Same Country, Different Perspectives

Back in February, I made my first trip to Mongolia. My second journey this month showed me just how big a role the weather plays in life there. One of the most obvious differences involves the daily temperatures. In the winter, daytime "highs" often don't exceed -10C (with low temperatures frequently in the -40C range). In contrast, the temp gets up to 30C on many summer days. This affects so many areas of life. For example, I was able to get a much better feel for the people, who are much more talkative and recognizable in August. On a related note, food vendors are much easier to find outside during the summer than the winter. Plus, and something very important to me, you can exercise outdoors during the summer months! I hope these two photos, both taken in Ulan Bator(the capital), give you some glimpse into how the weather affected things during each of my visits.