Prayer Lamps It makes for a peaceful moment of simple reflection: lighting a small lamp while saying a prayer of gratitude or supplication. What better way to mark our overnight stay at Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery at Namo Buddha in the Kathmandu Valley Rim!
Prayers and dal bhat for breakfast.
It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
An overnight stay at the guesthouse at the Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery, some 40 kilometres from Kathmandu, Nepal, is like stepping into another world: a timeless space where the drone of Tibetan Buddhist chanting – punctuated by gongs and cymbals – resonates through the crisp, crystal clear mountain air.
Life for visitors to the monastery is uncomplicated: join the monks for evening and morning prayers (or not) before partaking of basic vegetarian meals. But, you don’t have to opt out of the modern world completely; although the guesthouse has no television, radio or telephones, my local phone package allowed me to access my email and Instagram, and the nearby Thrangu Café on site has meals, coffee, and soft-drinks for those who don’t want to forgo lunch, treats, or caffeine.
A friend and I were in Nepal for a few days ahead of a workshop out of Kathmandu withphotographer Gavin Gough, and the opportunity to go for a trek was too good to pass up. Under the watchful eye of local guide Angfula Sherpa, we were to spend four days along sections of the Kathmandu Valley Cultural Trekking Trail. So far, we had managed our first day: driving from Kathmandu to Panuti, and walking from there to Namo Buddha (see: Dirt Music and Sunshine, and Light and Dark in the Windows and Doors).
The Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery, founded in 1979 by Thrangu Rinpoche, was a wonderful bonus after our day’s walk. It sits at 1738 meters, at the top of Gandha Malla Hill above the Namo Buddha Stupa, treating the visitor to glorious sunrises, sunsets, and views over the foothills and the snow-capped Himalaya.
Namo Buddha is one of the most important Buddhist religious sites in Nepal. It was near here, so the story goes, that a prince by the name of Mahasattva, was out walking with his two brothers when he came across a tigress. She was trying to nurse five cubs, but was starving and about to die. Prince Sattva (rather generously, one would think!) offered the tigress his blood and flesh so that she and the cubs might survive. The bones – all that remained of him – were buried under a stupa at the nearby village. Some 3500 years later, the Gautam Buddha walked three times around the stupa, then declared that he was the reincarnation of Mahasattva. The village was renamed “Namo Buddha” which means “Hommage to Buddha”.
It is possible to get to the monastery by car or public transport, and while we were staying, buses and car loads of pilgrims and tourists arrived at the road head.
Still, I think I enjoyed the stillness and the views all the more for having “earned” them with a nice long walk!
Afternoon Light After we settle into our rooms at the Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery Guesthouse, we head over to the main temple. It is just after five in the evening, and the late winter sun puts a glow in the buildings around us. No photos can be taken in the rooms inside.
Monastery Kitchen The kitchen has to cater for the more than 250 resident monks, and for visitors like us. It is big, and the stacks of stainless steel dishes are spotless. (iPhone6)
View from the Temple The hills and the delicate skies roll off quietly into the distance while the monks chant their evening prayers upstairs. (iPhone6)
Sunrise over the Namo Buddha Hills We are up early the next morning to attend the monks’ morning prayers before breakfast. Just before six am, the sun warms the sky over the hills around us. (iPhone6)
Morning around Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery Early sun lights the terraced hills around the monastery, and the morning mists hang low in the valleys.
Novices and a Dog About 70 young monks reside and study at the monastery school. I’m sure the animals are some comfort to young boys living away from their homes.
Into the Kitchen Of course, the young students are kept busy with morning chores; these two are heading into the dark kitchen, …
Monks on the Path … while others are rushing between buildings around the complex.
Morning Layers The morning mists rise slowly. In mid-March it is still winter, and the the mountain air at 7.30am is cool.
Stone Statue of the Lord Buddha This Buddha, with hands in Bhumisparsha mudra (or “earth witness” hand gesture – representing touching the earth at the moment of the his enlightenment), is speaking to his first disciples.
Stone Statue of the Lord Buddha The vase between the Buddha and his disciples represents the container holding the bones of Mahasattva – an earlier incarnation of Buddha Shakyamuni – who fed his body to a tigress on the hill near here.
