We camped a lot during this part of the trip at about 15,000+ feet elevation on the Tsangpo river. The storm clouds covered the sky and at night the Milky Way carpeted the sky with millions of stars. In fact the heavens were so vast George and I saw a meteorite (we agreed it was no satellite) course and curve across the midnight sky while we talked about its long flight from one horizon to the other. it traveled for long enough to converse while it was happening in real time.
While camped on the riverbank a Tibetan shepherd came over to see what we were up to. The peaks are 20,000 ft +. We hand-signaled back and forth and after he decided I was "safe" brought out his personal portable "shrine" with a picture of a monk in a red robe to show me while pointing and explaining, "Dalai Lama!"
Personal silver "shrines" with small paintings of saints and the Dalai Lama that were tucked secretly in his robe. I was told that if the Chinese authorities found these images of DL it was a certain trip to a few weeks in jail. It had happened to our Tibetan guide only the year before.
A nice 5X8" pencil sketch of the shepherd done while sitting on a river bank.
While I was sketching #1 shepherd his buddy showed up and though I would have loved to do a second portrait this fine gentleman tried to shake me down for the equivalent of 10 bucks in Tibetan yen. We dickered a bit but he just turned out to be annoying and we all went on our merry ways.
Lhatse Plateau in the early morning. As we broke camp (on the river to the left) in the morn we trained for our upcoming Kailash kora by getting out and hiking for a couple of hours down riverbeds or trails. It was so quiet, empty and fresh out here it was amazing
There is a ritual in Tibet called the "sky burial" where bodies are left out in the elements to decompose or be eaten by animals and vultures. While walking down the riverbed I would find lots of bones and body parts in the sandbars. These are 2 skull caps I found in the same bend of a river.
Thousand of square acres of sand dunes rolling down to the Raga Tsangpo river. George and I spent some time running up and rolling down the dunes in various states of undress. The skies were the most pure shades of blues with waves of buttermilk skies.
Sweeping pencil drawing of our camp out somewhere on the Tsang plains somewhere west of Lhatse. Our camps consisted of just a couple of tents, a supply truck and jeep wagoneer. The peak to the right had glaciers flowing around it and Migmar guessed it was at about 25 thousand feet high.
Little watercolor of the Himalayas and the giant storm clouds that would build over their flanks. The landscape was just too big to grab a hold of and show its grandness.
Pencil sketch of a little farm compound out on the plains. Growing mostly mustard fields and melon patches. Yaks were kept inside the walls and god only knows what the winters are like.
Migmar and Pemba (front) gassing up the car at a "service station" which usually meant a 55 gallon drum and a handpump at some crossroad town.
Jameson, George in the back seat, Pemba driving and our guide, Migmar keeping us informed about changes in plans. The car was always bouncing around and we couldn't figure out if we should keep the windows shut to not let the waves of dust in...or suffocate in the heat.
A beautiful wide rainbow from our lunch camp on Lake Manasarovar. Wild dogs would run around and howl at the skies while begging for food scraps.
The lake and the island of grand peaks on the other side. This watercolor was done trying, but failing to capture the pure vibrancy of color and atmosphere that was in front of me. I think I got the basic layout and landforms but, damn those shadow colors.
Indian pilgrims walking out into the lake for ceremonial bathing in the sacred waters in the late afternoon
A couple of supply trucks and German trekkers waiting for the weather to clear on the shore of Lake Manasorovar. This watercolor painting is 5X16" and I tried my best to get an idea of just how towering the stormy skies were. Layers of clouds stacked overhead.
George and Jamison tried and hungry waiting for lunch at some roadside lunch hut of mud bricks and wooden roofs with ceiling carpeted with blankets and tapestries. Outside in the back by the pit toilet I found our "Mastiff lunch meat" hanging upside down by a hook by its ankle.
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