Today we climb to the monastery of Katoka. It is located in the mountains at 4000 meters, isolated, inaccessible. I read a few snippets on the internet describing this side ends of the earth, the antiquity of its construction and the serene calm that prevailed. Some tour operators have warned integrated circuit that destination in their adventures ...
Yesterday, we surveyed the price with the many taxis that hung in the main street: the trend was around 300/400 yuan (30/40 euros) steep to reach this destination. We find a vehicle in good condition, the driver has a dirty mind and does not smile a lot ... but after a little negotiation, it offers 280 yuan and we leave with him for 2 ½ hours of chaotic and dusty track.
In the first hour, we came across a strange company installed between the track and the river: wooden cabins, a large hangar fragile, it breathes tentative and improvised. Production is prominent: very large statues liturgical copper. The execution is perfect, great art! A squad of Chinese and Tibetan are busy about their music and made jerky of the hammer hitting the copper surprises us. What do they do with these beautiful statues, why here in this backwater, far from any town? The answer will be given during our visit to the monastery, a temple is under construction and the statues to him.
Our driver tried to force a passage ... and stuck to the axles! Exchanges are limited, but we understand quickly that will not resolve itself, and that aid can only come to us because, at the bottom of this valley, we are very isolated. We draw on the straps with all our strength to failure of one of them, which would have sent me off without collapses faster reflexes Régine. Pushing is better, and without too much mess, we win the game.
The landscapes are gorgeous along the river and the steep rise in yaw. Our small van puts the 1000 m elevation without flinching to the site of Katoka-Gompa. It is very well located, very high and very isolated as we expected, Google Earth images are accurate and recent.
Yet the construction site of the temple attracts our attention: this temple clashes in the monastery, its architecture is very Sinicized glass rotunda and the upper third is not quite true ... we we built this building puppet for tourists ... We also note a construction site on the ridge above Katoka, a pass? a new road? we remember also the surveyors crossed this morning along the river ... What a pity!
Inside the gompa, we meet the local Rinpoche: finished at 4x4, it is transported to arm men to a bamboo canopy. I take pictures and shake his hand, is a tall, handsome 80-year-old, who can not walk. His escort the transports to the highest of the monastery, I am! My heart breaks, it goes up steep 4060m! Some
tachi delek with smile authorize me to enter the residence of the patriarch. I climb way up to the terrace where I see Régine well below that approach. A monk will get it.
We then enter into the holy of holies of Katoka, the chapel where monks Rinpoche kindly present us with objects of worship the most precious conch, oboe ... I leave it discreetly on a photo of the DL Rinpoche's desk. Leaving
we converse a moment with a monk of some forty years as burly. It looks like one of our friends ... We propose to go eat with him and we offer tiny pill color that absorbs before us to reassure us.
We descend to the car, the driver left the monastery and the first corner, he stops and turns off the engine! Ouch! I guess the result: "The sum agreed was to ride, if you want to go down, we must double the price ..." It takes nerve and nerve to get out of this situation, we collect our belongings and make mine out of the vehicle. I cry very strong (in French) ... No money was paid and he quickly understood that we would not be intimidated, and if wants the 280 yuan he better come down to us. What it does elsewhere without adding. Bottom, Baiyu we will pay him 300 yuan.
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