The White Lake

Mongolia has the coldest average temperature of any country in the world.  Even though the summers are warm - they average 65 degrees on average and the sun can make it feel a lot hotter - the winters are just brutal, with average temperatures of 13 below, which masks some of the days when the mercury breaks because the temperature is actually thirty, or even forty, below zero.

That, and the rise in altitude, helped explain why the White Lake was so cold.  The days were warm enough, but as soon as the sun went behind the clouds it was downright cold.  Until then I was wondering why I brought all that extra warm gear... 

At the White Lake we saw Mongolians' stunning efficiency and resourcefulness when it came to turning a patch of grass into a roaring party.  We were just relaxing when, out of nowhere, came two pickups trucks full of Mongolians with a couple of sheep.  In a matter of minutes they turned a piece of grass into a full blown campsite - multiple tents, quartered sheep, a volleyball court and a gazebo.  For a second it made me appreciate the efficiency of Genghis Khan's conquering machine - the largest land empire in the history of mankind.  An hour later men were passing vodka shots, kids were singing and dancing, and our relaxing campsite looked and felt like a Mongolian version of Las Vegas.  Then there was the customary three hour game of volleball lasting until well into the night.

Another gem was the general store at the White Lake, full of items that had improbably made their way to this corner of the world.  There was a bottle of French wine, vintage 2005, tucked away in the corner.  How many time had that thing been sold and resold before it made it all the way to that general store?  There was an old, beat up Nalgene, presumably used?  Who was the owner before and why had he or she sold it?  There were Western candy bars past their expiration date, no small feat, and a collection on Russian, Chinese and Mongolian snacks.  The back of beyond.

Getting used to these gers after a while...

Lots of entrepreneurs are setting up shop around the lake.

Frontier housing.

The famous White Lake.

Pink gers on the far shore.

Yaks - it gets cold enough here that Yaks start to displace cows, especially during the winters.

Locals on their way around the lake.

Prayer flags on the lake.

Our digs.

Getting rugged.

Taking a nap by the lake after some horseback riding.

The house dog.

A shot of the reflection of the flames dancing around the inside of our tent... it got cold at night and the stove was the only way to stay warm.

Our new Mongolian friends, doing Mongolian/English lessons.

Another shrine, this one at the top of a nearby volcano.

Finally getting comfortable!

Sturdy little horses.

The kitchen and living quarters for our hosts.