Minsalim

Minsalim is a bone carver.  He has a workshop that produces beautiful art--mostly animals and other scenes from nature, including many Tartar legends and stories--out of the bones of mammoths, deer, elk, and cattle.  They are amazing.  Minsalim is quite the guy, too.  He drew a self-portrait in our tour book, and then over top of the paragraph about his workshop he autographed and put the official company stamp to boot.

He spent nearly half and hour telling us Tartar legends and showing us various works of his art.  He also wanted to know all about us and talk about New York.  When he found out we were lawyers, he said, "Defend American democracy!"  I told him that Margo worked to protect children, and he got very excited and told us he had been an orphan.  He bought the old orphanage and that is where his workshop is located.  He also presented Margo with two magazines about the Russian far north that had several articles about projects to help disadvantaged children.

In return, we signed a post card from New York to give to him.  We carried a few around to give as presents to people who have been kind to us, like the two Chinese girls who escorted us to the Summer Palace even though they didn't speak any English.  We have been lucky to meet a lot of nice people.