OK, you people, you have been hounding me about what time the sun comes up, what time it goes down, and so on and so on. Contrary to what you apparently believe, Mongolia not near the Arctic Circle and we are not about to plunge into six months of darkness. Here's the current data:

Cafe Blog in Tehran: for a blog from Iran see Persian Blog.

Sitasamvara statue by Zanabazar, First Bogd Gegen of Mongolia. For more see Zanabazar's Art Works.

Ulaan Baatar may be one of the few cities where "Smoke" is a common weather condition. The smoke comes not only from the big coal-fueled power plants but also from the thousands of gers - the round tents many Mongolians live in - each of which has its own stove burning wood or coal.


Today's Weather

Our merry little band at the Ja Lama Ovoo on the outskirts of Ekhin Gol Oasis. For more photos see The Gobi Desert.

If you are looking for the perfect meal to break the Ramadan fast see Is Something Burning?!, a sister-blog of The Virtual Sheik.

See more photos and information about Amarbuyant Khiid

Shar Khuls Oasis: The 13th Dalai Lama camped here in 1904.


It was a long, slow slog 104 miles south from Amarbuyant to Shar Khuls Oasis.

Speaking of luscious cheesecake, here's Zolzaya, translator on the Gobi trip, in one of her few unveiled moments - she was determined to protect her "sweet cream" complexion from the ravages of the Gobi air.

New Fronts in the War on Terror: To digress from the Gobi for a moment, here is the newly selected Miss Afghanistan. For details see Afghan Beauty Queen Makes History.

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Quick, all you linguists out there: how do you say "luscious cheesecake" in Pashtu?

The old caravan route to China and Tibet. This is the way the 13th Dalai Lama came to Mongolia in 1904.

Our little caravan sets out from Amarbuyant Monastery for Shar Khuls Oasis, 104 miles to the south.

Tumen-Olzii, cook and disiplinarian on the Gobi trip. Mother of eight children, she knows a thing or two about cooking (and discipline).

The debonair Davakhoo, one of the camel-handlers on the trip.

Eighty-three year-old Gonchigjav (left), currently the oldest monk at Amarbuyant, with his son-in-law and grandson.