So what new does one write about a place, whose each and every corner, has been canvassed by travellers like me, before?
But then the beauty of this place is that it becomes, what you wish to see in it. And so Ladakh for me was sometimes awe inspiring, at others a vast barren land, at yet others - a place where one could sit back and wonder about all the existential coincidences and dramas, in complete and total seclusion from the rest of the world. Mostly it was magical...
Before we begin with any of this, let me share one thing - It's impossible to not photograph this place well. It's so astoundingly expansive, clean, and beautiful that you need to be an exceptionally bad photographer, to not get it right here.
So I will tell you the sequence of events of my first two days at Ladakh to give you an idea of the note the trip began on-
1) Day 1(Part 1) : Land in Leh.
2) Day 1 (Part 2): A really good looking, flawless english speaking driver (a former investment banker, who's quit it all, and settled in ladakh and handles travellers like us to earn his living) drops us at the ''Grand Dragon' hotel
3) Day 1 (Part 3): Madamoiselle me was jumping around the hotel and exclaiming 'how pretty, how pretty', while looking at the Himalayas, when suddenly just 5 minutes later, I discover that for some weird reason I have collapsed and landed straight on the ground with a huge thud.
Discovery of the day: less oxygen does not agree with mel...
4) Rest of Day 1 and day 2: Sleep, get up, drink water, pee. Repeat ...
So let's back to the usuals. As to what to do when in Ladakh :
a) Eat: So apart from the Momos on the streets and the maggi noodles that we had so often while in Ladakh, as far the eat outs go, two places absolutely stand out:
- La Pizzeria- Such a nice garden restaurant ambience. Totally loved it
- Elements- Well! they had me at the menu. It is one of the most interesting menu cards, I have held in my hand. The menu started with a story of how the restaurant came into being and well written things often do it for me. To add to that, the food, ah! the food was so amazing. Really simple and really well done..
b) Pray:
So there's Shanti Stupa, and Shanti is one thing you would feel, when there..
Then there are so many tiny little monastries that dot the place and they are all really really nice
c) Love:
- For one, you could love your partner more, given that pretty, picture postcard places, often have that effect:)
Facts and hard facts!
Sangam
The Monastery's gatekeeper
Zanskar River
A lake enway to Tsomiriri
Of Mountains and more
The Flag and the flutter
@Shanti Stupa
The 'Changspa' People
Tsomoriri
More of Tsomoriri
Can you the see the play of the shades?
The child and his home
Magnificience
The 'cycling' people
Flags and Flutter
Oneness with Buddha
A Monastery
Khardungla
@ Nubra Valley
Nameless:)
And those are Apricot trees
