traditional music of mongolia

'altain orgil' - a traditional band featured in a local restaurant. very good rendition of mongolian folk music.

khumee in mongolia

mongolian style of throat singing. listen to how many sounds are being produced by the singer. the singer used to travel abroad with a mongolian cultural group.

youth art weekend

on a saturday, i was invited to be one of the judges in a poster-making contest among out-of-school youths, conducted by red cross chinggeltei district. the venue was in their office which was in a ger district.

theme for the poster was about volunteering for community development.

look at the time sked on the right! mongolians use the 24-hr clock format (or military style).

the participants of varying age, finishing their work.

time to display them for judging

rating art...

introducing volunteering thru art

the audience was very attentive

the judges coming up with the final decision

awarding the participants with token gifts

the top 5 winners and their artwork

the 'spice girls' of summer

summer was in the air yet still chilly at times. it was the time for holidays and some of our fellow volunteers were somewhere in the countryside or abroad trying to make the most out of the season. for us who were still reporting at work in the city, it was another weekend to be together. so we did, by having supper at my place.

with the 'spice girls' (summer edition, the other 2 were on holiday)


fanning away the heat of summer...

i prepared spicy 'adobo' (stewed chicken in soy sauce-vinegar solution) in coconut milk, and pancit (sauteed noodles)

my cinnamon rolls

i have gone back to baking as a hobby again. this time, venturing into breads...

menus, menus...

got these from my fellow volunteers:

FROM A RESTAURANT IN ULAANBAATAR

Vermicelli with pickled garbage
Feef with cast iron
Fried tasted bean curd
Small plate pain
Beef paunch

IN BEIJING

Explosion of chicken
Boiled mucus of hogsfoot
Fried trice in squirrel shape

funny. but can you really imagine them?