Eastern Tibet and the Labrang Monastery........

7th June "Shortish Archie day leaving Lui Xia Jia after a Chinese breakfast find I quite like them- cabbage, cucumber, seaweed, pakchoi, mushroom soup - & green tea! Amazing drive through hills - At times the road straddled the ridge - The landscape was how I imagined China - hills with terraces right to the top - tops of hills flattened - terrace after terrace with irregular shapes - mist clinging to the valley sides - It was like this is the "real China" but only in my imagination. The Taklamakan is just as much part of China (or not) as the China of my imagination. Saw my 1st tea plantations -........"



These photos (taken from Archie as we made our way through the mountains)
are the landscapes that I was thinking were "real China".

The diary entry continues: "The villages we passed through were on the whole Hui (Muslim) tolerated but not entirely accepted.  Then to Linxia for lunch with R&J - mutton broth with noodles - (I seem to remember it being rather cold and damp but the portions of the mutton broth were just what was needed for it being cold and damp - and the portions were huge and delicious.  As I write a little tastebud memory comes over me at 9 months on and many 1000s of miles in distance!) Arrived Labrang mid afternoon - The town is in turmoil - New builds everywhere in preparation for the Han Chinese who will be moved here to change the ethnic balance- Tibetans [appear]  the majority at present but over the next year or so this will change.  It took Archie [very skillfully manoeuvred by Dion through a space barely wider than Archie!] 3 goes to get to the hotel because the streets were closed- The street the hotel is in + the side gate one are just masses of mud.  There are engineering works going on as I write.  There seems to be a "get it done all at once" regardless of an inconvenience to the local population.  The town is very geared towards pilgrims and tourists.  Monks everywhere though not the 1000s previously - monks in tourist shops - monks on mobiles - monks in taxis-  Pleasant meal with J&Y."

8th June  "Visit to monastery - some beautiful statues- ..."  We were well guided and able to ask questions about many topics to do with the monastery and Buddhism - however we were not able to ask about the Dalai Lama - Although the monks would say that they do not resent that they are not allowed to speak of the Dalai Lama I still got the impression that there is a degree of resentment.  And although they should not speak openly about him  I am sure he always "has a place in their hearts" or that "he is always with them".   The current Panchen Lama and the Living Buddha are both government appointees.

Labrang Monastery

Walking the prayer wheels

Prayer wheels

A valued member of the community! A "dzo"



Other members of the community included these people I rather liked .................

...... waiting patiently for the next festival!



Sculpted yak butter flower and below a "yellow hat" lama.



A roof decoration and ..........

................. for a lintel.

The monastery complex

"... The visit round the monastery was followed by lunch with Y&J - then a walk round the holy circuit with all the prayer wheels & a visit to the convent.  Unfortunately the convent was closed but as I was going down I realised that K, S, Y & JC were not following me.  I thought they might have found a nun with the key so I went back to find them (a "call of nature" in a nearby gully which I used too!) ... I was finding it a bit difficult to get up the steep hill and was going rather slowly- the next thing 2 hands were firmly placed on my buttocks & I am propelled up the hill by a nun!  Much hilarity, laughter, etc.  Then back down the circuit.  Some pilgrims were prostrating their way round the circuit wearing wood mitts and aprons (thick protective fabric)- Down to the town for a very pleasant pancake and real coffee (Chinese arabica) (after leaving Iran coffee had been in short supply as no way was I going to bolster up Nestle prducts and that is all there seemed to be) Supper with K, S & Y.  Met some of the other Drago crowd.  We met up with other trucks here in Xihe and also in Xian, though I must admit I cannot remember where this truck had come from - possibly coming up from India and on its way west.

9th June  "S organised a charabanc tour to the Ganjia grasslands.  Left town & headed out to the hills.  Up a very steep switchback road onto the plateau.  The minibus driver was very understanding & stopped so we could have a walk.  Then on to the 2000 year old walled town of Gan Ju Bajiao.   Quick look round + a guide demonstrated the double moated walls (all in sign language/gesture and a stick to draw with).  And here they are!

The 2000 year old walled town and ................

......... our guide!

"........  The plateau is very open & undulating-  Wide open grey skies - Some snow capped peaks behind the first layer of surrounding mountains - Saw lots of sheep- more horses here + a few nomad tents.

Grassland lanscape.

"........ Then on to a monastery-  Saw the Buddhas & Bodistavas, etc. then asked to move round clockwise - the monks were chanting - some walked past.  S said she felt v. uncomfortable [it was one of those situations where I had a "what is the etitqutte for walking past chanting monks" moment, for to have turned round and gone out of the temple anticlockwise would probably have caused more offense than walking past the monks while they chanted.]  I decided to compromise & to walk past the chanting monks but to bow - did so with some respons until I got round the corner where a group of monks were texting on mobiles!  S & K & I had a laugh as S had decided the same compromise!  Lunch outside the monstery saw a monk on a moped and 2 small novices playing with a toy car! ......... " And here is one of them.

