More Beijing and Mongolia

Pollution levels are dangerous today and last night it was very dangerous. *cough*.

I took a little walk around the compound here in Beijing. People I passed by mostly ignored me with either neutral or unfriendly faces. Then I stopped in a playground and pulled out my travel sketchbook and began to draw trees. A fairly modest little sketch. But the difference in the passersby was astounding. People stopped to see what I was doing and either smiled, or gave me the thumbs up. Even the stern guards (or were they police?) who cycled by, nodded or smiled. Some teenagers who were whispering together came over ( I thought they might be talking about me) and asked to see my sketches, of course I showed them, and they were appreciative.
So I heartily recommend travelers bring a sketchbook, or maybe a musical instrument. It has really opened doors in my experience.
I wanted to post more photos, but my computer is not letting me do it.

Mongolia

Computer is strange, but I got another pic at least.
My son is in the foreground, Wee Beatrice and Miggy, our translator, are on the far camel. I was amazed at how brave Bea was getting up on that camel and then our ride and getting down again. After we got off the camels the adults all walked in a stiff-legged, inverted "V", Beatrice ran to play with her little new-made friend Star.