Tibet 7 - Yushu

April 2010 update.
The destruction of the April 14 earthquake in the country is beyond imagination.
The reports were for thousands of dead, totally destroyed houses and livelihood of the surviving people. With temperatures below freezing and rescue and relief efforts hindered by the high altitude and extreme conditions, the situation was desperate.
I'm using this small channel to call all the possible sources - please help, donate whatever you can, goods, good thoughts, prayers, money.
Red Cross China for donations.

"the most wonderful study of mankind is man. Relieving human suffering and diffusing universal knowledge is humanitarian." Daniel D. Palmer



It was snowing at the Nganba-la pass - 4,700m and higher... on July 31, 2007!!!
That, together with seeing a relatively large, very noisy town exceeded all my expectation of a small, almost hidden by overlooking high (snowy) peaks, image implanted by the Lonely Plant guide book.Well, at least the snow was there - on the way to Yushu, but the peaks around although quite steep and "breathtaking" to climb are not so high up in the permanent snow zone.
There are a number of monasteries dotting these peaks and enhancing the superb natural scenery with their bright colors.

Meeting some of the kindest people ever are able to compensate for the dusty, noisy and shabby town scenery and make me wiling to return here for a pleasant beginning of a (end of) the travel adventure.

It's here the birthplace of the legendary Gezar, the King of Ling to whom the longest epic poem is devoted. The poem is passed orally and there is only single living person, in Dege, who knows the whole of it.

The mosque here, rather prominent and sight/building gives the largely Tibetan town unexpected ethnic and religious twist.