The prayer wheels here all bright and shiny.
(I took several sets of prayer wheels on "continuous" and when
set up  as a slideshow you can see the prayer wheels turning!)

A "dzo" -a cross between a yak and a cow.



This small chap had a very proud father - note the "split" 
trousers that kids have in China.  Nappies are expensive
and a luxury in many places in the world.  They seem
to be very efficient and work well because everyone
is used to using them.  Mothers/grandmothers, etc. 
appear to be tuned in to what is happening with the
baby and know when it wants to pee, etc. I only saw
2 "accidents" the whole time I wasin China.  And
obviously there is a lot less pollution with these trousers
as there are no nappies to throw away or to clog up landfills.



Tibetan national dress with the long sleeve



On the way back from the stroll - you can see the stupa near
the monastery on the extreme left-hand side of the photo.

Continuing I write "...... Then a walk further up the valley to see the view- quite beautiful high mountains some covering in trees - a sharp cleft valley with caves - swooping buzzards- a cuckoo- marmots & lots of sheep."  On returning to Xihe I note that I had a good meal with some of the others.

I note that we are now at altitude again - perhaps not very high in the scheme of things but still enough to get breathless easily and to need to take things slowly. Having completely recovered from that UTRI I was managing OK and when walking out on the grasslands I had to remember to pace myself so as not to go too quickly. It was so very interesting being in this part of China because having just left Central Asia (and I include Xinjiang Province as being Central Asia) before having time to get a feel for China we were back in a part of the country which, although not strictly the Autonomous Region of Tibet certainly was part of Tibet in landscape and culture. One of things that I noticed was the extraodinary likeness in dress as well as features to some South American Indiginous People. The streets in Xihe (the town where the Labrang Monastery is situated) were very bright with lots of colourful clothes and people in traditional dress.



Here I am trying out the prayer wheels! 

(Thanks to G who kindly took this video for me.)

A reclining Buddha & the legendary Kublai Khan ............

4th June "Long Archie day - stopped off at Zhangye - to see Buddhist Temple with the biggest reclining Buddha in China. Buddha on point of Nirvana. Very peaceful - huge feet & head even bigger than Mogao Caves. The atmosphere of the whole temple complex was very peaceful even though right in the middle of a thriving town-then on the road again- ..."   This temple is reputed to be the birthplace of Kublai Khan - so maybe Xanadu!   No, I'm joking!   Checking out Kublai Khan on Wiki I was delighted to find that his mother, married to Tolui youngest son of Chingiz Khan, is noted as counting amongst the most influential women in world history as she is described as "one of the most powerful and competent women in the Mongol Empire."  Some photos of the temple follow. 

The reclining Buddha

Taken from about half-way along the reclining figure.

One of the decorative supports.

A detail from above.

A "cloutie" tree hung with sacred texts.

The peaceful temple complex.



A rather overheated Suzie enjoys the cooling shade!

I was not the only person in the group to be very disappointed that we did not get to see the statue of Marco Polo and the street of Italianate architecture built to recognise that Marco Polo spent a year or so living in Zhangye. We suspected that our guide did not know where it was and did not want to "lose face".  I checked its position out on Google maps, to find that, in relation to the Dafosi Temple and in the scheme of things, given that we were in the same city, it was not was not too far from the Temple. It was very disappointing not to see one of the iconic sights of Zhangye because checking out photos on Google the statue and the "Italian" street architecture look great fun. So I am including a couple of links so that you can see it for yourselves, even though we did not!

Marco Polo statue
Sino-Italian architecture!

The campsite where we stayed that night was not a particularly good spot and I note that overall I was disappointed with the campsites, but I suppose there is also the point that when camping on a trip like this that it is best to compromise interesting, unusual, different and out of the way campsites for safety reasons to be near people and not put the group in an isolated situation.  But it was difficult to be driving past wonderful, possible wild campsites and not to think of using them.  Having in the past done quite a bit of wild camping in the UK in the days when this was possible without being harassed, I felt quite a pang when we were going across some open grassland striped with tracks and bits of the Great Wall just crying out "come and camp by me!"

5th June   "Left early (earlier than scheduled even) & drove for most of the day but made good time so arrived @ Liu Xia Jia early- ...." and I ended up having yet another one of those memorable meals!  In fact I had 2 memorable meals in Liu Xia Jia.  The first one was with a group of us, and I remember walking up through a thriving street market, climbing over a railway line - it did not look as if was used very often - to get to the restaurant.  We did our usual looking at various restaurants until we saw one that looked promising.  Then inside and looked at what the other diners were eating and had a little "Harry met Sally" moment "went inside, saw what somebody was having, the owner cottoned on immediately and arranged 4 pork noodles with egg & veg - delicious - we sat outside on the pavement & had some lovely interactions with people passing by - Young people & children approached us & welcomed us to their city in perfect English.  Everybody we met so friendly - ..."   I also had a little "transport of delight" moment in Liu Xia Jia as there was a market with bunches of lichees for £1.40 a kilo!  I could not believe what I was seeing - eyes out on stalks but not bigger that stomach!  Of all the different fruits that I have ever eaten lichees are my very favourite.  I love them.  And there they were.  Huge bunches of them and a price that I had never dreamed that I ever would see them at.  (Note: lichees are rather expensive in the UK!).  So that was it - from Liu Xia Jia it was lichees all the way!

