Beauty

Ok, I put my hands up. At the fashion show, I made the most of the opportunity to do portraits.

The cloths were very interesting, smart etc but there were loads of photographers doing a much better job of taking full figure shots than I could manage.

Me, I liked the faces.

Thing is, the models all stopped directly in front of my lens and looked straight at the camera.

What else could I do?

It would have been extremely rude not to click the shutter, don’t you think?

Woolly Caps

I never thought I would ever spend an enjoyable evening photographing woolly hats.

But I guess this image gives the game away.

These young women would look gorgeous in tea cosies!

I took over 80 images in the hour of the fashion show, culled to 60. Difficult work but some body had to do it.

Magpie Collection by Zoe Hillyard.

Zoe is a VSO volunteer working to improve the marketability of Mongolian wool and felt products by enhanced design and quality.

A fashion show, models and all, was held at the Continental Hotel in UB to showcase the latest designs for Cashmere Studio amongst others.

It represented 6 mouths of Zoe’s VSO placements efforts and was very impressive.

The collection shown in this series of pictures is called “Magpie”. Very sophisticated.

I loved the way the models always stopped to poise in front of my camera, magic.

And very easy on the eye, it has to be said!

Getting There

There are now 25 canvases in our apartment. They are taking over the walls. They have started to invade the bedroom. I am being very selective about those hung in the bedroom. No scary one eyed ladies and definitely no ghostly white shapes. There is such a variation in Gek’s work, I am not sure what the punters will make of the exhibition. Portraits, landscapes, abstracts and just plain strange.

Taiji Mongolia.

Gek has been holding Taiji lessons as part of a 12 weeks course. There are 7/8 regulars who strut their stuff every Saturday afternoon.

The course covers the 24 step Taiji developed in Beijing.

 

One and half hours of concentration.

And the occasional burst of violence!! Gek missed me.

The Deel

I know. I thought long and hard about putting this on the blog!!! But I decided to make you smile. And, I know, I do need the right hat, don't you think? Anyway, in the flesh, I am told I look very smart. Stunning was one comment. Stop laughing!!!!

Compare and Contrast

Mid summer in West Sussex. Very green isn’t it? Gek and Magda chew the fat.

Three months later in Ulaanbaatar. Same camera and camera man, different setting. Hummmm.

The Skaters

An ice rink has been created in front of the Circus by fencing an enclosure and partially filling it with water to a depth of about 300mm. Needless to say….. instant ice sheet.

Some falling over takes place, it is just a little bumpy.

Some skating with style,

and mums wondering how they got talked into this one!!!!!

Whilst these lads were competing,

one smart guy had collected all the young women!!!

Pigeons

You had to feel sorry for these two fellows!!! Sat on our window sill, they were. Yes I have been watching Star Wars again !!!!

New Years Day Night

Quite a sight across the square. Loads of people just simply socialising in the open. Promenading in fact, in the dark, in –20 deg C. Old and young. Amazing.

To the right of the Great Man a rather austere chap,

and the horsemen look even more impressive in the dark. Very, very scary.

On the West side of the square is the Opera House nicely lit.

But all this grand stuff doesn’t mean you cannot have fun. Oh no. A temporary ice rink has been sprayed onto the square full of people helping each other to stand up!!!

New Year Day Stroll – 2007

New Years morning: Gek and I strolled down to the VSO office to send emails and stuff. And of course take photos. But where is the snow? There should be snow! Everybody says so.
11:30 am, Peace Avenue. Amazing. Very light traffic. We had just passed a huddle of 6 traffic policemen looking for a car to stop. But the TBus’s are still running. TBus 4-150 was last caught on camera on the 3rd of December. I keep a record you see!!!! Getting sadder, I am. Checkout the http://www.ubtrolleybus.blogspot.com/ for the latest info on UB’s treasures.

The new guy on the plinth is TSEDENBAL. Remember, he was under poly sheets a few blogs ago. And he IS facing the library. TSEDENBAL was a former Mongolian Republic Head of State and the unveiling was on the 90th anniversary of his birth. His credited with laying the foundations for today’s Mongolia in the soviet period. A good egg.

One bronze horse with a purple Gek in front of a purple theatre. Gek insists the theatre is red. Could be. Today was a WC 2 day requiring at least 4 layers. Layers are the big thing in winter. “How many are you today?” I regularly wear 7 layers with two scarves, two hats (one cashmere, one leather with Welsh wool lining), my thermal Long Johns tucked into the tops of my socks and felt lined boots. And very cosy I am too, thank you very much!.

Another statue, this time of B. TSERENDORJ. He is between the State Dept Store and the Circus. He was Mongolia’s first Prime Minister.

TSERENDORJ sits facing south looking towards the Circus. In front of and behind him are two defunct ornamental fountains. Must have been quite something when everything was working. I will have to do a blog on UB’s once lush boulevards.