Tibet, November 2005: Traveling with gowas

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Tibet in November 2005: Trip on gowa

Tibet never ceases to surprise: for the construction and technological innovations for the landscape and life that takes place outside the big cities on journeys ever made before, for what it is discovered by talking with the staff. This year, with 10 companions, October 29 we take the last plane to Tibet-if anything went wrong we would have made the road twice. Once in Gongkar airport we received a new building fully functional, smiling from official Chinese and Tibetan. The new highway which passes on the Tsangpo, a few tens of kilometers before Chagdzam old, with its tunnel decorated with rainbows, leading to Lhasa in less than an hour. E 'Autumn. Along the way the trees are devoid of leaves, allowing the identification of the Potala already immediately after the Drolma Lhakhang. A Lhasa a wonderful time we can do all of our visits in the morning, but cloudy in the afternoon keeps us warm in the rooms full of barkhor. In ancient alleys barkhor was the original, full of shops, carts selling fruit, and pilgrims who prostrate in front of the Jokhang. The trip to Ganden is particularly pleasant, especially on the walk lingkhor: for the first time I see a "durtrö", where it is celebrated the funeral of the air. A large flat stone is built on the edge of a precipice. Shortly before it was made a funeral, there are patches of fresh blood on the stone, hair and knives scattered a bit everywhere, and on the right side is a primitive, simple place where they are burning the remains that were not devoured by the vultures! But the clouds that concern! What will happen on gowa? This morning we embark on the boats that the sky is wonderfully clear and, almost miraculously, will remain so until our arrival in Nepal!
It starts!
The stretch of navigation, in which there were five nights in a tent after the first cold night in a tent is reduced to two nights in camp, and to protect the remaining guest house in the monasteries. It is well in the boat. We have everything: blankets, food, but when the wind decides to blow the cold is intense. The day passes admiring wonderful views and at times grounding into an emerald green Filini low. My oarsman named Karma, 63 years, always dressed the same and tireless. The first day we pass under the bridge of the new railway linking Lhasa with Golmud, a modern bridge that ultimately does not destroy the landscape that much for sure if it is appreciated by the Tibetan "local" Karma ask if he likes, he finds very beautiful. We also see the train! During the long hours of navigation we speak. I speak especially with our young correspondent and the Tibetan leadership always kind and available. What I find I am astonished, because it close to my own thoughts. Pema studied at university in Beijing. Tells me that his best friends are Chinese because of their open-minded and devoid of superstition, is in agreement with me that the power of the clergy in the past has damaged not just Tibet, is in agreement with the need to "look Ahead ", agrees that there is" little value "of the escape of all spiritual leaders in India or the West, that instead of fighting on the side of those who remained, as the true Buddha have preferred the easy life in" exile " , is in agreement on the many tales told by the Tibetan tradition. But see also the restrictions imposed by the Chinese government, however, says: "there are laws, if the respects leave you alone." Meanwhile spends hours at his grainy bad and pray! Tashi instead among other things tells me that the Tibetans have the right to have three children - the face of forced sterilization! We reach the camp, staff, and all outstanding Tibetan, has already prepared the tents, the cook has already developed wonderful tea, coffee and biscuits. Dinner is always abundant, and with many different dishes. But it is cold. A Dorje Drag, with joy of us all, are placed in the monastery guest house. We are divided into large rooms and we enjoy an atmosphere of calm, quiet, almost mystical. In the morning I ask one of my old acquaintance, a senior lama who lives there. I point to a door and later. You sit calmly and with a big smile on the lips, give me your hand and makes me sit arrviamo in the late afternoon. The transfer occurs on a tractor that we tossed and tired of us as the journey on foot to reach the monastery Za De, a monastery of Tibetan nuns to 4000 m. Sleep in the guest house and fortunately, as a Dorje Drag, there are beds, blankets and sheets and is the warmth. Last day landed near Samye, we expect the toyota and the staff is with us!. It is the last evening with them but it is also the evening of my birthday. An exceptional feast, we were 23 people, a gigantic cake, beer and wine. So it seemed to be at home. The evening ended in a face cream among children of staff. He began the descent towards Nepal with Toyota. Distances, by now, have shortened, and the new asphalt road, fast and secure, leading up to Nagartse; again after the dirt. In two years, the road to the border of Tibet will be completed. Rape of the environment? Do not say, a certain way does not ruin the beautiful landscapes that flank, and then what about our roads? But maybe some nostalgic prefer the Tibetans continue to move on foot along huge distances in months without thinking of the comforts of which "even" the Tibetan people would usufruirevicino him. Talk to me and exciting. Reminds me of my old blade and remain happy with him for some time. But there's no time! The gowa expect us to go to Ngadrag where. However, the wild places where the carts and other primitive means of transport are not entirely disappeared, there still exist. The road that leads from a Shegar via Shigatse and Sakya Renda brings us to a Tibet that I was almost unknown except to the desert steppe of the Lake Namtso. The road crosses a desert of fine sand in many sections the dunes conceal the track and villages which do not appear to suspect the existence in the desert. Among the emerging sand ruins of ancient villages or strongholds el'immancabile sand storm keeps us company for a couple of hours. The impassive driver guide! The day after we Rombug, the base camp of Everest. The "Lord of the Mountains" is shown without a cloud, and a majestic Filini menacing for its severity. Rombug is a small village, with a small Gompa where lives a community of nuns and monks. Beautiful, clean, I suppose living on mountaineering expeditions. The Chinese could not help but raise an antenna also for mobile phones. But what to do, we have used ... When you return to the windy and cold Shegar we stop to eat in the village of Tashi Dzong. Another view of old Tibet. A general store with dusty roads traveled by carts drawn by horses, women and men with beautiful costumes that are local to photograph without asking money. Eat in a typical Tibetan restaurant, not really clean but full of people, with a forgotten in restaurants in large cities.
And soon we arrive at Zhangmu, and the trip is over ...
Franco Pizzi
Dharamsala; 30/1105