Little Libet - Day 2

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It was a journey getting here. It took over 40 hours - most of which was flight time. We arrived and left Delhi in the dark, although it should have appeared to be dawn as we boarded the plane. The smog from the city of 16 million people created a grey curtain overhead; we were only able to see the sky when we were at 5,000 feet. It was dawn at the time of our departure, but we just didn't realize it!

Status. It is like rehab. You leave a country full of caffeine, meat, oxygen, and a reasonable internet connection and it just hurts. But it is a beautiful place here in Leh. The air is crisp and clean (aside from an old generation of diesel trucks that brush by you on the alleyways). Cows. Lot of them. Dogs - Kaila has it good. Cats. Not too many because we assume they are given to the wolves.

Today our little tour guide (Dustin assumed he was little because everybody is here) met us at 930am. We jumped into the Scorpio and headed seven kilometres north to the Spituk Monastery. The Scorpio: Made in India. Resembles a Land Rover without the stadium seating, the price tag, and a few other options. Our guide, whom we now know as Mr. Nemgyal, gave us a tour including the history of Ladakh and the deep roots of Buddhism. "Buddhism is not a religion, it comes from here ." Mr Nemgyal calls himself a "freelance guide", but he is also a school teacher and college graduate in which he studied economics, english, and education. He has us beat.

From Spituk we headed further north to the Phyank Monastery. It was, well, another monastery with a different history. Cared for by Tibetan monks over the past 600 years. The short version of the story is about a king who came down with leprosy and, in search of a cure, sought out a Llama in Tibet. The Llama came to Leh and cured him of the disease. The king offered him anything for the taking. He asked for this beautiful monastery that stands on top of the far western side of Leh. A great story to lead us up to lunch back in Leh at a Summer Harvest.

People walk everywhere in this town. And we are no different. The three of us left the hotel at 330pm for the stupa - Shanti - walking. The long day coupled with the altitude and jet lag caught up with Elizabeth one kilometer into our journey towards Shanti. We pressed on towards the headwall - at least our version of one. From there we ascended 500 vertical feet of stairs to what seemed the top of the world in Leh - 12,000 feet. The climb was worth it! 360 degree views of the Himalaya, Stok and Zanskar mountain ranges as the sun was setting. Picturesque.

Food. That is for another post.

It is now 910pm and we are exhausted.

Elizabeth & Dustin

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