Zanskar Photos

Plowing with Yaks.  A hard day!

A Stupa on the path up to a Monastery

Mountains and Glaciers. More photos are of Tinzin and his 88 yr odd grandfather and aunt

A golden eagle.  A horse rider near the pass.  Tinzin's nephew and his aunt. The people are throwing the thrashed wheat up to et the wind bow the chaf away.  Marmots everywhere.

This next photo doesn't look real, but Thea's the way Zanskar looks.

The Sikh Golden Temple

Susan visiting with ladies at the Temple.  There was talk, laughter and hugging  and not just once. 

The Golden Temple a beautiful, spiritual place

Volunteer dishwashers at the Temple.  Dishes go through 6 or 7 washing stations.

Zanskar

Zanskar is a remote valley in Ladakh.  It is snowed in for about 8 months a year.  In the winter there is a trek to Zanskar up a Frozen river gorge walking on ice along the flowing river.  It is the way the locals have used for 100s of years.

Since leaving Leh we have had one problem after another.  First going into the Aryan Valley, after hours of driving between high rock walls along a river gorge we were stopped by the police in the road.  The first thing I noticed was the power pole down in the road. The next was that there was no road ahead of us!  Flooded out so we had to turn around after walking to see some of the devastation in the village ahead and that was even difficult to do.  So we drove to Lamarulu and stayed in a nice guest house with views of the monastery which seems to grow out of the strange shaped rocks.

After a morning visit to the monastery we drove to Kargil.  Of course the road deteriorated along the way but we stayed in a nice guest house in Kargil.  We said good by to our good driver from Leh since the local taxi Union would not allow an outside driver to drive this area.

The next morning we headed for Zanskar.  Oh,  I didn't mention that had been raining all day and all night and now was still raining as we left.  A couple of hours later we were stopped at a police check point and turned around because at the pass before Padum there was at least a foot of snow on the road and there was snow all around us in the fields and along the road.  So we returned to Kargil after a few lamb samosas in a village on the way back.  I tracked down the source of the lamb at a butcher shop down the street where all the organs that were left were also displayed for sale.  If eating it, go see the source if possible.  Right?  (I Didn't have any more lamb samosas.)

The next morning there was a hint of some blue patches in the sky and cars had come through from Padum, so we left.

We arrived in Rangdum and Lalit said we should not stay in the tent camp at the monastery because of how cold it was going to be that night.  We checked out the rooms at the local guest house and they were miserable, dirty rooms.  When asked where the toilet was they pointed out in a big dusty area about 100 yards away to a small building.  We went downstairs to have tea and Lalit was outside talking to people.  I was eyeing a large plastic bottle behind the counter almost empty of chocolates.  The plan was to buy the whole thing stash the chocolate and use the bottle as a pee bottle.  I was not going out there in the cold wind into the big field.  All this because I somehow broke my previous Jiff Peanut butter pee bottle.  Lalit came in and said No, we will not stay here tonight.  We are going to see this other place.  We get in the car and he says move over this man is going with us.  Turns out we are staying in that man's house.  Basic but better than that guest house.

Outside We saw an old lady with a child and some kids playing with bike wheels and sticks. They were racing the wheels along the road.  I asked if I could take photos and everyone were very accommodating.

Tomorrow over the pass and down to Padum but we stop about 10 km short and stay with Tinzin at his family's home for two nights.  

As we left Rangdum we took a load of school kids to school because their bus had broken down.  Filled the inside of our car with the overflow on the roof!

See my Facebook for some photos.  https://www.facebook.com/rd.bryant.5

Trek

Some of the purple sage and small yellow flowers on the Sham Valley Trek. A lot of color in these barren hills!

Chandrathal

We camped near Chandrathal Lake at about 14,000 ft. We were surrounded by snow covered mountains. Looked like weather moving in. Snow covered peaks in all directions.

The Dog

As previously mentioned this is the dog trying to herd us around with nips, body blocks, and barks but also the one to save the lambs from that Big Raven. He was grabbing Susan's shoe strings pulling her in the "right" direction. We discussed just going where he wanted us to go but we really didn't want to sleep in a sheep pen or with the Yaks that night!

He was sooo cute! Beautiful (but very determined) eyes. Look into my eyes -- Get in that pen Now!

The Raven

This Raven with ill intent approached these two small lambs who had wondered off on their own. Lalit snapped this photo moments before one of the herding dogs suddenly appeared on the scene. The lambs were OK. This was the same dog that was constantly trying to herd us too.

Sheep Butter

Susan is visiting the Nomad tents while the chairs are being test driven. She has found Sonam rolling the sheep skin full of milk making sheep butter! This is how it has been for centuries. We are so lucky to have Lalit as a guide, even knowing some of the nomads. The driver and the cook that Angchok sent with us grew up in this area and knew the language so we could communicate.

