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TRAVEL BLOG ENTRY
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Actually, we were in the Tibetan Autonomous region. We knew we had arrived when the border police with rifles got onto to our bus. They didn't cause us any trouble and we still are not sure what they needed the rifles for. The bus ride was interesting (I always find "bus folk" quirky/odd/peculiar). We shared our journey with a Dutch couple, a Chinese muslim man, a monk in burgundy robes and a Tibetan wearing traditional clothes. They were interesting people to look at but not my favorite people to share a bus with. Everyone but the Dutch couple were smoking or spitting on the bus floor. A lovely, hygienic four hour journey (not to mention the rest stop....the toilet resembled a communal trough). When we arrived in Xiahe (pronounced Sheeya-hoo...DUH!) it proved to be worth the terrible bus ride. It's a fabulous town of Muslims, Tibetans and Monks. On one side of town you can get halal food and pray at the mosque, on the other you can chant sutras with the monks.
Our first day was spent wandering around the tiny town. The second day we headed to the Ganjia (just a coincidence) Grasslands with a stop at a local Tibetan village and the monastery at the base of the rocky mountains. We split a van with a Dutch couple for Y300. We drove past hundreds of herding sheep and yaks with stunning views of the rolling hills and distant mountains. At the village we were invited by a very sweet yet savvy young girl to visit her home for tea and bread. It was a unique opportunity only slightly tainted by her incessant pleading for more money after we gave her 10 yuan. At the monastery we were greeted by a smiling Monk who summoned a young apprentice to guide us on a short hike to a holy cave in the adjoining mountain. The young Monk was so kind and gentle, escorting the middle aged Dutch woman the entire way, just as one would expect a monk to be. The trek to the cave was quite a special experience, I'm not a spiritual person but the significance of the area was not lost on any of us. Upon our return the elder Monk invited us into his home for tea, bread, and 'tsampa', a basic Tibetan meal; a kind of raw dough made with barley flour, yak butter and water (actually quite tasty). He was so thrilled to have guests and we were a bit frustrated at our inability to express our gratitude and appreciation of our wonderful experience. (Side note: As an example of what a kind monk he was we saw him gently sweep a bug off his front steps so no one would step on it. Good Karma!)
The bus ride to Langmusi turned out to be about 4 1/2 hours. It ranked up there with the initial ride to Xiahe but a bit worse. Langmusi was magical. It's a tiny Tibetan town surrounded by small mountains. After finding a hotel we made our way to Lesha's. Lesha is a strong willed woman who runs a fabulous restaurant while her brothers do all the cooking. As we walked in we were given the standard bottomless cup of tea and almost TOLD what to order ("Yak burger very good. Apple pie small, you need two!"). It was home-cooking at its best. Bellies full we made our way around the village. At the top of the hill was a sky burial site. Due to a lack of firewood or good soil, the locals chop up the dead and let the birds do the rest. That morning there had been a funeral but by the time we got there, there was no flesh remaining. Walking around the sky burial site was eerie. We saw skulls, rib cages and teeth as well as the tools used during the ceremony.
The next day, we set off on horseback to visit a nomadic tribe. The nomads live in yak hair tents during the summer. During the day, the women do all the work while the men lounge around in the fields, keeping watch over the yak. The two women we were to spend the night with made us a delicious dinner (noodles & veggies in a broth) and then tucked us into to bed. No kidding, they actually tucked us in. The two of us and an Austrian couple we'd befriended were tucked in so tight we couldn't even roll over. It was a good thing though because we woke to snow in the morning.
As good as Tibetans are on horseback they're tenfold worse behind the wheel of a car. The ride to our next destination had us pining for those wonderful Chinese buses.
previous travel blog entry
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