Mongolian Countryside….

Today we drove out to the famous Turtle Rock. It is a huge state park with lots of tourist attractions. It was a national holiday of “ Mothers and Children’s Day” and the kids were all off school. Although only about 50 miles away it took 2 hours to reach. The roads are in unbelievable shape, potholes, ditches, trenches; you name it- we drove over it!

Kim rode a Yak…The kids rode Camels and then we all went horseback riding. Horses are a very treasured animal here in Mongolia. They are small but very powerful. The herders use their hoses to help keep the herds together and to move them efficiently. Kim, Jessie and Andrei headed out for a leisurely ride when Andrei who was first to get going suddenly came running past us on his horse with this terrified look on his face…Then over the front of the horse he went!! He was trying to get the horse to gallop and apparently she didn’t care for the treatment!! (Now if you ask Andrei he will tell you that his hat flew off his head and startled the horse!) We are still giggling about it!

For dinner we met Urnaa’s family (My friend who works for us everyday in Lake Forest who was born in Mongolia) Her family (Mom, brother, sister-in-law and two nephews as well as her cousin and his wife joined us) we had a wonderful evening as 3 of the Mongolians spoke wonderful English and could interpret. Then they presented Jess, Jack Dylan and I with beautiful Mongolian clothes. We ate in a restaurant but invited us back to their home for our last night’s celebration. They were so warm and welcoming!