Closing the Loop – Namche 4.18.18

Namche Gompa Happy Trekkers

We wake and make our to breakfast.  A pot of tea and an omelet wake the senses and prepare us for our walk to Namche.  After breakfast we make our way back to the room and begin the process of sorting gear and packing up.  We take our time as our travels to Namche will entail a 3 hours walk, mostly down hill.  By 8:30 we are ready to go.  As we leave the lodge, the young grand daughter of the owner giggles and says “more” to The Bearded One.  With a sparkle in his eye he wiggles his mustache as she joyfully laughs.  We take a moment and fish out some US coins from our pack and give them to her.  She marches off with a sense of pride in her new found treasure.  The interaction touches us and we marvel that a wiggle of a mustache and a few coins can bring such joy.

The day is warm, sun shining, and skies are filled with billowing clouds.  Small windows in the clouds give brief glimpses of the towering, snow capped mountains.  Our backs to the high passes and alpine terrain, our hearts long to return, our bodies worn and tired must continue the trek to lower ground.  Long moments to take in the wonder of these sacred mountains, and our lovely interactions of the Nepali people.  Our hearts are full of joy, minds packed with vivid memories of experiences on high, and we have to continue our progress towards home.

Along the mountainous path, we encounter few trekkers, mostly school children and old women working their prayer beads.  Fields are beginning to turn green and the mountains are filled with bright red Rhododendron trees in full bloom.  Wild Iris in purple bloom, sit low to the ground – a result of the elevation and the harsh environment.

Wild flowers dot the mountainsides and prayer flags sail on the light breeze.

Crystal clear streams make their way down rocky mountainsides towards the Bhote Kosi River deep in the gorge below.  The stream offers the traveler a refreshing break to quench the thirst and to enjoy the music of the water.

We wind our way through the mountains covered in green shrubs and drop down to a suspension bridge over the deep gorge of the Bhote Kosi River.  A massive rock has offered the perfect canvas for three life sized murals of Green Tara, Guru Rinpoche, and Thangtong Gyalpo.

Water rushes through the gorge, polishing rocks and offering the traveler a melodious respite.  Steep rocks line the gorge forcing the water through narrow channels and over rock formations that are appealing to the eye.  The water sparkles as the sun makes its way through the gorge.  Pools of crystal clear, blue water hold the viewer’s attention, exploring every nook and small rock along the river.

The sound of water overpowers the wind flapping through the Prayer Flags strung along the top of the bridge and high across the gorge.

We admire the paintings and continue on our way.  We come upon a small village that has used the horns of an animal as a writing surface.

The celebration of nature and use of all objects continue to amaze.  I wonder what stroke of creativity lead to using the horns as a centerpiece among the stacked mani stones.   Horns lifted towards the heavens, offering their blessings in a unadulterated celebration of the happiness found among the mountain people.

Every uphill section burns my lungs and reminds me that my body is in need of sustained rest and recovery.  The path is enjoyable and takes us through several quiet villages. Prayer Flags, altars and murals welcome the traveler and demonstrate the relationship between the Nepali people, their mountains and their beliefs.

It is nice to be away from the hustle and bustle of the Everest Base Camp trekkers.  We enjoy every last minute of this mountainous refuge.  As we round the bend, a helicopter is heard before it is seen.  The moments of calm and silence are coming to an end.  We are closing the loop as we return to Namche Bazaar.  At the top of the village we take the time to visit the Gompa.  A lone monk presides and shows us into the room full of ancient relics.  He tells us a bit about the Gompa and says that he is working on becoming a guide.  A nominal fee was charged for entering the monastery and then a fee was charged for everything from having our picture taken with the monk to purchasing a woven bracelet.

We had intended on visiting more monasteries and Gompas as we traveled through each village.  We ultimately did not because we were often tired after a day of trekking, and the monastery is almost always high on a mountain, which would mean more climbing after a long day.  While monasteries offer an important historical and cultural component, it became clear to us that the beliefs and way of these mountain people is not held in a building of stone, but in the mountains.  Their relationship to the mountains and the environment around them is the essence of who they are.   Their celebration of life is both private and public.  Relics are seen at every village entrance.  Less obvious, and more privately held, are the prayer beads being worked through the hand, a quiet recitation of a mantra, a small, privately placed stupa in the forest, a khata scarf wrapped around a tree.

Namche proper is a village carved out of a mountainside.

As we walk through the village our senses are inundated with the signs of civilization – shops crammed with souvenirs, stores blaring loud music, and even a sign for a Walmart!

We find our way back to the tea house and check in for the night.  We wander the streets looking for a substantial meal and settle on a small shop blaring American music.  After lunch we find a small bakery and enjoy a well deserved pastry and cup of tea.  The day comes to an end with supper in the lodge and a final rest in the mountains.