Category Archives: _Asia_

Sunset at Shanti Stupa

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We had made it back from the city tour in the early afternoon and in time for a late lunch. I could certainly feel the altitude having a toll on my, so had another restful afternoon, again with a pot of tea and my book.

In the early evening the group did come together again for the trip up to Shanti Stupa for sunset. The stupa, complete with a golden Buddha statue – opened in 1991 – sits on a hill overlooking Leh and the valley. We spent time here checking out the stupa, watching people go by their religion – and taking in the great views all around.

Exploring Leh – breathing hard

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Today was another slow day, as we continued to get acclimatized to Leh’s elevation. As such we had a leisurely trip around Leh’s main sights.

First it was up to the old castle on Tsemo Hill for great views over town and valley – views even turned out better after the climb of some steps up to Tsemo Maitreya Temple (which unfortunately was closed).

It was now back to the cars for the short drive to the next stop a hundred meters below – Leh Palace. Leh Palace is the former royal palace, today a museum and open to the public. After learning about the palace’s history, taking in more views and (occasionally) taking a rest to catch our breath, it was into town for masala chai and Leh Market for a first souvenir shopping opportunity (Kashmiri Kahwa Tea anyone?) and (more important to me) a proper espresso.

Into thin Air – on to Ladakh

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We had a very early start today, leaving our hotel in Delhi at 01:30 to catch the 04:55 flight to Leh. The flight turned out quiet spectacular as we reached the Himalaya range – with great mountain views (limited for me, due to me being in an aisle seat).

After a bit more than an hour flight time we arrived in Leh at around 06:00 to a fresh, sunny morning. Despite this being a short domestic hop, our surroundings were very different now compared to just a few hours earlier. We had swapped the hot and humid monsoon with a very dry desert-climate; the air – now at an elevation of 3500m above sea level – turned out much thinner. Also there was a clear cultural shift – this did not feel like India anymore … with a Tibetan-style Buddhism being the main influence here. Only the food remained distinctly Indian – daal, paneer and galub jamun continued to be our (almost) daily staples.

A quick drive got us to the hotel, where our rooms were already waiting for us – as was breakfast. I made it back to bed after breakfast to catch up on a bit of sleep and ease the adjustment to the elevation. After lunch I continued to take things easy – over a pot of tea and a book … and enjoying the views from the rooftop of the hotel.

Back to India

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And here we are – travel continues – I am off to India today.

When I did my trip to Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Bhutan last year, several people in my group recommended to check out Ladakh – which is, what I am doing now. So, this trip will bring me back into the Himalaya region – and back to (likely) slightly different flavors of Tibetan Buddhism (and very different flavors of Buddhism compared to what I have seen in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia earlier in the year).

This trip started in Delhi, where we arrived in the middle of the night. The first day was a sightseeing day in Delhi. We kicked it off in Old Delhi around the big mosque – Jama Masjid – to then venture out into the small market side streets around Chawri Bazar and some first street food.

From here it was on to the Rajghat Memorial at the place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. After a stop at the India Gate we ended up at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib – a big Sikh temple with a golden dome and a pool of water. Similar to my last visit here in 2014 we also checked out the kitchen, which produces ten thousands of meals daily for the temple’s visitors.

Back into Tea-Country

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I had a slow start today, having a late and slow breakfast (or brunch) in a cafe (and sitting in the dry during a massive downpour) – in the early afternoon I joined a tour for some more insights around my favorite plant: camelia sinensis.

The tour covered the one hour trip up into the mountains South-East of Taipei – and to the Thousand-Islands-Lake, a reservoir that holds a good part of Taipei’s drinking water reserves.

We had two short walks to viewpoints – unfortunately during major rain – so, those were quick indeed. Views were good though – possibly better (as in more atmospheric) than on a normal sunny day. From the viewpoints we continued to the village of Pinglin for a proper tea tasting and a visit of the tea museum. Overall a great way to spend a day for a tea fan.