Wordless Wednesday
Tibet
Thursday Thoughts – Memories from Tibet
I was thinking of Tibet today. Maybe because the sun made a short glimpse through my morning window. A shining memory it is, from 2009. I just hade to go back to the archives…
Through all the sorrows for the people there with the occupation, this nunnery was a gleam of joy. The nuns going about their daily business with a smile. The shining spheres in the yard were for warming water with the sun. The kettle was put in the middle.
The most sacred monastery in Tibet, the Jokhang Temple, was built in 647. The smoke from the fires was thick and people from all over the country gathered to pay their respect, fueling yak-butter lamps, eating and praying. They all waited patiently in line to come inside.
Outside Lhasa people lived off the land and every house had a cow in the street or on a small balcony. Not a great life for the cows not being free – but so much better than in the big factories here in the west. In Tibet they were family members and got some words of love every day.
There were always welcoming doors to the temples…
Seldom is the journey to go to a place more interesting than this one was. We entered the train in Beijing, and I think we sat by the windows with cameras tight every minute of those 48 hours – not in the darkness though. There was extra oxygen in the compartments, and the rails were laid on the permafrost, which I guess now is melting… We were not allowed to leave the train anywhere on the trip.
The landscape was spectacular with long views, open plains and mountains on the Tibetan Plateau.
Nomads with Yaks like little dots – and only once we got this close! A beauty.
How I loved that landscape! And the clouds seemed so huge and so close to the ground.
The beauty of it all seized us and will keep its grip forever.
I have hundreds of photos from that train ride. Every time I look at them I must take a deep breath. And remember. Because I will never see this again.
Lens-Artists Challenge #292 – People Here, There, Everywhere
Tina leads this week, with the theme People Here There and Everywhere. At first, I too was a bit lost…I don’t do portraits or people. But, if I can picture people at work or on festivities, I am OK with it. Sometimes I ask them, but that is only when I meet people of foreign cultures. Very foreign. They don’t get offended and sometimes they even like it.
Since I don’t have many people portraits, I am afraid I have posted all of these before. I hope you will enjoy them anyway.
This lovely man in Thimpu, Bhutan, let me take a couple of photos of him – but when I showed him the results, he did not want to keep the close-ups… Some children where playing by the road, so I asked them what the old man was saying. They told me he thought his nose was too big!
In Ecuador, the people were so lovely and smiling. Maybe because it was festival times? These beautiful ladies were singing and dancing in the street in Quito, Ecuador.
We also met Miss Quito and her partner, who didn’t mind having their photo taken – we were many tourists with our cameras up in the air. My husband of course photographed the lovely lady…and as you can see, the young man gave me a nice smile.
Our main goals in Ecuador was Galapagos, the Napo River and the Amazon basin – and Fausto was our favourite guide. He was born and raised in the jungle, and knew everything about living here. Hunting, tracking, making fire, cooking food. On instagram I found him with a big anaconda around his neck…
From South America to Morocco and the market in Marrakesh – Djeema el Fna. It is one of the oldest markets in the world. Many people, many faces. An overwhelming and unforgettable experience.
Back in Europe and Lodz, Poland. She came walking down the street, and I immediately loved everything about her. The clothes, the colours, the ring on her left hand – you could see that she once was a beauty. I think she still was. When I looked at the photo afterwards, I saw the shadow in the street on her right side – is it her left, fallen off, piece of the sunglasses?
Knitting ladies in a market in Lhasa, and debating monks at the Sera Monastery. Tibetans doing their daily chores. The ladies were happy to show me their knitting technique and I showed them mine. The monks, I think, debated heavily just to show off for the tourists…
The best thing is when the pictures tell a story – so above I have presented a mixed gallery from some of my China travels. Chinese people seen on an ordinary walk – dancing, posing, playing, eating and getting married. And red is the festive colour. I was greatly impressed by the many outdoor activities, and so many elderly people playing and dancing! Very active and agile. I wish we could be like that in Sweden too. Dancing in the park every day – wouldn’t that be great?
This last gallery tells a multitude of stories – the big story of the pilgrimage and the end of a long, strenous walk to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Happy and exhausted they rest, alone, but together – each one with his or her own story as a piece of the big puzzle. I loved listening to those stories, and most people willingly shared them with us. I still dream of doing that walk…for peace in mind, body and soul.
Back in Sweden again, a silhouette of one of my best friends, a late summer evening by the lake.
So this week, our challenge is to share images of people we’ve captured along the way. Remember to link your responses to Tina’s original post and to use the Lens-Artists Tag.
Sincere thanks to all of our followers for joining us, and to Patti for last week’s wonderful Cityscape challenge. We all got an amazing world tour through your responses! Next week Sofia leads us once again on her beautiful Photographias site. Until then please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the journey.
