| We headed south and made our bumpy way to the Gobi desert. As always,
at every stop the few locals in the area ride over to investigate and
say hello - actually "sain bainauu." It's a nomadic tradition
to meet and greet people that stop near your ger. Whenever we visit a
family's ger we're treated as long-lost relatives. The gers always have
a stove in the center. The floors are dirt or wood planks. Decorative,
persian-looking rugs adorn the walls and add insulation. Usually the family
hangs a picture of the Dalai Lama on the tent wall. The tent wall is made
of wood lattice and a canvas cover. Besides the stove, there isn't much
furniture. Typically we've seen a dresser, a few cots (the entire family
shares the tent), and maybe a simple shelf for utensils and tools. The
host family always serves a bowl of mare's milk with an alcohol kick -
it's the local equivalent of beer. If there's any cheese hanging from the
tent roof, that's pulled down and served. Lastly comes a teacup full of
vodka - you're supposed to drink it in one gulp. Gulping the vodka lessens
the taste. |
