August 31, 2015 Mongolian Experience

Today we experienced some of the Mongolian culture.  We arrived to an open field via bus.

Two small tents provided the shade we needed throughout the morning.

Before the events started, I purchased a painting of a Mongol warrior from this artist.

Mongolians are very proud of their wrestling, archery, and horseback riding skills.  We witnessed demonstrations in these events as well as an orchestra of young adults from a local arts school,

dancing, contortion and throat singing.

This young man played "Flight of the Bumblebee"  with only two strings of horsehair on an instrument called a morin khuur.

Wrestling

One of the referees for the wrestling.  He put the cap on the winner.

A group picture of the wrestlers with Svetlana.

Alex wanted to join the wrestling team and showed us his best,

Traditional dancer

Shaman dancer

Contortionist

Young archer

Master archer giving pointers

The "master" archer consistenly hit a target 65 feet away.

Our efforts weren't nearly that good.  But it was fun trying.  We used the lighter bamboo bow.

Next we watched some young kids horseracing.  These boys were only 6 or 7 years old.

The winner.

Later we presented the participants with their awards.

This gentleman was our MC and a good throat singer.

The young adult orchestra played beautifully and kept together without the aid of a conductor.  Some of them liked to decorate with their instruments...

I particularly liked this young lady's kerchiefed horse head.

After all the events, we retreated to a comfortably cool ger for lunch.  The food we well presented and delicious and much more than we could eat, although we did try.

The afternoon was filled with various animal rides.

Horses are always a favorite.

But the wooden saddles the Mongolian riders use, even with padding, are a little hard on the rear end.

We took a brief rest in a native ger and visited with the "lady of the ger". 

Next we rode camels - a very jerky ride.

Alex and Ida are the perfect camel riding couple.

Then came the yak.

We all looked good on a yak,

But I think Ida enjoyed it the most.

It was a full day of interesting events and activities.  A little tast of what the nomadic Mongolian life is like.  Tomorrow we will travel out to the edge of the Gobi desert and continue to experince the Mongolian life.  Our bed for the night will be in a ger camp.