Sonia for Sarah...
Nov. 16, 2021 3:15pm
Lukla, Nepal
I've had a little time in Lukla to explore around with a few teammates and one of our guides. Our guide ducked down a path off the street and before we knew it we were standing outside a monastery and quickly shuffled in for a prayer ceremony. Yes, that's a dog laying right by the door...
Once inside I was able to snag a few photos before we removed our shoes and went to sit and observe.
We went and sat down and quietly observed. I confirmed with our guide photos were okay.
But I realized video was needed to give the full effect. Really fascinating to listen and watch even though I understood nothing at this point.
We stayed about 30 minutes and had tea while we observed. It wasn't until we left that our guide told us it wasn't a typical prayer ceremony but was more like a funeral. The prayers for the deceased would last anywhere from 5 to 24 hours a day for at least 5 days. At the end of that time, the decision would be made on whether to bury the body, offer it to the birds of the sky, or to the fish in the river. Given the belief in reincarnation, the body is typically offered to take a place in the continuum of life. It was a privilege to observe the ceremony, but to understand what was going on & the cultural significance was fascinating.
I also learned from our guide that families often offer their second/middle child to the monastery. The path of that child is set and they go to live at the monastery at a young age and will spend their life there. Completely normal in their culture but definitely not something that our western world could handle.
This was also when we spent time with some kids that were out and about. These two were so much fun!
Little Batman would echo back so much of what we said. Then they discovered the camera and it was absolutely adorable. Here's one of my favorites...
What makes this one even better is while I snagged this picture of her, she snagged one of me. You'll have to wait for it to get off Joe's camera and edited but I promise it's worth the wait. I'll put the pair together for you as soon as I can. Update! Here they are...such pure joy and happiness on both ends of the lens as these pics were taken in the same moment.
These few moments we spent with them and the hugs I got saying goodbye filled up my heart and will stick there forever as part of this journey and a reminder of its cause.
Elsewhere on the streets of Lukla I spotted a textile shop. No sewing going on today but I loved all the colors.
There was also a woman doing laundry by hand in a tub of water. All the clothes on the right are wet and the woman had just stepped away.
Then there's the drying. While this is a different residence, the set up seems to be pretty common.
Here's a few other pics from the day:
Market - not the one where I bought the expired cough drops (another story there).
More paint cans as pots.
Drying jicama and carrots and prepping some kind of beans.
Last but not least a little more sweetness and innocence that I hope and pray this trek will help sustain for these kids and families.
That's all I've got for now. It's late here and I'm tired. Tomorrow is more touring Kathmandu learning about and observing it's culture and I'm really looking forward to it. Neat stuff coming!!
Next up: We reunite with the rest of our team and celebrate a 100% success rate with our whole team having made it to Base Camp. A night to remember for sure!!
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