Journal of a Sabbatical

China Trip 2000

welcome to here

Quote of the Day: "Welcome to here."

Quote of Day 2: "We may be Mountain Mamas but this ain't West Virginia"

Today's Reading: The Story of the Stone (aka Dream of the Red Chamber) by Cao Xuequin

Photos:

Lake Nam-tso (entrance ticket) - the destination

Scene along the road - before we get up past where there are trees

Yak and Sheep

Yaks and Sheep

George Dwarfed by Mountains at the top of the pass

Lake Nam-tso

Building Dwarfed by Mountains

The only blue tarp I saw in Tibet!

Stream dwarfed by Nyenchen Tanghla

Cows dwarfed by Nyenchen Tanghla

Tseling Monastery

Tseling Monastery close-up (10x zoom)

Autumn Aspen Trees with Stupa

Haying

Some Lake Namtso and Nyenchen Tanghla Links:

Nonjin Tangla Climbing Routes

Lhasa Tour: Lake Namtso

Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Another perspective on the Lhasa-Namtso-Lhasa trip from Julius Wei Ge:

Day 5: Lhasa to Namtso

Day 6: Namtso to Lhasa

Yet another perspective from W. Dire Wolff: Namtso Lake

About those hot springs: Geothermal Resources in Tibet

George is singing along with his Kenny Rogers tape again as we begin the drive to Lake Nam-tso. The Gambler seems somehow appropriate since Jamba informs us, through George, that he is going to try the shortcut route, which may be closed because of construction but if it's not it will be much faster.

Lake Nam-tso is a salt lake high up in the mountains, known for its turquoise color, its bird life, and its religious significance. I'm the one who pushed for including this excursion in out itinerary because any chance I get to go to a good birding spot must not be missed. Pilgrims travel there to circumabulate the lake and visit shrines.

two nights at the hot spring

the drive back

NYENCHEN TANGLHA....Range of mountains 60 miles NW of Lhasa...23,250 ft is the highest peak (Nyenchen tanglha Peak)... (gNyan chen thang lha): 700 mile long mountain range in Northern Tibet. [See Lopez pg 387]...."The god Thang la of the powerful Thangla mountain range is also known as a great Nyen." (Hoffman: 1979..pg 95)..."Name of a mountain range north of Lhasa, the abode of the deity of the same name. Subjugated by Padmakara, he is an important protector." (Nalanda: 1980..pg 358)...