China and Hong Kong day 6: from Kangding to Litang.

We left at 6 a.m. from the bus station outside Kangding, arriving in Litang 6 hours later.

 

Road to Litang

 

 

At the beginning the landscape is very spectacular with a lot of forest and very mountainous, the rivers go down very strongly although it is a pity that the ditches are full of garbage. The road is under construction and there are many unpaved sections.

 

Road Litang

 

Little by little the views change, it is less wooded but the mountain continues. We have seen herds of yaks and horses, Tibetan style houses, shepherds' tents, stupas, prayer wheels... The pastures are immense.

 

Litang

 

 

We can't take the bus ticket for tomorrow because as we don't leave Litang we have to wait to see if there is room. We are almost 4,000 meters high and it shows.

 

Litang

 

 

We stayed at the Peace, left our backpacks and visited the city. Everything catches our attention, the streets, the buildings, the people...

 

Litang

 

Litang

 

 

No luxury hotels or tourist shops.

 

Litang

 

 

We go for a walk to Litang Chöde Monastery that houses more than a thousand monks and is recognized as one of the most important schools of Buddhism in China. We have the opportunity to hear their chants and see them for a while.

 

Litang Chöde Monastery

 

Litang Chöde Monastery

 

Litang Chöde Monastery

 

 

On the way there we walk through one of the most authentic neighborhoods with walls topped with Yak's excrement.

 

Litang

 

 

We stop at the public toilets shared by the community, without words.

We see some women praying around a big stupa.

 

Women praying

 

 

We also visit another temple Chorten Karpo.

 

Chorten Karpo

 

Chorten Karpo

 

Chorten Karpo

 

 

We notice more and more altitude sickness and at night we all have discomfort. We change our plans, we were thinking of staying to see a Tibetan funeral ritual but with the problems that altitude sickness is causing us we decide to rent a van to go to Shangrila together with two lovely Californian women, mother and daughter. The mother has also suffered the effects of the altitude.

 
The Tibetan people do not bury or incinerate their dead, with some exceptions. The naked bodies are cut up by the "rogyapas" or bone breakers and are given to the vultures or "daikinis" on the mountain tops for food.

 

 

Accommodation: Peace Hostel room with bath for 100 ¥ for all four.
Transportation to Shangrila: 1500 ¥ 6 pax.
It is advisable to descend when you have the first symptoms of altitude sickness to avoid further risks.