Nomads Discover Camp Chairs!

These guys were great! So much fun and interactive with us. Once they checked them out we think that every old guy in the encampment drifted into our site wanting to test drive these chairs and explore the mysterious netted cup pockets for any Chai or Chang. Wow, and we were there!

Shopping with Nomads

Susan posing with the man who sold her the displayed rugs. They are rustic but were woven in one of those low tents in the background. He is a natural, don't you think?

In Leh

We should be in very remote high elevation areas for nearly the next week, but we had to come down to Leh early. The first night camping way off road in a Nomad encampment at 15,500 ft did not go well for DB. First time any real altitude issues for him, but not too serious but we had to descend to Leh at 11,500 to start recovering. Our team - cook, driver and Lalit of course went and got fresh curd (yogurt) from the Nomads and our cook somehow had bananas and they plied me to eat curd and banana when it was the last thing I wanted to do! Yes Karen it was very good. I think the Nomads make exceptional curd!

The Nomads were a real surprise bringing things to our camp to sell .. Woven wool things. Two old men were circling our camp chairs and Susan said sit down. They did and grunted in approval but the little net pockets in the arms were a puzzle and subject of debate until Susan said Chai and they looked at each other and said Ohhh with big grins and nods of approval. Great time .. Wish we could have stayed longer! Susan was in her element buying woven wool wall hangings, rugs etc. going with the women to their tents, watching them make butter in a sheep skin being rolled back and forth. My altitude problems ended us up in touristy Leh long before we should have been here, but we are still shopping .. Buying jewelry etc from Tibetan artisans here. Beverly?? Shopping!! We can still go south next year to Rajasthan and Gujarat if anyone wants to go!

Currently enjoying Leh. Ancient Monasteries, but Very undependable power and Internet.

We have two local treks planned over the next two weeks. One has a pass to go over every day!

Love to all,

Darryl and Susan on the road.

JFG Tandoori To Go in India!

We spent a few days in Shimla in Himachal Pradesh before crossing the Himalayas, which was a nice place with a walking/shopping mall like so many towns in India are doing now. At least the ones that have many tourists.

Lalit and Babu went out one evening to get some tandoori chicken and it was handed to them in the bag below! Lalit saw Tennessee and brought it to us the next day. Too bad it's just decaf medium roast - Ha.

Toy Train Ride

Waiting to ride the narrow gage rail line in the old coach cars we saw these children. They posed for a photo. Beautiful outfits on the children.

Chitkul to Tabo

We loved the guest house in Chitkul! It was the last building in the small village right next to nature preserve land. The view of the valley and the high snow covered mountains with the Baspa River running through it was beautiful. Being near the end of the road there was very little traffic and the peaceful quiet was relaxing. The local villagers were harvesting green peas and kindly gave us handfuls when we passed by them. Most didn't want their picture taken but some said OK. All were very hard working nice people. The owners of the guest house were Manmeet and Manali. A very nice enthusiastic and helpful couple Manmeet loved the nature and the peacefulness of the place and Manali loved having the company of the guests. Since they both had excellent English the visit was good.

Leaving there they both told us that the road ahead was the most dangerous in India and prone to being closed by landslides or large boulders blocking the road. The road was actually not a road but more like a goat path or maybe not even a goat path! It was clinging to the edge of the cliffs above a raging river, the Satluj, with very few guard rails but thankfully not much traffic except for some large trucks and busses which were bad enough since the road was barely one lane. Nothing but blind curves added to the excitement (interpret that as fear and loathing). Rocks of all sizes were in the road having fallen there from the steep slopes and lifts above. - more "excitement" which included coming to sections where both Babu and Lalit constantly watched uphill for rocks coming down while which ever of us was on the outside tried to not look straight down the 1,000 ft + drop to the river below. To hell with rocks from above, down seemed to be the treated threat to the one on the outside! Probably a hundred thousand hair pin turns in the next 10 or 11 hours. By the time we arrived at our guest house in Spiti (pronounced Piti) I was sea sick and went to bed and had to sleep it off. We don't know how the driver Babu got us through this without a meltdown but he did or he went and did it in private. We saw him doing his,prayers as we passed shrines and we joined in also, what could it hurt?

The children are are the most endearing. If they see a camera they want their picture taken, then want to see their likeness on the camera screen. They are quick to smile and play outside their houses, making up games and laughing out loud. I was sitting on our balcony yesterday in Tabo when a young boy came up the hill next to our guesthouse. He bent over to pick up a ball and threw it at a rock which bounced back and hit him in the face. He looked around to see if anyone witnessed his trick and there I was. He was quite embarrassed and ran away--we are all the same aren't we?

