Barbara and her precious God-child at breakfast in Bangkok. The last civilized hotel for the next five weeks.

Kathmandu

One day in Kathmandu Barbara and I visited our friend Ram Gupta of 1989, the thangka dealer. I needed a yidam for this trip, and it had to be female. He showed us many thangkas, Vajrayoginis, Taras, and the Addhi Buddha in jab-yum with his consort. Finally from the bottom of the pile he unrolled this exquisite White Tara. I knew at once that this was she, the yidam of 1995.... It now hangs in my room, and I appeal to her whenever I am downcast.

For an explanation of Tibetan thangkas and their meaning see Buddhas.

 We arrived in Kathmandu in the middle of one of the hundred Hindu festivals — processions, drums, sacred images being pulled through the streets — a holy chaos.

On my birthday Barbara had arranged for a long hike from Nagarkoth to Sankhu. A rest-stop, Rolf meditating on his poor physical powers. Marianne in the foreground. Cornelius, Peter and Barbara in back. A beautiful walk through woods, meadows and Newar villages. 

Concentrating all my energies on walking, I plowed ahead, and waited exhausted in Sankhu amid sheep, farmers and the cheerful local youths. 

 Marc and Monique arrived a few days later with Jeroen, whom Chinawinkel, or tour-organizer had added to our private trip. Meeting in the garden of the Kathmandu Guesthouse, since 1986 (with Cornelius) our favorite place.  

Tea at the knees of the Buddha in the garden of the Guesthouse. 

Cornelius made this telling picture. Jeroen, the philosopher, always had something to argue about. Here he makes a point on some aspect of religion.... 

Eventually Bart had procured the special Chinese visa for us to fly to Lhasa. Alas, the Chinese woman of Southwest China Airlines was in no mood to let us on the plane. I refused to interfere — this was Bart's job. Finally Marianne charged the airport supervisor to get us going. Filling out immigration forms at Katmandu Airport. Katrina, Jeroen, Peter, and Barbara.

The Flight to Lhasa

 A group of German tourists with better connections in Kathmandu took up all window seats on the left side of the plane on this most spectacular flight across the Himalayas. We never saw Everest, but in exchange I discovered Kachenjunga in the distance.... 

 ...and the turquoise waters of Yamdrok Tso, the Crab Lake, along which we would travel a few days later.

Thirty kilometers from the airport the plane made a large turn over the Tsangpo— River, as the Brahmaputra is called in Tibet. Samye Gompa is located in the sandy flat on the left bank where the River spre3ads out into a shallow lake.

 The shoals and sandbanks of the Tsangpo under the approach path to Lhasa Airport.

 Lhasa Airport and our Southwest China Airlines Boeing. An illicit picture— photographing airports is, of course, strictly forbidden in China.

After a long wait and more confusion, Bart (center rear) found our Tibetan guide Pujung, who helps Marianne, who was completely out of breath, into the minibus to Lhasa— a two-hour drive along the Kyuchu or Lhasa River....