We arrived at our camping Purne at 4 PM for the second time in 2 days. But this time we had been doing a return trekking route that nobody will forget. 6 km deep inside the valley of the river Tsarap (that later will become Zanskar river) we have found the Puktal Gompa (Buddhist monastery) where we have spent a couple of hours with the Lama Monks, sitting praying, eating, visiting their temples and of course tasting the yak butter tea. The Gompa is literally built in the cliffs overlooking the deep valley and their way of living in such a location is impressive.
Earlier that day we already had an unique moment when we received a visit of a Rimpoche (a Buddhist “bishop”) in our camp site. we was traveling from Puktal Gompa and we offered him a rest chair. We chatted a little in English, he blessed our Katas (white scarfs) and took a group picture with us. High standing in the cliffs later that day we could understand a bit more another side of this religion and their monastery simple life…
Back in our 2-days camp site we had time to prepare a surprising dinner for the group: cod fish brought from Portugal, together with some olive oil from Italy, which together with some local potatoes, green been and onions allowed us t prepare a Mediterranean recipe that every body enjoyed after more than one week of Indian spicy food…(even our cooks and local staff that never had that fish before in their lives!). Dinner continued till late with an improvised musical session where Indian, Nepali, Ladaki and European songs where presented by all group in a challenging way…
Shingo La (5100mts) and Zanskar valley
This way our third day walking down the Zanskar valley, after doing successfully the highest point of the trekking route, the Shingo La at 5100mts (5065 m in my GPS…). This valley is a remote place in between the Great Himalayas mountain range, the Zanskar Mountains and Kashmir. Here, we entered another world where we have found villages not changed since hundred of years, with people living in simple way, following Buddhist principles and ruled by a rigorous 8 months winter were they seat chatting and drinking tea and eating Tsampa, followed by 4 months of hard work in the fields during a short summer. There is no road where, only trails connecting villages (even if a governmental project promises one in the next 15 years time goal), everything is transported by horses, mules, yaks or people. Some solar panels start to be seen in some roofs, but only 12 volts battery energy is available (some times…). There are no phones or mobile coverage. We feel like traveling in time and deep in their culture, getting constant smiles from everybody and Julay! (word for hello, goodbye, thank you) complements. Nature is overwhelming here looking to the mountain dimensions and its power. We walk long time above 4000 mts already well acclimatized.
In Kargiak (4200 mts), the highest village of the valley we met some Czech volunteers from Surya NGO that are working in a “solar school” building, supposed to maintain 10 C inside even during the -30 C winters outside. A2Z donated some of the 1% for local projects funds to this project. Other donations were done later for the Tangzai school and the Puktal Gompa reconstruction.
But that night next to Kargiak was also unforgetable, since we received the visit of 4 Zanskari women that came to our restaurant tent in the end of their hard working day, properly dressed in their traditional clothes and sang and dance for us traditonal music. They were as curious as we were about them. Unique!
After 2 long days of travelling in a private bus, we finally arrived safe at Leh, capital of Ladhak. Getting out of the deep Himalayas was not easy… Yesterday we had pass by Kargil where we had lunch some kashmir dishes like Yak knee… Kargil is really close to the Line of Control of occupied Kashmir, and we started to feel the big military effort that India has in this area. We are now in ou free day in Leh, sightseing and shopping, a good rest before the long journey back home. Everybody is well and enjoying the great weather of the Himalaya summer!