We entered the Buddhist area in Nako right before arriving and staying in Tabo. We First heard the Jullay greeting in Tabo. We are In Kaza now. It is very nice to enter this area. We love the Jullay greeting.

Monkey Business

We are enjoying our time with Lalit. We are in Shimla. The people here are very Arian looking and mostly have good English. The traditional dress is really nice. Women wear head scarves gypsy style. No saris. Loose pants and long tops and sometimes ornate wool vests. The men dress western style except for the round hat.

Last night we went out and knew that we had not opened any windows but one was open already - behind a curtain. Sure enough we returned and Susan said why is this on the floor? Her sunglasses, pen and a bag. Then she realized that they had been in her Taraloka bag! It was gone and more things from it were out on the ledge. So Hotel people said we will search in the morning but Susan grabbed her headlamp and said no. Now. And headed out the door with them following her saying no madam very rough down there. Ha! All was recovered. Camera, wallet with credit and debit cards, and her good raincoat. Her book was recovered from the ledge outside the window. The only thing ripped and gone was a package of crackers.

Susan gave the hotel guys a shock running down there behind the hotel, and threw the whole place into a panic. Funny - after the bag and contents were recovered. The bag was wet on the outside - Those Nasty Monkeys! Now scrubbed and sterilized. But now we can vouch for the quality of the Taraloka bags. It fell five floors to smash into rocky ground with all contents including the camera AOK! Good Bags!

When we checked in the hotel guy told us to keep windows closed and on the street don't make eye contact and don't dare feed them! Lalit says that once here a big monkey stopped him and searched his pockets! Before they took things he said two boys came along and started throwing rocks at the monkey and it ran away. We are focusing on avoiding any of that monkey business.

Breakfast

Masala Omelet with an Aloo Paratha with curd and pickle. The pickle is hot spicy pickled peppers or other Vegas. The Curd is really good plain yogurt. Yumm.

Vegetables shopping at your front door

Fresh Vegetables arriving via bike. Guest house lady selecting what they need for today. This is a daily happening. Morning and evening. You can hear the vendors calling out as they ride through the neighborhoods.

Proper Eating Technique

>
> Susan is working it Indian style. To hell with those pesky utensils! All the restaurants have sinks on a wall in the dining room for washing hands. In the background you see the manager checking to make sure customers are eating more than they should and the waiters busy refilling plates. At least it is vegetarian.

> OK last food photo for a while we are heading to the mountains. Food will change and temperature will change for the better!

Defense Colony again

R

In Delhi

> We have eaten way too much today also too hot and muggy this time of year in Delhi .. Last of the Monsoon season so it is very humid. Soon we will start for the Himalayas and it will be cooler and less humidity.
>
> We just returned from walking around the dark streets near our gust house trying to walk off the big dinner. Waiters and the owner standing and watching saying ... Eat More! And refilling our plates over and over OH my. Gaining weight. Although it is All vegetarian. So go walk and sweat buckets. Rajasthani food. So Good.

> We took a bike taxi (Rickshaw) to the Defense Colony restaurants and back. We bargained for a 60 rupee ride over there and then paid him 200 and asked that he wait for us to take us back. They work so hard and get paid nothing! The parking areas do not let these guys park and wait so when we came out and went through four or five shops including the chocolate shop and started looking for him. Sure enough there he was making circles out in the busy street and watching for us. So off we went for our guest house!

> The Air is much better now in Delhi because of Monsoon rains and that is a good thing.
>
> Walking at night here seems very safe just not well lit but I think our neighborhood here makes a difference. We went to a Chemist a block away (drugstore ) to get more money onto my cell phone that We use here. It is an older refurbished iPhone. The druggist spent at least 30 min with me setting up the phone for free calls to US and free messages to the US to other iPhone users and getting FaceTime set up. Also involved loading an app from the App Store "magicJack" Nice guy. We will be practicing. Maybe more instruction tomorrow!

> One of the young ladies at the guest remembered us when I reminded her of the chocolate cake We brought them two years ago from the Defense Colony Bakery. We all laughed and she said the cake was good and a big surprise. She has been 10 years here after escaping Tibet. She can never go back and evidently had to leave family behind because this is one of the place that single ladies are placed by the Dalai Lama when they first arrive. We should all pray for a Free Tibet!

> See you all later. We are going to bed after doing a bit of laundry.
>
> Internet is slow but we will be attempting some work on the blog. www.roaming2.blogspot.com
>
> Love,
>
> Darryl and Susan
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Aug 19, 2015, at 8:01 AM, William Wiggins <wfwiggins13@gmail.com> wrot
>> thanks for the report. Glad you are there safely. Have a wonderful time. Sounds like an interesting place.
>> Maxine and Bil