Prayer Flags There are prayers flags everywhere, fluttering their messages of peace, strength, compassion, and wisdom on the wind to inspire all people.
Lungta Prayer Flags Lungta(wind horse) flags are squares of cloth strung on a line in the colours of the five Tibetan elements: blue for the sky, white for the wind, red representing fire, green symbolising water, and yellow for the earth.
Endless Skies The sky and the mountains stretch out forever.
Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery From the hill, we can look back over the monastery, and appreciate the size and beauty of the complex.
Woman Looking after a Shrine Walking along the ridge, we pass shrines; the people tending them greet us eagerly and usher us in.
Angfula and the Lamps In the shrine area, prayer flags can be bought and blessed, the right to light lamps can be bought, and donations can be made.
Prayer Lamps Light symbolises the wisdom that drives away darkness.
Candles and Coins
Den of the Mother Tiger This is where Mahasattva – a previous incarnation of Gautama Buddha – offered a starving tigress his blood and flesh to save her life and that of her cubs.
Mountains on the Haze Snow-capped Himalaya float on the clouds and haze over the terraced hills of the Kathmandu Valley.
Angfula on the Dirt Path Down There is no more time to explore: we need to make a start on our day’s walk. Angfula sets off down the dirt track towards the town of Namo Buddha.
Rhododendron Flowers sit high in the trees over our heads …
Namo Buddha Stupa … as the stupu built over Prince Sattva’s bones come into sight.
We had more walking in the fresh Nepali mountain air in front of us –
“Captain Sponge” Brett Weingarth, better known as “Sponge”, takes groups out onto Pambula Lake and Pambula River to visit the oyster leases and learn about oysters and oyster farming.
It is always a joy to meet someone who loves their work!
Brett Weingarth is an oyster farmer who is so excited about oysters, and the environment they grow in, that he conducts regular tours of the oyster leases on the tidal waters of Pambula Lake (Broadwater), just off Australia’s southeastern Sapphire Coast. Brett grew up “dryland” farming, but moved off the land and onto the water during one of Australia’s worst droughts. He now operates a number of oyster leases on Pambula Lake, the PambulaRiver, and nearby Merimbula Lake. In the process of learning about oyster farming, Brett has also become knowledgeable about region’s coastal waterways and passionate about protecting them. Oysters have been called the ‘canaries of the waterway’– they are an indicator of estuarine health. Therefore, environmental protection projects and local small business models go hand-in-hand.
The waters here are special: this is where the warm, fast flowing East Australian Current,which originates in the tropical Coral Sea, meets and clashes with the cold, nutrient-filled waters running north from Antarctica. The confluence of these two currents results in a rich marine bio-diversity – and a thriving seafood industry. Branded under “Australia’s Oyster Coast”, Pambula oyster growers take advantage of the daily tidal exchange of waters rushing in from the Pacific Ocean, and the fresh water flowing out from the Pambula and Yowaka Rivers, producing three premium export-quality oyster species: endemic Sydney Rock Oysters, the rarer native Angasi, and the popular Pacific Oysters introduced from Japan.
Although the weather didn’t really favour us the day we had booked for our Oyster Tour, at least we didn’t have to get up too early. The tide-tables meant that our Boxing Day tour left around noon, rather than the usual crack-of-dawn start! That gave us plenty of time to digest our Christmas lunch from the day before, and find the jetty that “Captain Sponge’s Magical Oyster Tours” calls home.
Captain Sponge’s Oversized Oyster Punt The “Magical Oyster Tours” boat is functional and sheltered enough for the two-hour cruise around the estuary. Licensed to carry a maximum of 23 people, our smaller group – once they all arrived – had plenty of room on the cushioned benches.
Introductory Briefing Before we push away from the shore, Brett gives us the requisite safety briefing.
Oyster Shells on the Shore And we are off! There is evidence of rich oyster life everywhere we look. For thousand of years before European settlement, Thaua Aboriginal people of the YuinNation caught and ate oysters here: all around the coastline, there are ancient kitchen middens piled high with shells.
Oyster Shack On both sides of the river, oyster trays are tied together on the waters. This tiny oyster shack sports an Australia’s Oyster Coast (AOC) sign, indicating it is part of the AOC growers’ collective.
