a land of Tibet

We're in our coracle on the Mekong Da chu on the way to the plain of Markhamgang! We've travelled over the Dungda La and Joba La and are making our way to the sandstone ravine on our way to Druka Zampa bridge. Our Footprint Tibet handbook indicates that from Dungda La the view of Dungri Karpo is spectacular! At 6090 metres almost 20,000 feet it can be plainly seen even though it's about 30 miles away! The visibility in Tibet is fantastic generally since the air is thin and as we know well the mountain light is very intense! We'll rise up from there at the town of Rongme to the Lao shan pass to make our way to the alpine plain above. I'll put the Lao shan on the drawings for next week. Two as one we noticed a phrase about the flash of brilliant color in the poem which we've moved to the part about the flowers. I started out thinking that rhododendrons grew there but realized a bit later that the altitude here was higher. The herbs that grow in the high alpine plains are highly prized because the environment in which they grow instills properties in them which are useful in balancing the elements for the inhabitants seeking treatment in the lands below. Anyway, we are discovering Tibet is a land of remarkable changes and contrasts in climate even within short distances and brief periods of time so such herbs are quite important! In some of the sandstone canyons the temperature can be so hot from the radiating light that it feels like a hot dry desert . Even more remarkable are dry stream beds because they are often fed from glaciers in the mountains above. The glaciers melt during the day but the flow doesn't happen until nightfall when the streams suddenly flow in a glorious torrent! This is actually described more in Chang Tang plateau but since we are making our way through a sandstone ravine I thought I'd mention it as it is quite amazing! There's a lot more to add but as usual two as one we'll add to the notes later beautiful one!


	Through My Eyes * We're in our coracle on the Mekong Da chu on the way to the plain of Markhamgang! We've travelled over the Dungda La and Joba La and are making our way to the sandstone ravine on our way to Druka Zampa bridge. Our Footprint Tibet handbook indicates that from Dungda La the view of Dungri Karpo is spectacular! At 6090 metres almost 20,000 feet it can be plainly seen even though it's about 30 miles away! The visibility in Tibet is fantastic generally since the air is thin and as we know well the mountain light is very intense! We'll rise up from there at the town of Rongme to the Lao shan pass to make our way to the alpine plain above. I'll put the Lao shan on the drawings for next week. Two as one we noticed a phrase about the flash of brilliant color in the poem which we've moved to the part about the flowers. I started out thinking that rhododendrons grew there but realized a bit later that the altitude here was higher. The herbs that grow in the high alpine plains are highly prized because the environment in which they grow instills properties in them which are useful in balancing the elements for the inhabitants seeking treatment in the lands below. Anyway, we are discovering Tibet is a land of remarkable changes and contrasts in climate even within short distances and brief periods of time so such herbs are quite important! In some of the sandstone canyons the temperature can be so hot from the radiating light that it feels like a hot dry desert . Even more remarkable are dry stream beds because they are often fed from glaciers in the mountains above. The glaciers melt during the day but the flow doesn't happen until nightfall when the streams suddenly flow in a glorious torrent! This is actually described more in Chang Tang plateau but since we are making our way through a sandstone ravine I thought I'd mention it as it is quite amazing! There's a lot more to add but as usual two as one we'll add to the notes later beautiful one! * courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions. The information for the sketches is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje. ( please click here to return to my spinning for you!)