For those of you who attended my bday party this year, you would know that eating huge amounts of meat from large animal bones is one of my favorite things to do in life.... well i know now where this passion came from, my Mongolian blood.



As we left the city of UB and headed for the hills, i couldn't help but notice the half carcass of sheep sitting next to me in the back of amaraa's landcruzer. Pulling up to a river, some 4 hours later, amaraa and his buddies jumped out of our caravan of cars and started to make 3 small fires, the woman in the group (amaraa's beautiful new wife Urin and a few of the guys girlfriends) started preparing tea for us, and cutting up the sheep carcass. two large metal pots began to cook over the burning fires while a third fire heated stones to be placed in the pots for internal heating.

As we waited the men sat around and sang songs of horses, rivers, and of course Chingas Khan. about 40 min later wild dogs began circling our camp, drawn by the beckoning scent of stewing meat. and for the following hours into the night we dined on the huge ribs, legs, and of course the neck of a freshly departed sheep. Everyone eat with their hands, fat and juices dripping from our lips. large bowls of fermented horse milk ("irag") and vodka passed hands as we eat under the moonlit sky. The next day we spent wandering the countryside, passing through an ancient land of beauty and power. Camals scattered the desert like stepes, while rivers carved their way into the earth. I have never felt like such a man. what a wedding celebration...


Now im trying desperately to find a way back to Beijing before my flight to Urumqi tomorrow. but things are starting to look dire. Ill keep you posted. Naching! (ALBERT)