XanaduArt Camp with "Blue Sun"

I arrived as requested at dawn at the 'Art Studio' in an apparently abandoned building in the industrial west of UB. No one stirred until 7am. Then, while waiting until after 9am for our departure, three of us made a foray to the abandoned Khotsh Bank nearby, and charmed the guard, as he awoke, and gave us a secret tour of this intriguing building, with gallery and sports hall.

The details of the Arkhangai tour became clearer as two Russian ''Пургон" jeeps with drivers appeared and fifteen of us set off toward Khar Khorin in Ovorkhangai. An itinerary was produced, then verbally modified. After camping by the river in Khar Khorin and visiting Erdene Zuu monastery, we drove to Suvragakhairkhain, Chandmanikhairkhain, and the beautiful Tovkhon Monastery. Before camping by a river, a sheep was procured from a family and prepared. I drew, most others painted, sketched, sang and smoked.

Gradually, over three days, we progressed from eating the blood filled intestines and "Гийдэс" of the sheep to various other boiled, smoked, and barbecued parts of the sheep, culminating around the campfire one evening, as leader, Mashbat, presented each person by name with a selected named joint of meat. I somehow followed in Mongolian.

After we reached Tsetserleg, the province centre, I spent a day alone drawing the monastery and other buildings there, and the next morning, began the 11 hour bus ride over dirt racks pitching and jolting my way back to UB.