The Mountains and Attractions of Langmusi
Langmusi was another beautiful village, populated by Hui, Goloks and Tibetans, surrounded by mountains and lamaseries. There is really good hill walking around here as well as horse-rides into the country. Quite a few Chinese tourists like to rent horses, ride to a nomad village where they spend a night in a tent, and ride back the next day. Langmusi is a very relaxing, Tibetan area and many travelers organize treks or just veg out for a few days.
We arrived in Langmusi just around lunch time, dropped the suitcases at the hotel, walked down the street and upstairs to a restaurant Wang-Lee knew. The food wasn't very good. Wang=Lee said this restaurant was excellent the last time he drove through Langmusi, but this time, a big Julia Child thumbs down . We all should have known this place wasn't for us when we saw the street sign, advertising intestines for lunch...
...and read the menu with its infinite ways to prepare yak meat...
However, the restaurant did have a few pluses. First, it overlooked the main street from its second floor perch allowing me to watch all the goings-on... For example, the traditionally dressed monks walking along while Chinese tourists passed them dressed in the latest western style...pigs crossing the street...sheep being trucked off to market...
...but the highlight was when a group of affluent government officals were served a piping-hot sheep's stomach, filled with sheep chunks and hot rocks, a delicacy. The rocks are used to cook the sheep chunks inside.
After that appetizing "stomach" display, a long, slow walk through the streets of Langmusi to visit the monastery on the Sichuan side. Almost every store was displaying an array of animal skulls for purchase. Why? Yonten said the Chinese like buying animal skulls to decorate their homes...yak skulls, sheep, whatever...
