Oh beautiful day!

I wake up to a clear blue sky and yet another beautiful day. I am 3600 meters above sea level, the sun is strong and makes the days in the mountains livable compared to the freezing nights.

There is supposed to be a nunnery in a village not far from where I am and rumours has it that it is an amazing place. My curisosity is triggered and after a few minutes on the village square I find myself in a car with five tibetans heading to the nunnery in Ani Gompa.

The front seat I share with a tibetan guy, and in the back there is a munk and two old woman. They are heading there to pray and have decided to take me with them. We cruise along the dusty and bumpy road, tibetan music is flowing from the stereo and everyone is singing along.

Arriving in the village we are dropped of at the monastery. I walk around the temple with them, turning the praying wheels looking at everyone and listening to people chanting "om - mani - padme". It all seem magical in a strange way.

people praying

I leave the people I came with as they head up to the hills to hang up their praying flags. As I walk down through the village I say to myself that this is as beautiful as it gets. I can't really explain it, not even to myself, but I instantly fall in love with the place. In between the houses there are small paths leading through the village. People are getting on with their daily lives, walking with their animals, a woman is trying to crakc hole in the ice on the river to wash her clothes. Outside the houses people are sitting and drinking tea, women brush their long hair and braiding it while they look with big eyes at the strange withe girl that walks around taking pictures of everything.



A lady smiles at me and tells me to follow. She leads me to her home, a small one room building of stone and mud, she takes me inside and makes me sit down. The fire is burning and the tea pot is already warm. Tea and cookies are served and after a few minutes her husband joines us. We share no common language, but we manage to have some sort of conversation. She refills my tea cup time after time, there is a constant warm smile on her face that makes me feel so welcome.

After about 45 minutes I have to leave them and find my car back to Tagong. The woman goes to the back of the room and picks up a yellow, home made bracelet that she gives to me and insists that I take. I try to find words to show them how grateful I am, I can't find any, but I think they know. They stand by their door and waves me goodbye as I head down to where the car is waiting.

I walk with a smile on my face and I am truly happy. I would do everything again, good and bad, just to get here. It is moments like this that makes it all worth it!