Pang-la: the best "terrace" of the Himalayas
"From a mountaineering point of view it was impossible to imagine a more horrific". That's the first impression he made on the north side of Mallory on Everest 1921. Camino en Rongbuk Base Camp, mole impressive you to step out from the top of Pang-la, undoubtedly the most privileged viewpoint of Qomolangma (Tibetan name). Thither we went.
From Shegar, Mallory's expedition took four days to reach on foot monasterio from Rongbuk. We will do it in six hours. They received the blessing of the monks and the traditional "puja" Buddhist, a ceremony to ward off evil spirits and purify the soul that himalayistas, then and now, obviate rarely if ever. A member of the British delegation, Bentley Beetham, defined that experience in the final assault on the summit of 1924 as "the most impressive and touching to which he never attended". We did not have to wait so long to live this unforgettable ceremony in the most unexpected.
Firefighter cyclist
In the hotel restaurant Shegar Kangjong of the benches are glued to the wall. You eat side by side with other customers. At dinner time there is no Western. Only a long line of swarthy faces the harsh sun of Tibet. We soon opened a gap with the usual kindness of these lands. Slurp their soup to fade after a while trying to drive us to Bethlehem a couple of teas doublet with yak butter that taste like horns. Dinner, fried rice with vegetables to not cause the stomach, share it with Richard, the firefighter who travels by bicycle these ranges as beautiful as hell. Pressed because its visa ends in a few days, had no choice but to make bus travel between Lhasa and Shigatse. His day was devastating. Getting from the Gytso-Lhatse has cost the five hours of hard pedaling. Tomorrow will not be much better: expected to reach Rongbuk monastery at dusk. Is crippled. We exchanged travel stories over dinner. The light goes a few times and stayed in the dark.
You eat side by side with other customers. At dinner time there is no Western. Only a long line of swarthy faces the harsh sun of Tibet
Once in the room, the absence of a basket of fruit that are not expected we have filled the basin with hot water. The cat shower promises. Just think of the dark down the corridor to the bathroom smelling of the two holes I come nightmares, so we prepared two containers, cutting water bottles, if at midnight go win go to the toilet. Before going to sleep, terminanos to bring order to the pack, it should save weight for the two nights we spent at Rongbuk, at the foot of the glacier that saw the North Face of Everest.
Puja at breakfast
Insomnia caused by altitude, or maybe find your nerves so close to the great mountain, I leave this time two hours sailing. Nothing that a good breakfast (chapati with omelette and marmalade, coffee and juice) can not remedy. When we were about to leave about an elderly woman with a steaming bowl in hand. Knowing that we went to Everest base camp wants to bless us with a "bid" and win, passing, a handful of yuan. I had read that the monks performed the ceremony burning juniper branches, scattering grains of rice and smudging the face of tsampa blessed with flour (cooked barley flour is the staple food of Tibetans). But the bent woman strives to ward off evil spirits that must be lurking around us with the smoke spreading a grass condumio, tsampa and incense. Purified the body and dispelled the darkness of the soul, we are ready to get in sunshine route on full display.
Just outside Shegar, we stop at a careful check-point where I won a deserved reprimand for taking a picture at the wrong. Remove the camera when using weapons is always a risk of unpredictable outcome in places marred by underdevelopment. A little later, by Chay, yes a 4.300 meters, History Repeats Itself. Now it's time to check our permits.
Just imagine the pedaling that lie ahead to Rongbuk gives me aches. I can not even explain how he manages to breathe
Finally our road climbs to the first slopes of Pang-la, the great port from which to enjoy magnificent views of the Himalayas, Everest incluido. For the two expeditions were here Mallory 1922 and 1924. High Road, hasten to Richard, Titanic on the bike. Verle up these huge slopes from the comfort of our car deflates in one second any itching adventurer. Just imagine the pedaling that lie ahead to Rongbuk gives me aches. I can not even explain how he manages to breathe.
Life from the Pang-la
Crowned 5.120 Pang-meters of the, the heart is a fun. Menudas views! On one side, el Makalu, the Lothse and Everest, imposing, majestic, plethoric. On the other, Cho-oyu. Beyond, still crouched behind the horizon, El Shisha Mapping, discovering its peak while descending the port. We spent almost an hour on top and even encourage us to climb a small hill that promises a better overview. Cost much effort to step up the steep hill to climb! Up, as it can not be otherwise, a group of smiling Japanese with their digital cameras. But with the sea of clouds below us, The moment is magical, immeasurable. Less than 80 kilometers, Everest stands defiant, enigmatic. The sky is completely clear of fog. I do not know if the "puja" has managed to scare off evil deities, but at least it has driven away the clouds, for me more than enough. And as the traveler always wants more, dreams now more strongly with the ability to see the top of the peaks from Rongbuk no haze that hinders, something not easy in monsoon season.
Admiring the Everest from here 1922, photographer and climber John Noel -prominent member of the expedition of Mallory- commented that he and his companions had negligible effect. For General Bruce, head of the expedition, the way from Shegar to Rongbuk via the Pang-la was "one of the most pleasant marches I have ever done". And Mallory's own account which were "stunned with admiration" at such a spectacle, "Erased from our minds than any other idea". "We did not ask any questions or comments he wrote in one letter to his wife. We did not do anything but look ". Nothing more, nothing less than to look, I would add.
Satisfied our desire for beauty, lower the Pang-la through the valle de Dzaka. At noon we changed our car in Pasum. Which is reached Rongbuk the smallest possible number of cars. We now share seats with eight tourists and their guides more. The excitement grows by the hour. After every turn, after every hill crowned, the traveler is confident that, this time it, asome outright the summit of Everest, now only twenty miles.
Half an hour before reaching our destination, and the cervical descalabradas of both scan through the windows, the miracle occurs. El Everest, Qomolangma, the mother of all mountains, be seen in all its glory. We are about to reach the Rongbuk Monastery, accessible in the base camp. Dreams, sometimes, met. Especially when the "bids" do their job.
Comments (1)
Victor S.
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For those who love the mountains we should be maximum… Viajazo often!
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