6th June  We went off to the Bingling Si Buddhist Grottos which were truly impressive, as was the way of getting there.  "An hour long speedboat ride up river/reservoir to caves.  River ride quite dramatic - dam started off blue/green then slowly became yellow as other tributaries joined the river (the Yellow River) - "yellow" loess silt being heavier? (I surmise) forms an undercurrent that goes under the water?  Just a theory- nothing to back it up except the water is most definitely blue several miles upstream and in the reservoir."  Next is a photo taken from the Liu Xia Jia side of the barrage which holds back the reservoir.  It is an impressive bit of engineering as it is a hydro electric plant.  To the right you can see the barrage, to the left the bridge by which the hydro electric plant is reached and the overflow running underneath it.

  

The water on the city side of the barrage is most definitely "yellow" .....



.... whereas the water on the other side of the barrage is most definitely greeny/blue



The grottos were beautiful - full of statues & some paintings which are still in excellent state of preservation despite being open grottos rather than protected by doors - the whole area has been very well laid out with a walk way"  (One way.)  But I kept away from this little fellow - not sure what family he belongs to.  I am not sure if this one was poisonous or not but I did not go near enough to find out!  But it seemed equally in a hurry to get away from us.  (If anyone reading this is a herpetologist and can identify the species please feel free to post a comment at the bottom of the page,  thank you.)

 



There are no photos of the grottos as it was requested not to take photographs.  The colours on the paintings are so vibrant after all the centuries but constant flash photography could well damage them.  But there were plenty of other things to photograph especially when I took a jeep ride up to the Tibetan monastery in the hills behind the grottos.  "Took a jeep ride to the Tibetan monastery up a mountainside where 1 monk ran the monastery.  He seemed quite used to tourists & obligingly demonstrated various musical instruments.  Beautiful reclining Buddha in small side temple. ........ Back to boat."  I missed out on having a cup of tea with the monk as I had to get back to the overcrowded jeep, (how the driver managed to fit us all in I do not know, but he did!) or else I would have had to walk and I certainly would not have done it in time to get back to the boat.  But I left some of our party being invited to tea with the monk. 

The Bingling Si Tibetan Monastery

The incense stick I lit for a friend.

Looking down on the Monastery from one of the side temples.

A glimpse of the stupa in the valley.

Then it was back to Liu Xia Jia by boat. 

On arriving back to the city I chose to walk back to the hotel with S & K rather than a ride in Archie.  We stopped at a little pagoda by the side of the road which had the most stupendous views of the city and the barrage of the dam.  On 3 sides a steep, steep and deadly drop down to the river and I was pleased to note not a single "health & safety" sign saying "DANGGGGGEEEEEEEEEROUS! LOOOOOOOOK OUUUUUUUT! YOU MIGHT FALL AND DIE!!!!  And protective railings were kept to a minimum!  So it was question of being sensible - not going too near the edge! 





The pagoda roof

Pushing over the pagoda!



Question: if we had litter bins like this in the UK, would there be less litter?

It was such a lovely place to be.  Placed as it was with the fantastic views, I imagine on a very hot summer day that it might be a cool place to be, with the open sides and high up on the cliff above the river that it would pick any breeze.   Then K&S and I went into town for a late lunch and I had the second of those  of those memorable Liu Xia Jia meals.  We found a restaurant which was upstairs with booths.  We played the crib sheet trick and had a delicious lunch and then more!  "Walked into town with K&S.  Found an eatery- ate very late lunch - chatted & chatted - shoes - ships - sealing wax -....."  All the time drinking tea.   "... then had supper until the waitresses clattered the dishes!  Back to hotel - stb."  It was one of those magic moments of friendship.  Just sitting and chatting for hours.  The sort of experience that is part of travelling.  I suppose we got there mid afternoon and did not leave for another 6 hours or so.  While we were there there was a family eating next door and the grandmother came with her grandson and sat with us for a little while proudly showing off her grandson.  All done non-verbally but again one of those travel experiences which is deeply fulfilling.  Being able to connect with somebody without a common language or cultural reference but there is still the connection of being human.  There were moments like this the whole way along the road but maybe it was more apparent in China than any of the other countries because of the difference in language and culture.   The next place we went was to Eastern Tibet so more of that next time..............................