Tabo Gompa is one of the most important monasteries in the Tibetan Buddhist world. Rumor has it that the Dalai Lama intends to retire here. Built in 996AD, Tabo and Alchi (in Ladakh) Monasteries both have some of the best preserved Indo-Tibetan art remaining in the world. There are a total of nine temples in the complex along with a dormitory for tourists. There were quite a few tourists who had stayed there the night before.

The important rooms are off-limits to photography and have no electricity inside. If it's a sunny day (it wasn't), the paintings are easily visible. Otherwise, you need a flashlight (torch). We were able to absorb the beauty of the paintings easily enough without sun or torch. The colors are still vivid even after all these years. (The following are postcard images purchased at the Monastery.) ...View image

Continue reading "Tabo Gompa and Into The Kinnear Valley - India" »

Posted by Sheila at 05:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

We were drinking tea in the Banjara Guest House, Tabo, when a large motorcycle group roared up. First person dismounted, pulled off the helmet, and it was a woman, Suzie Livingston, leader of the group. And, right behind her were 16 other motorcyclists. Suzie Lumsden started Blazing Trails in 2001.

This group had ridden over 120 tough miles from Sangla that day. They were spending 15 days in the Himachal, starting and ending in Shimla, averaging 90 miles per day, 800-900 miles for the entire route.

Continue reading "Motorcycle Group in Tabo, India" »

Posted by Sheila at 05:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There were exactly two sights in Kaza to visit: Kibber Village and Ki Monastery.

Kibber, at 13,500', is an extremely high isolated village reachable by road. Twenty years ago, there was no road and no interest in seeing it but today tourists (including us) drive up just to say they have visited a high, inhabited village. Go figure. Because it is a tribal village, the Government gives them lots of financial support and jobs. There was nothing of interest for us...just a lot of runny-nosed children and a few other curious tourists. Don't bother.

Continue reading "Kaza Sights and On To Tabo - India" »

Posted by Sheila at 05:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Chandra river starts at Moon Lake (Chandra Tal) in the Himalayas and runs through the entire Spiti Valley (there are treks there, also), changing it's name to the Indus as it flows through Ladakh and Pakistan. The rapidly flowing river creates this awful "road" when it overflows every year. Snow melting off the mountains and glaciers fills the river to the brim and washes the entire road away. The roads in both Spiti and Kinnear must be completely rebuilt every single year.

The "road" was basically just roughly crushed rocks of all sizes, steam-rollered down, or if not steam-rollered, flattened by traffic. ...View image... Since there isn't much tourism in Spiti, car traffic was light. Very rarely, there was an interesting sight...a shepherd, dressed in traditional Spiti outfit carrying a baby lamb (the babies are carried for the first month after birth)...a flock of Pashmina goats...decorated trucks...

Continue reading "Spiti Valley to Kaza - India" »

Posted by Sheila at 05:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's not easy getting into the Spiti Valley. If it was, more than the approximately 8,000 tourists a year would probably visit.

Breakfast at 6:00am, away from the hotel by 7:00am to start the long drive. Lahaul and Spiti are the biggest districts in the Himachal Pradesh area-wise. Our first night was going to be spent at Kaza, 200km's from Manali, but a 9-1/2 hour ride! Over 5 hours of this ride were on what they call "roads." Can you imagine...over nine hours to drive 120 miles? That gives you some indication of the "roads."

Continue reading "Into the Spiti Valley - India" »

Posted by Sheila at 05:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)