Disused Oyster Frames
Mangroves on the Foreshore Mangroves are uniquely adapted to brackish tidal waters. In turn, they help protect the shorelines where they live: their roots and breathing tubes reduce erosion, capture nutrients, and shelter small creatures from waves and water movement.
Recreation on the River The extensive twists and arms of the Pambula River make for popular recreation sites – especially in the middle of an Australian summer.
Kayaks Holiday-makers are out with kayaks …
Jet Skis at the Dock … power boats and jet skis.
Aluminium Tinnie at the Oyster Shed I guess the oysters aren’t too worried by all the other activity on the water. Nor do they care about public holidays. People are busy at work at the Broadwater Oyster’s buildings.
Double Kayak I always laugh when I see two people in a kayak: I had an instructor who called these double kayaks “divorce boats”. It can be difficult for two people to stay coordinated, leading to potential struggles maintaining the desired direction.
“Oyster Farm 81/091” There are countless farms on the lake. In numbered lots, oyster baskets stretch out on the waves, …
Neat Rows … running in straight lines in all directions, …
Oyster Lease … or straining in curves against the currents. Clearly, every farmer has their preferred method of growing these popular bivalve molluscs.
Working the Farm There is a lot of work in oyster farming, but Brett says he loves being on the water and choosing his own hours.
Oyster Beds Oysters need to be tumbled around in a semi-controlled way or their shells will become too thin and flat. The trays are covered, protecting them from the sun and from predators.
Brett Goes Overboard! Brett hangs off the side of his punt …
Lifting the Lid … to check the size and health of his crop.
Oysters in their Frame
Fruits of the Farm Oysters have to be eaten (or cooked or processed) fresh. Tour participants had the opportunity to “shuck” fresh oysters with different purpose-built knives before we all got to taste-test the produce.
Sapphire Waters As we are heading back to the dock, there is a break in the weather and the sapphire waters that give this stretch of coastline its name shine through.
Wild Oats XI Before heading home for the day, we stopped at another wharf, one town over: Snug Cove, in Eden, where the crippled maxi yacht Wild Oats XI had limped in after failing to complete the Sydney to Hobart yacht race because of a broken hydraulic ram.
There is always something interesting happening on our local waters.
Our oyster tour was most enjoyable, informative, and – best of all – tasty!
Managing her Eagle Training golden eagles to hunt is physically and mentally demanding. Young Nurguli needs all her strength and a great deal of focus to call her eagle to come to her from a perch at the top of the hill and to land on her gloved arm. The eagle gets fresh fox meat as a reward.
She’s not the first, and she’s not the only one, but she is still a rarity these days: a female Kazakh eagle hunter.
Hunting with golden eagles is a long-standing custom among the Turkic peoples (particularly the Kazakh and Kyrgyz) across the Eurasian steppe. During the 1930s, large numbers of Kazakhs fled from communist-controlled Kazakhstan through the Altai Mountains to Bayan-Ölgii Province in the western corner of Mongolia. They brought with them their Kazakh language and Muslim religion, their pastoral-nomadic lifestyle, and their tradition of hunting with eagles.
One report I read suggested there are “as few as 60 authentic eagle hunters left”. Perhaps the emphasis here is on “authentic” – whatever that means – because more than that number participate in the Eagle Festival in Ulgii (Ölgii) each year. Wikipediaputs the number of eagle hunters in Bayan-Ölgii Aimag alone at about 250.
I already had my tickets to Mongolia in hand when the trailers for the hit documentary movie: The Eagle Huntress were released. The film follows thirteen-year-old Aisholpan Nurgaiv as she captures a young eagle from its nest, trains to become the first female in twelve generations within her family to become an eagle huntress, and goes on to be the first female to enter and win the competition at the annual Eagle Festival.
So, I was thrilled to hear she would be attending and competing in the festival I was travelling to (more about that anon).
I was even more thrilled to hear that the youngest eagle hunter-in-training in the family I was staying with was Nurguli, the patriarch’s 13-year-old granddaughter.
It was a real privilege to follow young Nurguli through the mountains, as her grandfather Sarkhad, and her uncles Razdak and Jakslak worked with their huge golden birds, and helped the teenager train hers.
