We had a fun week.  Three new senior couples arrived late Wednesday night after their fight from Bejing was canceled twice.  They are the Martins, the Gledhills, and the Richardsons, all from Utah.  We are so happy to have them here with us.  On Saturday afternoon, the Fords and us took them on a walk down to Sukhbaatar Square.  We heard this brass band playing, and when we looked we saw these two soldiers placing a wreath at the monument.  Then a large group of military, governmental, and civilian dignitaries  all saluted the statue and then walked around it.  The band played the entire time and when they ended, everyone left.

Then that night we all went to a little theatre for an evening of cultural music and dancing.  This group played musical numbers and then for all of the singers.  They were all in traditional dress and played Mongolian instruments.

The singers were very interesting.  The lady had a beautiful voice and the gentleman in the gold robe had a nice deep voice.  The other one sounded like he had a vibrator in his throat.  They were all traditional songs and the sounds they sing have certain meanings.  It was very interesting to hear the different types of songs they sang.

This man not only sang a song but played his horn during parts of it.  You will notice that he is a member of the orchestra.

These dancers performed very fast numbers.  Each of their movements tells a story.  Since we are not Mongolian, we did not understand the story but the dances were fascinating.

The old man and the others in the large masks did an ancient dance that told a story of the gods.  The young lady dances with china cups, one in each hand and one on her head.  Again each movement she did with her hands and the cups had a meaning.

This quartet played some music that seemed almost like it might be a Mongolian western.  The one in the different colored robe is playing a string of animal bones.

And they also had a contortionist.  She was amazing and oh so flexible.  She is not double-jointed.  They start training at a very young age and so they remain this flexible.
And this is Sister Shrope standing by a huge Mongolian violin-type instrument in the lobby of the theatre.