Second post

Out our office window you can see the Blue Sky office building is being built.  No connection with Blue Sky Aviation but the local papers seem to have made a connection and reported that the profits from Blue Sky Aviation humanitarian flights have funded the project.  It is a pretty building and it kind of resembles the Blue Sky Aviation logo.

One would think having something of note to share from somewhere as different as UlaanBaatar Mongolia would be a simple thing.  It would only require one to pay attention and remember the interesting parts.  

It snowed a little last week but it is mostly gone without a trace now.  Sorry no pictures.  We walk from the Flat to the office and each day is remarkably similar.  One day a man in a wheel chair was asking for help.  One day a young lady was selling pens trying to fund her education.  Most days the kids at the secondary school are playing on the sidewalk.  For the last 3 weeks we have watched the replacement of some heat pipes in a side street we walk past.  The day It  snowed I watched a rather expensive looking car spinning it's tires trying to go up a rather slight incline.  Too many young unemployed men standing around smoking, buying soda and liquor, spitting on the sidewalks.   Normal sights now, after only 4 weeks we are no longer noticing what makes life normal here.  

Just for emphasis the three major events this last week were: 

1. meeting a young man from the US who was here doing some training with a contingent of Mongolian peace keepers prior to there deployment.  We enjoyed visiting with him and spending the evening. 

2. We went to the home of one of our coworkers and had Dinner with them.  They are a mongolian family who have been working in and with the expat community for several years.  We had a nice meal of that old Mongolian favorite.  Tacos Coke-A-Cola and Brownies.  

3. Paul and Edith Brooks fish, who are living in the aquarium where we are staying, were starting to swim upside down.  (technically, some had stopped swimming and were just floating.)  Not being aquarium experts we were puzzled by their lethargic demeanor and following some contemplation deduced that there was a problem.  The decision was made that the water was probably causing this curious behavior.  Four (4) hours later with fresh water in the tank the fish seem happier and are easier to see as well.  Oddly enough the old water had gotten quite green over time.  This morning all fish were swimming in the normal way.  (Actually the floaters are resting on the counter top and we will report on there progress as they return to service.)

So enough for this installment of the roller-coster ride of interesting and fascinating events from our time in Mongolia.  I hope you can stand the suspense.  We will try to tame the wilder parts so our blog is fit to read without frightening small children and dogs.

Tom from Mongolia