Backtrack to Tabo

The time had come to (sadly) depart Nako. We decided to back track to Tabo which is home to an amazing 1000 year old monastery.

The scenery back was just as spectacular.

There is kilometers and kilometers of bumpy road and I manage to snap what is probably the only sign on the whole road!!!

I was trying to get a pic of the moon. It was so beautiful but I don't know enough about my camera to snap it properly.....

We stayed at the monastery and woke up to a beautiful sight in the morning......

.....Tabo monastery!! A stunning 1000 year old living monastery made of mud. Inside are the most beautiful fresco's of just about every buddha you can think of (and some you can't). Photography is not allowed inside so I can't show you any pics but they were so finely painted by masters 100s of years ago. The more recent restoration is quite clumsy so if this is what you are into, come and see it before the Indian Government 'restores' it!!

The entrance.

The buildings are various gompas (meditation halls) and the other 'mounds' with the bulbous tops are stupas which house ashes of great mediator's and/ or mantras and other holy stuff.

Rob next to a stupa.

Me next to some stupas.

Yes, they do apply new mud each year. This monastery is still used by monks (and nuns) and so they need the walls to work...

The town (and monastery) is in a valley surrounded by looming mountains.

I was kinda happy to come and see Tabo monastery....

The main lama of this monastery is Tsenshab Serkong Rinpoche. He died in 1983 but before he died, besides being an amazing practitioner, he was the inspiration for Yoda in Star Wars. His reincarnation looks remarkable like the young monk that showed us around (see below). I guess its because they were both born in this area.... When I mentioned this to young Venerable Sonam (below) he was embarrassed but couldn't help smiling!!

There are some caves a short walk up the mountain. Unfortunately, we couldn't go inside (it seems the whole town was still in Nako) but the view was beautiful.

These cute kids built toboggan's out of plastic water bottles and other discarded bits. They had so much fun!!