1/10 Van to Tagong

Saturday 1 October . .  Van to Tagong 3600m

Yesterday’s arrangements worked like clockwork. We were fairly comfortable for 3.5 hours in a minivan. $9 each then another $3 in a more comfortable van for the last 30km.

Stupa at Bai Mei where we changed vehicles.

The roads were bumpy and I don’t think we got above second gear. Constantly climbing up a river valley. Very energetic stream with lots of waterfalls and rapids. Trees are just belatedly beginning to change to autumn colours. Finally got to a very high ridge/pass must have been well over 4000m surrounded by snow capped mountains. It was very cold up there.

Then steadily downhill for half an hour into probably an old glacial valley. Tagong is a very picturesque Tibetan mountain village of 18,000 built around a very large monastery. The guest house was just off the main square next to the monastery and we found our way in – they didn’t bother with any formalities. We have a 3 bed room in an annexe with an outside bathroom. Prices are inflated because of the holiday. I was knackered because of the great leap upwards and had to lie down after 1 flight of stairs. We are sharing the room with Paul from Melbourne who we met in Danba as rooms are scarce due to the National holiday week.  Our room is a traditional prayer room, brightly painted from floor to ceiling in Tibetan religious motifs with the altar at one end.  It is very beautiful if a bit loud with the reds, oranges, blues, greens and gold.   Should be safe in here with all these images watching over us.

  Managed to stroll 100m to Angela’s place. She had told us by email that she was medivac-ed to Thailand but her Tibetan husband was here. He did very delicious yak burger with chips and Caesar salad and MOMOs!! There was also an apparently senior monk and the 4.5 year old daughter who was very American and acted as interpreter . . . . when she felt like it! She wants to play games with J and this co-dependant relationship is starting up. We arranged that we will move to a double room there tomorrow. They also arrange hiking and horse rides so we may rise to that as well. 

Fortified by lunch, we wandered down the main street and then returned to base. Being by now more than curious about the Grand Final! But there seems to be no internet in Tagong at all – something must have failed. Oh well . . who needs it?

It is almost a one street town.  Everyone very friendly.  Village is surrounded by rolling grasslands with lots of yaks grazing.

 Huge triangular areas of prayer flags are located on the hillside above the monastery, have never seen anything like it as a display before. 

Sky burial site to right of largest triangle.

Also multi-coloured circular round displays, reminds me of the toilet roll dollies that nannas like to knit. It was very pretty with the ballooning layers dancing in the breeze.