Mounted Kazakhs with Eagles Female golden eagles are much larger than their male counterparts, and are therefore able to bring down heavier prey. They are also considered better hunters. Fledgeling female eagles are taken from their nests and hand raised by the eagle hunters. Teaching the young eagle to come when called involves starting from the top of a hill.
Family Group The eagle hunters rest near the top of the hill before launching the birds to be caught at the bottom. The leather hoods that the raptors wear to keep them calm will stay on until the hunters are ready to release the birds to flight. The hunters themselves all wear handmade, colourfully embroidered velvet outfits when they are working or competing with their birds. Their hats are trimmed with fox fur their eagles have caught for them.
Incoming Eagle The eagle is called to the handler with a loud whistle. Young Nurguli looks so small on the hill, as her bird – which can reach speeds of 240 to 320 kilometres per hour (150 to 200 mph) when diving after prey – comes in to land.
Catching her Golden Eagle Average female wing length for golden eagles in this region is from 65 to 72 cm (26 to 28 in). This raptor’s overall wingspan is greater than Nurguli’s height; she has to really brace herself for the bird’s landing.
The Eagle has Landed Once her eagle has its reward of fresh meat, Nurguli takes hold of the jesses so that she has better control of her bird.
Training her Eagle Eagle training takes time. The whole process of calling and catching her eagle is repeated; Nurguli hands her hooded eagle to her uncle, who carries it up the hill for another release.
Waiting for her Eagle Grandfather Sarkhad gives Nurguli some pointers ….
Waiting for her Eagle … before leaving her to wait alone and call her bird.
Eagle Landing The powerful bird nearly knocks Nurguli over as it comes into land. You need to keep your bare skin well away from raptor beaks and claws: many an eagle hunter – including one of Nurguli’s uncles – bears the scars of eagle handling gone wrong!
Nurguli and her Eagle Nurguli is a quiet, solemn girl. She did her best to ignore the small group of photographers following her around – a task made easier for her by the lack of a shared language. She lit up, however, when she was handling her bird.
Eagle Hunters x Four
Eagle Hunters Horseback Mongolian horses are small, fearless, half wild, and unbelievably tough. They are an essential means of transport in this rugged environment.
Nurguli on Horseback The eagle hunters have fashioned a pole system so that their birds can perch while riding horseback. Female golden eagles can weigh around 6.35 kg (14.0 lb), which is heavy to carry for any length of time.
Hunters on the Hill
Nurguli Running Nurguli runs back down the hill …
Catching her Eagle … to effect another eagle-catch.
Managing her Eagle As Nurguli rewards her beautiful raptor, …
Managing her Eagle … we can admire the power in those long wings, pointed beak, …
Golden Eagle in a Hood … and long, sharp talons.
Sarkhad and Nurguli It was lovely to watch the generations of family working together, passing traditions and knowledge forward.
Nurguli and her Eagle
Eagle Hunters on a Ridge A couple of days later, at the top of another rocky ridge …
Eagle Huntress on a Ridge … Nurguli was taking her turn at launching a golden eagle – a feat that takes some strength.
Nurguli Young Nurguli is the face of the future for Mongolia’s Kazakh eagle hunters.
[…] HomesteadAfter a morning of eagle-hunt training (see: Nurguli, Kazakh Eagle Huntress), we crossed the rocky plateau from our gers to the winter home of our Kazakh hosts: flat-roofed […]ReplyCancel
[…] and repetition, and we had watched as the family got their raptors back into hunting form (see: Nurguli, Kazakh Eagle Huntress; How to Train your Eagle; and Eagle Hunters in the […]ReplyCancel
Rocks on the Hill There is no shortage of rock in Mongolia. On our last day of driving across the country, we lunched in the shelter of the fascinating stone formations and tumbled granite on a high ridge, not far from Nogoonnuur in Mongolia’s western-most province of Bayan-Ölgii.
A serpentine track of crushed rock switches back and forth across the almost-empty Mongolian landscape.
One has to wonder why there are so many bends in a road of ruts and rocks and puddles when it only has to cross a relatively flat plateau! Yet, our Russian UAZ (Ulyanovsky Avtomobilny Zavod) four-wheel-drives refuse to follow a straight line – or even a long curve.
