Thur May 1 - Dingboche to Tengboche

Dingboche to Tengboche

Tengboche

Look outside at 5AM, see that it is sunny, a perfect day for early morning pictures. I go pee and then crawl back into my sleeping bag. Yes folks, there is still something wrong with this boy!

Finally get up an hour later and wander through the village taking a few photos. Perhaps I'm mending?

By the time I finish breakfast, Portuguide, Miguel and Naomi have headed down the hill. I make my final preparations, slinging my pack over my shoulder and set off. It is not long before I spot Portuguide's orange hat, Miguel's coordinated olive green pants and pack, and Naomi's stylish white hiking pants. The view behind me is Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam, while Thamserku and some of his friends are ahead. Awesome!!!

Portuguide sets a relaxed pace. A Japanese woman is ambling along the trail, kindly getting out of the way when faster folks approach from behind. She is sporting a blue parasol that screams out, "Take my picture, take my picture!" Ever trying to please, I comply.

We gradually move from vegatation consisting of short grass and moss, to beautiful rhododendren forest. I suppose an Englishman (or woman) might describe it as "Bloomin' beautiful rhododendren forest".

We arrive in Tengboche before noon, which is good because there are a limited number of rooms which can all be booked. I luck out and get THE BEST room in the town. I have a second floor corner room with windows on both walls. One window looks out upon Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam while the other overlooks the Tengboche Monastery (and if you get close to this window, you can see the range of mountains to the south!)

I order "French Onion Soup" for lunch. Despite the fact that there is no cheese, no toasted bread on top, and not enough onions, it is still good. Something about walking 10km at high elevation I suppose?

Miguel, Naomi and I go to the monastery at 4PM as they have a special ceremony taking place today. The full complement of 40 monks have turned out. The room has very difficult lighting, having windows on one side only. The ceremony consists of the head monk chanting something, while the others repeat, and then every five minutes or so they have a thirty second interlude of instrumental "music". I use the term music loosely. A couple of the monks play the long horns which have a deep droning note, while three others play something resembling an oboe. Most of the others have percussive instruments of some sort, including a couple of monks beating the big gongs located near the door.

I confess that after twenty minutes of this, I get bored, despite all the history associated with this place, and I make my way to the exit. Miguel and Naomi were more polite and stayed to the end.

After a dinner of Yak steak and chips (ground buffalo meat patty and french fries), I amble off to bed. I have to go through a bar section to get to my primo room and to my surprise I see Chelsea playing Liverpool on the tele. I have not watched good football in a couple years and stay to watch the second half, where Liverpool scores to tie up the game. I learn from someone that it is a Champions League final. Cool!