Mongolian birthdays are for drinking, dancing, karaoke and fighting...

Jess gives himself a bday thumbs up

Second step...dancing

Mikes pumped

more drinking...ugh tequila

tequila...floor

warming up before karaoke...

elegance is so elegant...

What is not seen is the adventure that came after the dance floor at elegance.   Karaoke fun turned into a brawl with a few random singers in the room next door...Jess calls this his best birthday ever and I guess it really is the perfect Mongolian birthday.  

Hot cross buns in the Mong!

The baking crew could not quite understand how excited I was that they were cooking hot cross buns...I guess the concept doesn't quite translate but it made my day.  Made me miss home a little bit thinking about having a cup of tea and a hot cross bun at my house back in Adelaide.  Guess the only thing that could possibly beat that is eating hot cross buns with the buttons at Lotus watching the snow melt and the sun shine...just need to find some cadbury creme eggs and I'm sorted!

a wonderfully random day in UB...

This is why I love my life here...no day is ever the same.  You just go with the flow and hope for the best!

We are lucky to currently have an Australian volunteer at Lotus who has come over for two weeks to run a bakers course.  Paul has worked at 2 star Michelin restaurant in Paris, 5 star hotels in Sydney and is now teaching some of our lovely staff and older teens at Lotus what he knows about bread.  Lotus may be a little different to Paris but interesting none the less.  Two days in and I am already loving the smell of bread through the orphanage.  I however randomly spent the morning running around Bayanzurich with the Lotus doctor trying to find electronic scales.  Ducking in and out of cabs and shops with the fifty year old doctor who doesn't speak English was an adventure in itself but finally we found what we were looking for and practically both jumped for joy at the sight of these scales.  Who needs language when you can share tears of excitement and exhaustion with someone in the department store.   I could tell from this moment that my day was going to be interesting!    

After our successful return it was time for some run around action before lunch...

Enke the kindergarten teacher said that all the little ones slept so well last night after spending time outside yesterday so we made sure as a favour to the house mothers to take them out again to tire them out!

Little Giltma...

my love...Interee.

Second random moment....phone call from my friend Dunu stating that he is on his way to my work.  Dunu comes to see the baby house and meet the kids and then says I have to come see his work also.  I wonder in my head...have I missed the memo about Tuesday being 'come and see your friends work' day?  Dunu owns two companies, one that sends Mongolian students overseas to study through the Mongolian university of music and dance and the other is a coal export business.  Yes he himself is random also.  Things were wrapping up at Lotus so we headed to the University in Dunu's car listening to Mongolian top 40 music and trying not have an accident in the ridiculous UB traffic.

Dunu also plays the Morin Khuur.  He teaches at the university and has traveled Europe and Asia playing in a Mongolian orchestra.  I told you he is random...he was the friend who gave Liz and I our bathroom back before heading off on a drunken wolf hunting trip.

On my way home my phone rings and it is Michael (a fellow AYAD) asking if I know where he can buy a second hand ger door from.  Once again, swerving through traffic listening to Dunu sing his heart out in between business phone calls I find myself wondering with smile on my face...'how has this become my life?'

 

Final stop for the day...material shopping for Karina's birthday.  My dear K bird is turning 30 and holding an Alice in Wonderland themed party.  It will be epic and costumes are a must.  After visiting our favourite dressmaker who is the one responsible for the amazing ninja turtle shells we squeeze in a shared meal at our local Japanese restaurant and of course the usual D & M's that we naturally seem to find ourselves in.  Bliss.   

hello sunshine

It is warming up here in UB so bye bye pretty snow hello ugly dirt.  Cannot wait to see green grass again.  Best thing about the warmer weather...playing outside with the kids.  I forgot how fun recess and lunch play time can be!!

Group love...

Saturday shenanigans

Now that I have K bird back (post Russian holiday) we had no choice but to hit up west markets for some second hand shopping.  The markets here have the most amazing un-tapped vintage shopping opportunities.  I walked away with the most gorgeous Italian leather boots.  They are my new love.  I knew I had to take my love out on the town and that I did...

First stop...Black box theatre for the debut of Vagina Monologues in Mongolia.  The girls all did amazing and it was great to see such support from the community.  Next it was onto Risky's birthday drinks and of course old faithful dorgios.  Karina and I both showed our boots a good time and ended the night with kebabs and a girly sleepover.

Open mic night at Xanandu No. 2

Jess, James & birthday boy John Risky

Maggie sporting the very fashionable back brace which was necessary after her debut at the toboggan regatta.  

The lovely Beth & Holly

damn groupies

Risky, Tanya and Karina

more bus stop love...

hello boys...

I've suddenly become a basket ball fan...Meghan and I will be studying the Nissan Premier League table and aim to make a decision on what team to follow based purely on what team has the cutest players.  So far the Avatars are in the league but we are still in the researching stage.  It's a hard job but somebody has to do it.

Seriously????

Roll up...roll up...and buy your own personal oxygen drink at State department store...seriously???  I know the pollution is bad here but I don't think this will help.  So random.  

has spring finally sprung??

my walk to work...

The snow is melting and instead of needing four layers of clothing I only need two.  I think spring has finally arrived in UB.  

Hot house is a little less hot

Liz left for Oz yesterday for her sisters wedding.  Everyone keeps asking me how am I going to survive without my side kick...not sure but I've already started counting down the days till her return.

Bayartei Anna! Hello 3am karaoke.

I wanna take you to a gay bar....gay bar...gay bar...

celebrating soldiers day 

best night out!

Victoria Secret lingerie show!

awwwwww!

shhhhhhhh!

where else did we end up but...dorgios!

St Patricks day UB style

1st stop Grand Khan 

looking soberish...

Guinness and Jameson

GG joining in on the Irish sing along

love her work xx

interesting fact for the day...

Miss Liz found out that if you would like to make a police report make sure you bring your own paper for the police to write it on...they will also need to borrow your pen.

AFC Challenge Cup 2012 Playoff: Mongolian Blue Wolves vs Philippines 2nd leg

Tarmac plank

Mongolian tarmac plank

Fairly lazy Monday (as we are still in recovery mode from challenge week) so thought I would share a random planking photo from our Khuvsgul trip....more to come one we sort through the 1000's of photos taken.  Stay tuned.

Sunday is for Chinese dumplings...

first stop the korean section to pick up some sides...and watch our local butcher pluck her eyebrows on the counter

Dumpling production line

Pot luck dinner at Anna & Tabs place