I – and a small group of photographic enthusiasts – were in the care of Mongolian guides G and Segi of Shaman Tours, and photographers Jeffrey Chapman and Winslow Lockhart from Within the Frame. We were on the long road west from Ulaanbaatar. On this, our sixth day of bumping across the country towards the Golden Eagle Festival in Bayan-Ölgii, West Mongolia, we set out from Uureg Lake in the Altai Mountains and drove into dustings of snow falling in flat light. Outside our truck windows, granite boulders were coloured by rusty-pink lichen. Rocky plains were punctuated by clumps of sparse yellow grass, stunted bushes in soft rust, sage, and yellow-green, and of course, by rocky cairns and litter.
Always, the litter! Plastic bags, plastic bottles, and toilet paper. The Mongolian landscape – unspoiled by buildings, infrastructure or formal roadways, was never-the-less covered in litter.
It was the last segment of our journey west across this vast landscape, towards our destination in Mongolia’s westernmost province, where we would pitch our ger camp for several days. Our drivers continued to thread their sturdy, utilitarian vehicles through flooded rivers, over rocks, rocks and more rocks, and finally along the side of a gravel mountain that had slid down itself …
Often, it was best to ignore the “road” and just appreciate the scenery!
Morning on Uuleg Lake Day dawns cold over Uureg Lake and the Altai Mountains as we set off on the last day of driving westward.
View from the Truck Our UAZ follows the winding, pitted dirt tracks west into the snowy hills. (iPhone6)
Rocky Peak After a long morning of bumping over dirt and gravel, we reached the plateau between Uvz and Bayan-Ölgii provinces …
Rocks Formations … where we stopped for a lunch break among the fallen granite boulders.
Lichen on the Rocks Not much grows in this windswept environment: a few lichens on the rough granite, …
Grass in the Rocks … and clumps of dry grasses tucked into rocky crevices.
Tumbled Boulders Fallen granite boulders are piled in heaps …
Rocks on the Hill … and scattered across the sandy ground.
Packing up Lunch When our meal is finished, our chef Yagaanaa and her team pack up the dedicated kitchen-truck.
Rocks on the Plateau The mountains stretch off into the distance either side of us.
Rocky River The landscape on the other side of the plateau, into Bayan-Ölgii province, is subtly coloured: river-rocks and autumnal grasses and trees. (iPhone6)
River Crossing We have to cross a number of rocky waterways; … (iPhone6)
River Crossing … several without the benefit of bridges or causeways.
Rivers Winding Onward we travel, across endless twisting rivers, through flooded valleys, and over rocks, rocks, and more rocks.
Endless Plains We are sitting at a reasonable altitude here: high in the Mongolian Altay, nestled in that triangle of Mongolia between Russia and China. (iPhone6)
Dead Village Our next stop is at the ruins of a deserted village. Derelict houses or factories sit at the foot of a gravel hill …
Wrecks on the Foreshore … and rusted wrecks of cars and machinery lie on the foreshore of a lake – Dund Lake, I think.
Barbed Wire
Rusted Vehicles It’s as if the rusted bits have been blown against the wire fencing.
Rusted Refuse The ground at our feet is littered with skeletal bits of animal and vehicle.
City in the Distance Another hour on the roads, and the provincial capital of Ölgii (Ulgii) swims into view in the distance.
Mosque outside the City Bayan-Olgii is Mongolia’s only Kazakh-majority Muslim province, and is, therefore, culturally very different from the rest of the predominantly Buddhist country.
Houses outside the City The late afternoon autumn sun lights up new houses on the outskirts of Ölgii.
Inside my Ger Finally! I have my room for the next several nights – a large ger on a grassy field. Even with the bare bulb and the fire lit, it is dark: this photo is taken at ISO 25600 on 16 mm at f/2.8 and 1/60 sec, and it still needed boosting in Lightroom!
After a long day of bouncing in our vehicles, it was a relief to get out and explore the markets of Ölgii. The shops had a haphazard, “wild west” feel, but we were able to stock up on necessities, like wine, and blankets and warm socks. We also bought gifts for our host Kazakh family, whom we would finally meet the next day.
