Manali in the late autumn is stunningly lovely, made more so by the approach; a 17 hour jeep ride starting at midnight and crossing the highest pass, the Taglang La, by starlight; by mid afternoon the wonderful scenery of west Lahul was all around me, clear blue skies, glacier fed rivers running so blue and trees in all their autumn finery.
A brief stop to put a fresh Katag at Jason's cremation spot on the river bend at Keylong, the Chandra valley, and a warm and touching welcome from Tenpa and Nyima Lhamoo, then pizza from the ever better Al forno looking down on the lights of the Kulu valley.
The last two days have seen my small home coming together, with new coats of paint, and sorting out my books which, tolerant like all old friends have to be, have been housed in collections of bags and boxes for years...having tea with karma in his shop in Leh, I found a pile of metal and silver horse stirrups, all odd ones, which now make perfect book ends.
Ends and beginnings!
Joel
Pictures from top...Tibet colony, Manali, where I live, a fine umbrella, 3 generations in my old family home, and an eternal chorten in Ladakh.
1 comment:
A courageous choice of umbrella - if not a little alarming. but one does so admire a man who stands firm against the dicta of good taste. Regards,
Hilda Boddington-Smythe
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