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Artist Tue Feb 07 2012
Tour Diary: Canasta in Mongolia - Day 2
Subtitle: Megan and Elizabeth get lost in UlaanBaatar, or CAMELS!!! Camels everyone!!
This latest tour blog comes via Canasta's violinist Elizabeth Lindau. Read all about why in the world they're in Mongolia, and the previous post.
"Going in order...After performing a set for a local TV show, Canasta headed over to a gallery/bar called Xanadu with some Mongolians from the UB art/music scene. We loaded up into our van, along with Lauren, an American who is in Mongolia on a Fulbright scholarship. After a short drive, we pulled over and all exited the van. Megan spotted some great street art, so I (Elizabeth) pulled out my camera to take a picture. After a few shots, we looked around for our group, and spotted a bunch of folks in puffy coats about a block or so away. We were surprised that they hadn't waited for us, but we scampered over to catch up with them. As we got closer, we began to realize...it wasn't our group. And...we were now lost and alone. Being lost in a foreign city isn't a huge deal, but when the temperature is around minus thirty Fahrenheit...well...we knew we wouldn't last too long without getting inside. Some Mongolian girls stopped and tried to help us, but they hadn't heard of Xanadu. We were two little baby birds, fallen from the nest, chirping "Xanadu"! Xanadu!" and getting colder by the minute.
Pianist Sarah Kneebone (correction) Megan O'Connor meets a new friend on the streets of Ulaan Bataar
(photos courtesy of Canasta)
Meanwhile, inside the club, eventually Jeremy realized that he hadn't seen either of us in awhile. He asked a few other folks if anyone had seen us...and no one had. So everyone suited up to go back outside, and eventually found a pianist and violist who were quite happy to see them.
And as for the camels, well...not sure there's too much to say other than...CAMELS!!! After a few days in UB, we loaded up in a minibus and a jeep to make the seven-hour drive to Tsesterleg (two vehicles are mandatory when you leave the capital, in case one breaks down). Cold and desolate doesn't begin to describe the scenery...broken up only by occasional gers (yurts), sheep, cows, or horses. About five hours in (after an in-van jam session featuring lots of Canasta songs, Yoshimi, and Pearl Jam) our translator spotted...CAMELS! We pulled over and walked over to them, and were able to get about thirty feet away. There's not much more to say other than...camels are totally the best, and two humps are way better than one."
Canasta's Elizabeth Lindau and said camels
