On the way back to Europe we treated ourselves to one more night in Kathmandu, because the Boudhanath Stupa had been at the top of my list for years and was supposed to have survived the earthquake. But when we got out of the taxi, we saw to our disappointment that the spire and the many prayer flags were missing. Arghhh!
An evening at the Boudhanath Stupa
Even so, the evening around the Boudhanath Stupa was impressive. The drive to the airport the next morning felt strange, past the large tent city where the people live who lost everything in the earthquake six months ago – already almost forgotten today. We’ll certainly come back, if only for that reason!
After three weeks in Tibet
And so three extremely impressive weeks in Tibet come to an end. Hard to top, and the echo will linger for a long time. Will I go again? No idea. The holiday was almost too perfect, and Tibet’s development in recent years hurts – next time it might hurt even more. We’ll see. By now almost 11,000 pictures have been sorted and edited, the photo book is on the shelf, and if you’d like a poster from this trip, feel free to write to me via the contact form.
A white stupa with a golden spire, the dome of Bodnath beside it.Children by colourful prayer flags in front of the white wall.A monk in a yellow cap ringing the great bell.The Bodnath Stupa without its spire – the earthquake struck it, workers on the dome.A white elephant statue in front of the dome.An offering from one monk to another.A woman with a basket on her back and a child on the square.Pigeons in front of the yellow houses on the stupa square.Prayer flags at the stupa, a pilgrim walking past.Two women in the lane, one with a metal pail and a stick.A gilded figure with a crown and colourful ribbons in the shrine.Painted beams with lotus flowers and script.Red robes piled up on a rug.Red robes on a line beneath the prayer wheels.A small Buddha figure in a sooty niche.Through a dark window onto the stupa in the evening.Butter lamps against the light.The square around the stupa in the evening – impressive all the same.The golden wheel between two deer, the stupa behind.Burning butter lamps on the tray.Butter lamps on tall brass stands.A flame in a large round butter lamp.A dark censer, the stupa behind.Bells, thangkas and Buddha eyes at a shop.Metal prayer wheels and colourful hand wheels.Glass bottles in a wooden crate.A packed little shop, the shopkeeper behind the counter.Monks in a small shop.A monk walking past the wall of the stupa.A silhouette before glowing butter lamps.Three women at a tray full of butter lamps.Among the lights at night – farewell after three weeks in Tibet.A barber's shop in the half-light.