Is it possible that I was going to miss all that driving? For the first half of the night, the blazing fire in my wood-heater warmed my ger to sauna-like temperatures, and I slept in fevered dreams of bumping across rough roads …
Guard in an Alcove The security detail in Amer Fort – which is perched on a hill outside Rajasthan’s capital, Jaipur – is ready with a smile for the visitor.
When I think of northern India, it is the incredible Rajput (Hindu) and Mughal (Islamic) architecture of Rajasthan that I remember: fortified walls and sandstone edifices climbing across hillsides; exquisite turrets floating in the hot, dusty air; delicate lattice work shielding windows and casting intricate shadow patterns in the cloistered rooms behind them.
But, I also think of the people: tall, elegant people with dark eyes and quick smiles; casually seated in corners or lounging in doorways – almost as if they are waiting for someone with a camera to notice how perfectly they compliment their surroundings. Without hesitation, they pose, or they hug the foreign tourist and lean in for a quick “selfie” with their new “friend”.
Amer (Amber) Fort, in Amber (or Amer – the spelling seems to be interchangeable!), the small town 11 kilometers from Jaipur whichwas Rajasthan’s capital until 1727, has both: magnificent architecture and people ready and willing to be photographed.
Amer Fort From the other side of Maotha Lake, we can see the paths zig-zagging up the hill towards different fortress entry gates.
Hindu Shrine You are never far from a Hindu shrine in India! This small one honouring Lord Brahma affords a view of the extensive fort on the hill.
Dil Aram Bagh and Hillside Ruins On the northern end of the lake, we will cross past the pergolas in the 18th century Dil Aaram Bagh garden.
Young Women A group of women who have finished their morning visit of the fort pause for a quick picture.
Feeding the Birds Our guide DV took a few minutes to feed the pigeons before we rounded the lake.
Fort on the Lake
Fresh Food Cart
Women on the Steps On the steps, women in their colourful saris stop to rest and chat.
Woman in the Ruins Near the ruins at the top of hill, I came across the incongruous sight of a woman in a beautiful sari searching through the rubble; I have no idea what she was hoping to find.
View from the Hill From the top, there are views back over town, and to the fortified walls that continue along the ridge of the hills in the distance.
Family on the Steps At another rise in the stairs, a large group gathers for a rest.
Angel-Face The youngest member of the group was very excited with her orange soft drink. Nail polish and kohl or eyeliner is common on children in India.
Security Guard There is a visible security presence around the fort, …
Security Guard … but the guards are all very friendly.
Ganesh Pol Entrance The palace buildings are beautiful; this shot is an old one from my first visit in 2008.
Visitors to the Fort Amer Fort is one of India’s most-visited forts; most of those visitors are from other parts of the country.
Visitors to the Fort A young couple poses at a window overlooking the fortress turrets and hills behind.
Marble Arches A courtyard houses the Diwan-e-Aam (Hall of Public Audience) with its beautiful marble pillars.
Ornate Entry All the buildings around the various courtyards are intricately decorated.
Mirrored Rooms The Diwan-e-Khas (Hall of Private Audiences) is the best known part of the fort: …
Mirrored Wall Detail … the elaborate decorations were crafted using glass imported from Belgium.
“Mirrored” Sheesh Mahal
Domes on the Hill The palace rises up four levels, each around a courtyard.
Latticed Views Ornate lattices look out over the upper courtyard and the hills behind.
Door Detail
Painted Wall Detail
Upper Courtyard Garden There are new delights at every turn.
Rooftop Rooms
Women in a Window
Guards at Ease
I never tired of wandering around these buildings, admiring the craftsmanship and the architecture, and taking impromptu portraits of people in the various nooks and crannies.
But, I had an appointed time to reconnect with my group, and we would be setting off to somewhere equally intriguing.
That’s the thing about India: every palace is more beautiful than the last, and every corner is another adventure.
- Performing the Ganga Aarti from Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi
- Buddha Head from Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
- Harry Clarke Window from Dingle, Ireland
- Novice Monk Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, Myanmar
Packets of 10 for $AU50.
Or - pick any photo from my Flickr or Wanders blog photos.
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Our oyster tour was most enjoyable, informative, and – best of all – tasty!
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Until next time –
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