289063_2914423545296250_2380184868723097600_n
67962285_2914423855296219_7061049302616899584_n
What a pleasure to get to hang out with these goobers our last full day! 67825380_2914423875296217_5297651226844856320_n
68312896_2914424015296203_3420766040504664064_n
68579050_2914424108629527_13089106108088320_n
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That’s one big boot. 68642332_2914424281962843_6277869562448838656_n
67661288_2914424318629506_5536294835469680640_n
67702009_2914424571962814_6503224954576699392_n
The restaurant ger with a touch of ambiance! 67799293_2914425291962742_4236416424920219648_n
67759697_2914425331962738_1896419925963046912_n
A yak cart taking our luggage to the car! 67712378_2914425418629396_102551994983514112_n
67899519_2914425468629391_7212541895887552512_n
67871299_2914425521962719_5235161372538437632_n
68893293_2914425618629376_4978994327410704384_n
The perfect hostess 67629819_2914425678629370_8790542610201575424_n
Learning to slice cheese with a string 67897288_2914425715296033_1287845484144099328_n
❤️ 67790706_2914425841962687_8056853975753818112_n