Lens-Artists Challenge #254 – Spiritual Sites
To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.
William Blake
Tina‘s challenge this week is Spiritual Sites. ”While many associate spirituality with religion, the Oxford dictionary defines it as “relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things”, a much wider interpretation.”
Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth.
― Herman Hesse
I will post some of the most spiritual places I have visited. Starting with New Zealand and Tane Mahuta, the biggest Kauri tree left in the world. His name means ”Lord of the Forest”, and he is indeed impressive. The forest around him whispers his name.
Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without
― Siddhārtha Gautama
Lhasa, Tibet, and the Pothala Palace. Walking in silence up to the palace on those massive, worn stones, in the thin air, was overwhelming. The palace lies on a cliff, 3700 m above sea level, so you have to walk slowly. And that is the true way to register all impressions with all of your senses.
Pilgrimage is a powerful metaphor for any journey with the purpose of finding something that matters deeply to the traveler.
– Phil Cousineau
Bhutan talks to you as soon as you arrive – the Himalayas and the Dzongs, the monks, the prayer flags and the people. A pilgrimage to the Tiger’s Nest monastery is a must.
It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up.
– Eckhart Tolle
To see the sunset over the Amazon from a Kapok tree – was one of the most spiritual things that has ever happened in my life. The Amazon, the lungs of the world, and the sounds of the jungle and its inhabitants…is an unforgettable experience. We don’t know for how long we will have the Amazon with us, but I am sure that when we do everything we can to make it survive – then the Earth and our world will survive too.
In my country, the forests are, for many of us, the most spiritual places, and the churches of course. But for our Sámi people, there are also mountains, cliffs, caves and open land. Our most renowned landmark up north is Cuonjávaggi/Lapporten (the gate to Lapland). Here the Paddus nature trail leads to an old sacred Sámi area and the cliff Baddusdievva in Abisko national park. But you don’t really need to know that – you will feel the prescence of the old spirits in your body and soul when you walk.
Finally, I will echo Tina’s words:
”…remember to pay attention to your spiritual side. It will remind you of the positivity in the world when its chaos seems overwhelming.”
Welcome to join us this week and share your thoughts on spirituality and the places where it can be found. Be sure to link to Tina’s post and to use the Lens-Artists Tag for reader. Sincere thanks to Brian of Bushboy’s World for last week’s wonderful Fragments, and to you for all your creative and beautiful responses. Patti will lead next week on her lovely Pilotfish blog so be sure to check her out next Saturday. Until then, stay safe, be kind and enjoy the journey.
LAPC #223 – Flights of Fancy
John leads this week’s challenge, and it is no surprise it involves a ”flight”…
I was a little bookworm, a girl with my head full of dreams. Many dreams of foreign countries I read about in books and saw fascinating pictures of. Mostly special places in these books, not so much whole countries. I never thought they would be more than dreams, but then I met a young man as eager as myself to see the world. We started travelling together when I was 16 and he was 21. And we never stopped. Today I am very grateful that so many ”flights of fancy” from my childhood really came to fruition. Of course I have many dreams left, but in fact there is only one more great travel dream, and that is to see the cherry blossom and the wisteria tunnels in Japan. Somehow I don’t think that dream will come true – but it feels good to still have dreams!
Please go to John’s site for more inspiration!
I have picked three different ”flights”… big and small, and in two out of three there is a real flight involved.
One of my first ”flights of fancy” was this house. As a young girl I used to spend every summer in the public swimming pool of our village. And on my way to the pool, every day I passed this white house, surrounded by a big garden with lots of birches, apple trees, plum trees and pear trees. It was built on a bit higher ground than the other houses, and I also knew that one of the most handsome young boys in my little village happened to live there…
Little did I know that my boyfriend and I would buy this house when I was only 21 – and we have lived here since then, for 44 years now. And, it is still my dream house!
This image is from quite some years ago, when we had both Mille and Totti waiting for us to come home.
Another ”flight of fancy” was going to New Zealand. I had a pen friend when I was 11 (one of many…), and this girl sent me a calender with photos from both islands, North and South. I was so mezmerised, so in love with these extraordinary nature sceneries, that I started dreaming of getting there one day. In my mind, no other country could literally have ”everything” I loved: high mountains and glaciers, volcanoes and hot springs, magical forests and jungle, unimaginable animals…yes, everything. A dream which of course sounded absolutely impossible…NZ was at the the other end of the world – the New Zealanders are our antipodes.
