I return the Manasarovar on a bike again，I remember I have ever got to here by a old common town bike on July 2007 . as l came to the same old point on highway 219. where was now nearby the new building asphalt way. lake Manasarovar was coming in the view.
How magnificient the landscape is！I almost couldn't found any words to account it, such a spatecular beautiful blue lake and a huge snow capped mountain .
I was very exciting as if I get to somewhere it was a very happy place . I wanted to do more visit at here to make up for the 2007 ridding I have had not done.
I wanted to get to the lake . around the lakeside was a jeep track dirt road, it was also a Kora road .
out of the Huoer village I got to the shore of the Manasarovar, past a piece of wet grassland.some waterfowl was live in the lake shore wetland. for example black necked cranes 、Tadorna ferrugineas、seagulls 、hawk......
there was a flag and prayers at the lake side. apparently Manasarovar appeals many different foreign travelers to come to here.
Manasarovar is the holy lake in tibet, and is the holy lake in hinduism too. who believe the lake could wipes away the sinse of a lifetime .across the water was the large Namunani snow capped peaks. altitude 7694m. which is the highest peak in western Himalayas.
I decided to do a interesting thing一一run into the lake to have a wash. I washed for five minutes in the lake. I felt the water temperature was ok. I reckon it was 20 degrees or so.
I back on shore. admiring the landscape. a travel bus was coming and stop. a group of westerners got out of bus and carried down their panniers, checked the place a while and then pitched tent at the shore near the bus.
I talked with a guy. Marcus. they were all came from Germany.who just finished Kailash visit, and wanted to set up tent here for the night. after Manasarovar they will back to Lhasa tomorrow. I asked them why they would came to Tibet and visit here. one of the guy told me, Tibet was so big, so different and so interest. their tents were very special, much longer than the normal, and which design very professional and looked quality, I never seen this kind of tents, obviously there were not selling in China. they told me which were all brought from Germany.
nightfall, a group of hinduism stood at lake face towards the direction of their country, do read. then go into the lake do the wash. I walked on the shore saw three guys siting at lakeside face towards Indu direction. the one told me the lake was the holiest, who believe the lake could help him to heaven.
I also pitched tent at lakeside with the germans. when it got dark a girl invited me to have dinner with them, I have ready my foods so I say not ，but the girl told me who were cooking, I felt very interest so I got to watch how they were cooking. a half sack of rice, a gas stove put on the ground , rice sack 、bag 、and the plastic cans used as shelter from the wind. I talking to Marcus the rice was difficult to boiled in altitude, the tibetan driver said not problem, then they take out a big pressure cooker. I chatted to Marcus from I knew the germans don't eat rice, you have the hamburger normally in the MacDonald, and I made a hamburger pose use my hands. Marcus smile and told me germany also eat all kinds of foods.
I back to my tent the weather got badly then, hail storm and rain came down, the ground change white quickly.
next morning Marcus told me they were dinner in the bus last night.I thought they must been very embarrassed when they were about to finished the cooking and ready to eat .who must took everything into the bus again and suffering from the hail rain and strong cold wind when they were doing.
the pilgrim around lake doing the kora. who must be the hard core of Bon. they threw themselves on the ground outstretched their hands.then stand and walk to the place their hand have reached and repeat the same. who go ahead slowly around lake until they finish the kora road. the pilgrims always doing the kora by their incredible hard way. very touching.
the kailash was pretty difficult to appears in this rainy days, I stayed at lakeside waiting for the Kailash appearance for several days, but it only showed a few parts till after several days later.
Manasarovar and kailash
riding on the grassland
write on September 2012
last update on November 2022
