Mongolian Steppes

On P-day one of the members volunteered to take us on a drive to the country side.  It was a cold and windy day, and it actually started to snow while we were in the hills.  But the country side was very beautiful.  The lighting on the fields and hills was amazing to watch as it changed.  You can only imagine how happy Alan was about the correct lighting for pictures!

This herd of yaks was quite impressive, as were the herds as they controlled the animals with a whip on the end of a long pole.  He would snap the whip away from the horse and close to the yaks to keep them moving.

This farm house was quite amazing.  It is located out in the middle of nowhere and we were wondering where they got their water for house and animals.  They had a well, the long pole you see, with a bucket on the end of it!  This is one of only a very few wells we have seen.  Most people haul their water from a community water house.  They would have to haul their water a long way if they didn't have this well.  The pens and corrals in the back of the house were pretty impressive too.  I guess they provide some protection for the animals during the cold winter months.

These pictures really do not do justice to the beauty of this barren land.  The land seems to go for miles with just grass which is really dry now, but is really green in the spring and summer.  These are called the Mongolian Steppes, which is just miles and miles of grasslands!

  It actually turned out to be a pretty nice day.  It looks warm, but the wind was cold and constant.  In the mornings when I wake up and see the beautiful blue sky, I always think what a warm day it will be.  NOT!  It is very deceptive.  Blue skies here are common, even in the coldest months of the year!