Leh-ing Around

Once we actually made it to Leh after our three day car ride, we mostly took it easy. It was a relaxing and restful trip. The first picture below is the view from our hotel. It was pretty amazing to stay right in the middle of the Himalayas rather than simply in the foothills.

Leh was also home to a lot Buddhist monuments and memorials, just like the rest of Ladakh. There were prayer wheels of all sizes scattered around the city. The first one here is a large and ornate one that was set in a rather out of the way street near our hotel. The second set is part of a larger group at one of the main gompas (Buddhist monasteries) in Leh.

The chortens (known as stupas in the rest of India) below may look like their kind of shabby and falling apart, but that is actually the point. The Buddhists build them as monuments and then let them fall apart over time. It is meant to show the impermanence of this life. The rocks on right are part of a long wall built with rocks that are all inscribed with Buddhist mantras in the Tibetan language.

This little monastery just looked cool with the mountains behind it.

We also visited a couple large monasteries on hills around Leh and saw some monumental statues of the Buddha.

We spent some time exploring old Ladakhi palaces and marketplaces, but the most enjoyable thing about Leh was the scenery and the slow pace at which to enjoy it.

It was great to be on vacation in India, but we're definitely ready to get back to the United States.

Dave and Beth