Thursday, June 7, 2007: Suneel, Leh, Monasteries

I arrived in Leh at 7:00 am on Wednesday, June 6. The flights leave early for visibility reasons. Although I travelled to Leh alone, I have managed to meet another lone traveller, Suneel, getting off the plane in Leh. We have become travel companions, sharing our adventure, and becoming fast friends along the way. He is Indian-American and I refer to him as Doctor because he just finished his medical degree and is now a registered MD (specialization in the Emergency Room). I have heard some great stories and its comforting to have a doctor around - although the medical jargon can get a bit confusing. We spent the first day acclimatizing - I slept all morning. Leh sits at 3505 m (roughly 11,000 feet) so there is a serious risk of developing Acute Mountain Sickness if you don't rest for at least 24 hours. The culture and people of Ladakh are completely different. There is a large Tibetan and Buddhist presence which permeates the food, festivities, and atmosphere. The city is peaceful and I find myself so relaxed that I have trouble keeping track of time and often find myself asking what day it is. Leh itself is the largest city in Ladakh and serves as a sort of basecamp for exploring the surrounding Himalayas whether through cross-country treks, visits to monasteries, or exploration of small Ladakhi villages. The valleys and mountain ranges of Ladakh are dotted with Gompas (Buddhist Monasteries) which we spent a day visiting (Thursday, June 7). The Monasteries are very colorful, peaceful and the resident monks warm and inviting. All throughout Ladakh, and specifically within the monasteries, there are Buddhist Prayer Wheels (see photo). Imagine a large decorative cylinder that sits on an axis which allows it to spin. Some are simple and look almost like a soup can while others are colored covered in bells and are encased inside decorative pagodas. They range in size from large structures which are immobile and require a bit of force to turn to smaller ones that are mobile and able to be carried around. Spinning the prayer wheel clockwise symbolizes saying a Buddhist prayer. Its not uncommon to see elderly Ladakhis and Tibetan Buddhist peacefully sitting slowly spinning a handheld prayer wheel over and over again. After touring the monasteries, we returned to Leh and spent the afternoon touring the city. Yesterday (Friday, June 8), the adventure truly began as Suneel and I set out early in the morning on a two day trek through the Himalayas. More to come...