Then there is another ”flight of fancy” involved too. I had always loved the novels of JRR Tolkien, and especially Lord of the Rings. Our children loved it too…so, finally we arrived in NZ, North Island around Christmas 2011. We travelled the islands for a month, and of course we had to visit Hobbiton! And do you know what – it looked just like in my dreams.
Yet another ”flight of fancy” started with a novel, James Hilton’s Lost Horizon. I dreamt of the magical Himalayas and mystical Tibet, but realised I would never get there. This was literally another world. But, in 2009 my family took the train from Beijing over permafrost and the Tibetan Plateau to Lhasa. It is the world’s highest railway, 5,068 meters at Tanggula. The cars are equipped with oxygen supply to avoid altitude sickness. Still today, we all think this was one of our greatest adventures.
Over the last years, our home has become a ”flight of fancy” for birds and insects, plants and hedgehogs. I try to make it my own Shangri-La, a hidden paradise behind birches, bird cherry and lilacs. I cannot save the planet, but I know I can be of great help to make this little piece of Earth thrive.
According to John, and to Dictionary.com, the idiom “flight of fancy” refers to “an unrealistic idea or fantastic notion, a
pipe dream. For example, ‘She engaged in flights of fancy, such as owning a million‐dollar house.’ This idiom uses
flight in the sense of ‘a soaring of the imagination,’ a usage dating from the mid‐1600s.”
I believe we all need imagination and flights of fancy to survive in this unruly world, so, keep dreaming…
A big thank you to Amy for a spectacular mountain challenge – and to you all for your fabulous entries! Now we are looking forward to seeing what was your flight of fancy (or someone else’s) that came to fruition? Please link to John’s original post and tag Lens-Artists.
Next week, Sofia hosts challenge #224 – Exposure. Be sure to visit her beautiful site for inspiration. Until next, stay calm and kind.
Tuesday Photo Challenge – Vista
Dear Frank, of My most breathtaking vista, I have no photographs. Machu Pichu was a childhood dream, and I went to Peru in the 1980’s to see it. No camera. When we finally reached the top of the mountain, the Urubamba river down below and the surrounding rainforest oozing thin dew drops along the mountain side…I could hardly breathe. For me, Nothing beats that vista.
So, I will have to give you another one. The Great Wall, the first time I saw it and walked it. Early morning light. Not a sound. That special feeling maybe fades a bit every time you visit, but it is still an impressive sight the fifth time you visit.
Many years later, we traveled on the highest elevated railway in the world – built on permafrost – from Beijing to Lhasa. The plateau on which Lhasa and Tibet is situated, offers stunning vistas every time you look out the window. They have to use extra oxygen in the train because of the height, but feeling ”high” on this journey had nothing to do with the extra oxygen…
These photos are all taken with a simple point and shoot – but highly treasured by me.
Travel theme: Over
Over my head in the header and in the skate park. Over the water in Tibet.
As a teenager, my son´s happiest moments were in the big bowls of Malmoe skate park. I have been there too, just to see him enjoy, jumping Over me!
Travel theme: Dark
For Ailsa – Dark. As a child I was afraid of the dark. I read many books and had a vivid imagination. Today I can still be afraid sometimes…
In the header, a beautifully lit sky on my own doorstep an early morning.
The darkest country I have ever visited was Tibet. But high above Lhasa there is a soaring, shining light – the Potala Palace.
WPC: Quest
Cheri Lucas Rowlands encourages us to show a picture of Quest. An almost impossible task…When I think of this word, Quest, I think of all my teaching years in literature and all the glorious quests portrayed there:
The Epic of Gilgamesh, a Sumerian story, The Odyssey by Homer, Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and of course The Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling.
In these stories, the protagonists set out to almost impossible tasks, leaving home and safety plunging into the unknown. So, where am I, a 21st century, middle aged woman, in all this? What is my Quest?
I guess in my little world there are no big ”saving the world”- quests – maybe saving myself quests only. I am constantly searching for and heading towards Inner Peace, being kind and compassionate along the road. I find peace in Nature and through doing good things, helping other fellow passengers on this route.
Hopefully, one day, I will be standing there, feeling that my quest is completed. I will be completely calm and at peace with myself and the world.
Travel theme: Writing
We once started writing to sum up collected taxes and to label things. We still do. But, we also write for many other reasons – Love for example, and for religious reasons (I guess that too is out of love).
Me meeting all the Harry Potter fans at the ”Elephant House” in Edinburgh.
Sometimes the writing is not that beautiful…but still written out of love.
Tibetansk skylt ovanför ingången till ett tempel – Tibetan sign from a temple in Lhasa.
And sometimes I find writing utterly beautiful.
Often the eastern ”alphabets” and writings are much more artistic and beautiful than ours – or what do you think?
Leya 
Du måste vara inloggad för att kunna skicka en kommentar.