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Published: April 18th 2011
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家庭和朋友 (Family & Friends),
Buddhist Buddies:
Winding through the streets of Xining, we weaved in and out of traffic. Our morning run seemed to be a novelty among the locals as stares and an occasional thumbs up came from passing cabbies, which reminded me of the marathon. Along its route, the village kids had either lined the streets, with hands outstretched, awaiting a high five or had taken it upon themselves to race along side the contestants before returning to their friends. However, today we headed away from the city streets and into the surrounding hills for some fresh air. We meandered; skirting fences lined with razor wire, until we had happened upon someplace that I am sure was off limits to us. Following the contour of the hills, we searched for the best view of the city until a local building emerged atop a hill. As we shadowed the side of the building a monk emerged in a doorway. Apparently, Aaron and I had stumbled upon a Buddhist museum/monastery that was settled in the hills around the city.
After a brief introduction, the monk promptly invited us in for tea. Not to disappoint, we filed into his
home to find a simple yet slightly dingy room that was occupied by several other monks whom were settled on plastic chairs and an old couch. Each were wrapped in traditional butter yellow and burnt orange color robes that one would expect when picturing such a scene. In the corner, was a wood-burning stove that warmed tea and rested on a cobblestone floor. As we entered, the monks rose and we were ushered to the couch. Boiling hot tea with milk was lifted from the cast iron stove by one of the monks using the wrap of his robe as a kitchen towel and poured into small cups. Taking in the scene, we politely thanked our host as he eagerly offered bread and introduced the others whom by now had begun to file into the room. Evidently, word spreads fast in a monastery. Judging by their curiosity, not many westerners have been there for brunch before. Shy and somewhat meek in nature, they gathered around as we took in tea and bread. Slowly their curiosity began to emerge.
The conversation started with questions regarding our origins and soon moved to local Chinese and Tibetan politics. Then, as a child
seeing the world for the first time, one brushed the hair on my arm with his hand and laughed. Another looked at my feet and exclaimed how big they were. I smiled and realized how isolated their perception of the outside world was, yet how genuinely curious about it they were. Even though these Monks carried cell phones and had access to modern knowledge, that knowledge seemed vague and unclear. They wanted clarification. Much the way someone that does not get the newspaper might hear of current events. This led me to believe it might be because of censurship in China. They just wanted to hear a westerners view.
Because of my beard, Aaron told them that I derived from monkeys. I scratched my armpit and made monkey sounds. They all laughed. We spent the next several hours sharing stories, explaining intricacies about the outside world and ourselves, posing for no less than 1 million photos, and drinking cup after cup of hot tea. Before the event was over, I had introduced them to Snoop Dog on my IPod, Aaron had taught them how to play video games on his IPhone, and they had enlightened us on how one
can still find more enjoyment and fulfillment in life’s simple pleasures. Pleasures such as simple yet meaningful conversation shared over hot cup of tea with strangers. Ain’t it funny how things in life work out? While never planned, the accidents are always the things that you remember the most.
As we finished our last cup, posed for the last photo, and said our goodbyes, the monk whom had originally invited us in walked with us down a pathway around the hill to show us where the best view of the city was. As the wind chilled our skin, we spoke one last time about the uncertainty of Tibet’s cultural and spiritual future before he pointed to the path that would lead us home. Upon our departure, we thanked him for his hospitality and he thanked us for sharing our view of the world with him. While we all smiled, a certain melancholy filled the air. Still, I was happy to have met him.
Check out other adventures at our new site
Ultra Expeditions and see what we are up to.
The Quote:
“The real voyage of discovery is not in discovering new lands, but in seeing with
new eyes”
-Marcel Proust
The Plan:
We combed the city on rented bikes by hanging on to cars, taxi’s, motorized rickshaws, and the such. Weaving into and out of crazy traffic, our search finally landed us upon an agency that would sell us the permit needed to enter Tibet. Stoked about the prospects, we booked tickets for the 24-hour hard sleeper train ride that would take us over the highest train route in the world and into Tibet’s spiritual capital of Lhasa. From there, we will use the city as our base before venturing into the possibilities of what surrounds us. With Everest to the west, India to the south, and China’s most remote and wildest mountain region to the northeast, time will be our biggest enemy.
最好的 (Best),
Jason
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