Yaks in the Mountains

Yaks are eating machines.  They are surrounded by magnifienct scenery, but seem to spend most of their time eating.

Mountains

After a snowy day I was blessed with a perfect sunny day in Kangding and walked up to the 'grasslands" behind the town.  The panorama of mountains (several over 6000m) was fantatic.

Lake Mugecuo

Mugecuo means "Wild Man" or Yeti in Tibetan.  None were to be seen when I visited. It is at an elevation of 3200m on a magical snowy day.  There is a bus up  a long and very windy road from a car park to the lake and then a walking track following a river through forests back down.

 

Water Prayer Wheels

At Mugecuo Lake near Kangding, water was used to move the prayer wheels in these small sheds/buildings. It was cold but gorgeous.

Prayer Wheels

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Whilst on holiday I became more obsessed with Tibetan prayer wheels.  These are outside Nanwu Temple, in Kangding, a Tibetan  temple with parts of three different sects ( nyima, gelug (yellow hat sect), sakya). Its called Lhamo Tse in tibetan.

For centuries  Kangding , (Dartsendo  in Tibetan) at about 2600mhas been the meeting place of many cultures and was on the Tea Horse Road. It has been a trading centre between the Han Chinese and Tibetans. Today the population is approx 40% Han, 40% Tibetan and 20% other minority groups.