Tsaargan sar

 This week has been a holiday week here in Mongolia.  Its the celebration of the Lunar New Year and lasts for 5 days.  Basically every Mongolian family spends time with their other family members going from house to house and eating the traditional foods. 

We enjoyed Tsaargan Sar at our friends Nergui & Munguu's family home

As you can see from the picture there is a sheep meat in the middle of the table.  They have to purchase a whole sheep and then boil it down in a huge cauldron in their home.  The tower of bread and milk products are a picture of the typical foods which Mongolians eat.  The other traditional foods are Bouutz, Milk tea, Ariq, Potato salad and Ham(which is sausage to us).

As we enter into the home we are visiting the elder parents who are dressed in their Dell's(traditional clothing) greet us with a special greeting and then extend a blue scarf in a kind of handshake then kissing each side of our faces.  We are then escorted into their living room where we feast on the traditional foods.  It is a time to get acquainted for us but for family members it is a family time - a joyful time together.  Many of the families make over 2000 Boutz to be prepared for all their visitors.  In the 5 days of the holiday people are going from house to house to celebrate the Lunar New Year. 

The traditional greeting

Look at the sheep!

The Table laden with Traditional Mongolian Foods

We were blessed to visit two families of our dear friends.  Anu and her Mother and Grandfather also invited us to their home.  They live in the center of the city in an apartment.

This is Anu's home with her Mom and Grandfather

A lovely meal of Veal Cutlet

Didi and Anu

Anu's Mom who prepared all the food

Didi also comes to our Bible study - she lives next door to Anu

Newport Beach California

Just a few days left in California and the weather has been so lovely I've decided to spend some time at the beach and capture some of the beauty of this place.  Here are some pictures!

Newport Beach

The little shops

My beach buddy, Noel

Newport Pier

Tim and Carolyn took me out for Ice Cream at Baskin N'Robbins! Yumm

Tim treated me!

Raspberry Chocolate Swirl

Our Road Trip to Santa Maria

My good friend Claudia and I took a road trip up the Coast of California to Santa Maria.  We visited her sister Christine in Ventura.  Christine lives on a boat in the marina in Ventura.

Starting out on our trip

Claudia's sister Christine's boat in Ventura, California

Their 43 ft sailboat which they sailed to Japan in

Its called "The Messenger" because they went to Japan to bring the gospel.

We walked around the Marina

There are many people who live in their boats in this Marina

It was a beautiful day!

The Tall Ships were in Harbor

People were climbing the masts and working on them

Beautiful Scenery on the way to Santa Maria

Orchards

The Fauf and her little Doodle

He looks just like a Drazin

Westly - 10 months old

Horse Farm

Beautiful sunset

The hills of California

Beautiful hills

Look at the sky!

Vineyards

More vineyards

Highway 101 - The Ocean

Claudia at Riley's Farm

Riley's Farm where Claudia's son lives

Grandma's house on the Farm

The Tavern where we stopped for tea

Colonial Fireplace in the Tavern on Riley's Farm

The Tavern

The backside of the farm