In Kanding - It's almost over!

I'm in my hotel room in Kanding. The drive from Kandze was alright
(10h45), the weather was great.

Yesterday, Khenpo Senge and I returned from Yachen. Here are some
details of my stay there.

Sunday May 14th

Due to the snowfall the preceding two days, the bus service to Yachen
was suspended. I decided to go for a FWD/jeep type taxi. It was much
more expensive but I had "more money than time"! At 4784 meters, the
Tsoda-la pass on the way to Yachen was actually the highest point of
my travel. There was indeed a lot of snow and it was clear that it
wouldn't have been possible for the bus to reach the top. After the
pass, the plateau actually runs at more than 4,400 meters. We reached
Yachen (N 30°56.657' E099°36.637' 3937 meters) after three and half
hours of driving. The place was soaked due to the melting snow and
all the small paths/streets were muddy and slippery. Khenpo Senge
took me to a family from Rigul that lives in Yachen in the area
reserved for lay people, we are going to stay in their house. The
family daughter, Tsering Lhamo, is a nun and Yeshe Cheutso's best
friend. She spent part of her youth in Lhasa and understands very
well my broken Tibetan. As last year, she's going to be my translator!
When we arrived the whole community of monks and nuns was at the
second day of a 7 days prayer gathering from 5 am to 5.30 pm (with
many tea breaks and a longer lunch break!).

Yeshe Cheutso (left) and friend

They went to call Yeshe Cheutso around 4 pm. It was nice to see her
again. She's doing very well it seems. When the prayers were
finished, the other nuns that I met and photographed last year came
over to say hello and get printouts of my pix. It was a lot of fun.

Monday May 15th to Wednesday 17th

We had great weather during all our stay there with a clear sky most
of the time. It was freezing at night! In the morning I would go to
the prayer hall/tent that holds more than 10,000 ordained people.
Lama Achuk, the main master of the monastery, was present during the
morning sessions and gave advice/teachings at several occasions. I
video taped most of them, hopefully someone will translate them for me.
So I sat, outside the tent, with other lay people, listening to the
chanting and recitations.
In the afternoon, Yeshe Cheutso and Tsering Lhamo skipped the prayers
to stay with me and Khenpo. We would spend the afternoon discussing
and drinking tea. On one occasion, Khenpo gave a small teaching. We
also twice walked along the Kora/circumbulation path around Yachen.

I must say that I really enjoyed my stay there. It was a real
pleasure to meet Tsering Lhamo's family. Spending some time around
such a master as Lama Achuk and with such dedicated yogis and yoginis
is a real inspiration and boost for my personal buddhist practice. I
feel blessed and very lucky to have such a connection with this place
and it's people.

Tsering Lhamo & Yeshe Cheutso

Thursday May 16th

We woke up at 5 am to be at the bus stop at 6 am to take the bus back
to Kandze. We had purchased tickets the night before. We were on time
but there was no bus! It left during the night and nobody could say
when it would return. So, with the other bus passengers, we waited
and waited for a car/taxi to Kandze to pass. We finally got one after
3 hours 1/2 of waiting in the cold. Of course it was cloudy and much
colder than the days before. We quickly said goodbye to Yeshe
Cheutso, Tsering Lhamo and her father who were brave enough to wait
with us. We all wished to see each other again very soon.
Three and half hours of bumpy and uncomfortable drive later we
reached Kandze. We went back to the Lung Ta guest house. We had a
good lunch after which I rushed to the hot springs for a bath. That
was so GOOD! So relaxing.

Friday May 17th

I took the 6.30 am bus to Kanding that I reached at 5.15 pm. Nothing
much to say. I'm a little bluesy of course! Bye bye the mountains,
the yacks, the chortens/stupas, the monasteries, the monks and nuns!
I will miss you but I'll be back next year!!!

After posting this, I'll go for dinner. My bus for Chengdu leaves at
8 am tomorrow. I'll stay at the traffic again and will post from there.