Lion's Head - Outside Ulan Ude

The Lion's Head is the first place I drove to when I received my Speed The Light Car . . . much less intimidating than driving in the city!  I have been here several times, and it is always a place of beauty, peace, and various lighting . . . this is one of my "gotta see" places! 

Sasha 

Gotta get my climbing in somewhere :-) 

Recently, I saw kayakers making their way back upriver toward the city . . . always thought that was a great idea!  Makes me miss my kayaks!  

Just a great place to take a deep breath, have a picnic, and remember how amazing is God! 

Stephanie . . . far, far away in scenery! 

Cheese!

Teaching Youth Ministry - Ulan Ude

Mongolian translator to my right and Russian translator to my left (simultaneously translating) . . . I'll have to seriously pray hard before agreeing to this one again :-) 

Thanks, Sasha (and Naraa)!!! 

Coloring competition! 

The Art Work

"Mock" Youth Ministry Project presentation from one of the Russian Teams.

"Mock" Youth Ministry Project presentation from one of the Mongolian Teams. 

Studying 

Stephanie (Miss Fab MAPS Woman) is at the back of the class . . . 

Caught ya, Stephanie!  :-)

Miss "Innocent" . . . she is cute though!

The Exam 

This is a SERIOUS EXAM!

Do you see how enraged our Teen Challenge director is becoming at the lack of disrespect at the back of the class?!?

All of us

Dacha (Garden) Day w/ Babushkas (G-mas)

Meet Clavda & Alla

Dachas can be quite nice summer homes, or a very basic shed. Regardless, most Russians have green thumbs and spend as much time as possible, in the summer, outside the city @ their dachas. 

Clavda & Alla digging out a flower on the edge of the forest (Taiga) to take back and plant at their dacha.

 

Filling up fresh from the spring! 

Stephanie (& I) were both "hatted" . . . LOL! 

Shaman Monument 

Really great, relaxing day in sheer beauty!  Sasha was along as friend and Stephanie's translator.

Buryat Village of Toxou (Tohoy)

Tohoy is a wonderful village church that feels more like a small group gathering!  Love to go there!!!

Sasha (middle) translating for Stephanie (right) . . . MAPS worker doing her internship from SAGU . . . she was here for the summer and she was fabulous!!!

Naraa - friend & fellow worker from Mongolia - pastor of the Toxou Church 

All of us . . . I spoken here several times too, but I don't think I've ever taken a pic. 

Mongolia Visa Trip - Surprise USA Trip

Okay, so I'm on the train from Ulan Ude, Siberia

to Ulan Bator, Mongolia

. . . getting smokey out there in the forest . . .

And there's the fire!

Train housing for the night . . . depart about 2 pm . . . 7 hrs (w/ no restroom) at the border . . . arrive at 7 am

Hot water on the train . . . coal heating . . . don't burn yourself!

Okay, so Mongolia is kinda of like modern meets nomad! I love it!

The yurts are an economical way to claim the land until they can build . . . cars, Soviet style apartment buildings, modern buildings, and everything else all mashed in together.

Hope Church . . . great place with translation into English!

Okay, so I can kinda read along since it uses the Cyrillic alphabet like Russian & Greek, but understanding is a whole different deal!  Thankfully, the older generation usually speaks a bit of Russian & the younger generation speaks some English . . . PHEW!

Here's a Soviet monument on Mongolian soil . . .

some kind of show of unity or peace between them.

Ghenghis Khan . . . in Sukhbataar Square . . .

 . . . and one of his horse riding warriors!

Samantha's (purple hat girl) Soccer Party! WHAT?!?  So, for the first time EVER, the consulate wouldn't do my visa in Mongolia, & I had to go on to the States.  Thank God for one of the cheapest places in Asia to buy tickets!

  It was a surprise 6 day trip, but what a treat to see my family!

Yes, & my other two nieces . . . Brianna & Dani

. . . guess I didn't take a lot of pix on this trip :-)

I did get my visa in record time in Seattle, but I will say that double jet-lagging yourself within 6 days & a 16 hour time change is a painful experience! Especially when you are prepping to teach a Youth Ministries Course a week later that will be simultaneously translated into Russian & Mongolian . . . can we say "headache????" How about "grace???" God was very good!!!

I love POSIE! Sold EVERYWHERE in Buryatia . . .

"TIBET" is my FAVORITE Posie Place EVER . . . like a meat dumpling w/ broth inside . . . yummy . . . 

So, posie . . . Step #1:  take a tiny bite out of the bottom edge.  Step #2:  loudly slurp out the broth. 

Step #3:  EAT . . . the one w/ the least broth on their plate at the end wins!

  Posie Meal . . . garlic water to add to pour in the top; nice Russian salad; piece of bread; black tea w/ milk.  

Come back as often as possible . . . this is GREAT fast food!!!  I wonder if Diner's Drive Ins & Dives ever comes to Siberia???