Himalayan India

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Monday 16 June

We walked around central Leh with our Tibetan Lady Guide, Dolma. We looked in various shops in the market & made a few purchases. There are many women & men in traditional costume all around the town. Some women sit at the edge of the road selling their vegetables. The 16th Century Leh Palace overlooks the town from the mountain above.

We visited a monastary in the centre of Leh which was very busy with mainly elderly people spinning Prayers Wheels outside or inside listening to a visiting Lama.

About 5pm we went out & up again to visit Sankar Gompa (Monastary) which is in the higher part of Leh. We saw monks blowing their long horns & conch shells to call the other monks to prayers. It was nice to see the old buildings of the monastary & the surrounding houses.

On the way back to the hotel Dolma took us to her room for some tea & to show us her jewellry, some of which she has made herself. There were a lot of beautiful pieces. She has a shop in Goa & when she comes up to Leh to earn some money as a guide during the summer months she brings a selection with her to sell.

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