Leh – Encounters, Trees and Spituk

14. – 16. February 2023

 

 

I know quite a few people in Ladakh and so the time is also full of encounters. First I met a young man I didn’t recognise at all: in 2011 he used to be a helper on a very special trek. We called him “little Tundup” as a contrast to the big agency boss Tundup. Little Tundup had now also become a big agency boss – specialising in motorbike tours.: Mototours Ladakh.

 

 

Does anyone remember that I visited a sick boy from Zanskar in Delhi in October? (you can also re-read it here) In the meantime, he is in hospital in Leh, trying to get back on his feet a bit and definitely has to go back to Delhi for surgery. He had gained some weight and was much more lively and we talked a bit. I’m going back to see a doctor as well – they weren’t there at the time. It is not easy for me to make these visits – and yet I am always happy to do them. And at least things were looking up for him. I also saw his father, who is taking care of him.

 

Finding him in the hospital was also an “adventure” in itself. It’s huge and the ladies at the registration desk sent me astray at first. Then there were phone calls to the contact person and then a nice lady set out with me to find him. She has been working in the hospital administration for some time, but also wandered with me through the corridors and buildings and rooms. Even though it looks a bit desolate in some places, I have a thoroughly positive impression of the hospital (4 years ago I also had to spend 1 night there once).

 

 

I hadn’t really moved that much since Gulmarg, so I climbed the palace hill and looked down. Leh has really changed – if it used to look like an oversized village, it now has a much more urban character. There used to be a lot of fields between the houses, but now they are as good as gone. And the houses and hotels are getting taller and taller.

 

 

 

 

 

But some alleys also look about the same as always.

 

 

In the evening I met with the Dolma-Family to transfer the photos and have dinner.

 

 

And then I made an excursion to Spituk with Eva, i.e. we travelled a few kilometres by bus, climbed up the monastery there and descended back down on the other side and went to the Indus.

 

 

 

There is a new butterlamp room at the monastery – I enjoyed photographing out of it:

 

 

 

 

The view of the monks’ dwellings and Spituk village from above is also always beautiful – especially in the pale winter colours – I think.

 

 

 

 

 

Here, too, there are now solar water heaters and the water pipes formerly wrapped in a lot of insulating material have been replaced by other material.

 

Down by the Indus, things had changed mightily. Earlier, one used to walk on paths to a meadow and a Hindu shrine. Now there was a road, a concrete bridge and walled land. Instead, one could cross a bridge to reach a beautiful islet. Those gnarled trees! And these winter colours! Hach!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then we went back to the big road, a bus arrived immediately and took us to Leh. A family visit was on the agenda for the next day…..