Ulaanbaatar, MongoliaSunday, August 30, 2009
Yesterday we joined our colleagues for a "khorkhog", (a typical Mongolian BBQ/picnic event) about an hour's drive from UB.
Meat, vegetables and hot rocks are layered inside large metal milk jugs which are then placed in an open fire. (Wikipedia to the rescue: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khorkhog.)
Children play (& avoid broken glass, yes, even here in the middle of the countryside), and adults drink airag (yes, Frank finally got to try the fermented mare's milk he's been so curious about). And everyone eats a lot of good food.
We also got to see the HUGE statue of Genghis Khan that is located out in the countryside near where we picnicked--it's 120 feet high--and is, supposedly, the first installment in a Genghis Khan "theme park" of some kind.
We also got to see the HUGE statue of Genghis Khan that is located out in the countryside near where we picnicked--it's 120 feet high--and is, supposedly, the first installment in a Genghis Khan "theme park" of some kind.