Taken in Leh in August of 2016
Built by a devout Japanese Buddhist in 1991, the Shanti Stupa is on a hill overlooking Leh. It’s most popularly visited right before sunset when one can capture the colors falling over the town below.
Taken in the Nubra Valley (Shyok Valley) in August of 2016
It’s the question everybody is always asking, “Do you prefer your camels with one hump, or two?”
Until our visit to Ladakh, our only experience was with single-humped camels, in places like Rajasthan and the UAE.
I have to say that I, personally, found the handling characteristics and ride of the two-humped (i.e. bactrian) camel to be marginally superior.
Of course, the bactrian is like a Porsche. It’s not at all practical as a family sedan. The two humps don’t allow room for passengers or cargo.
My main complaint, however, is that (as you may note from the last picture) I got a camel with a flaccid hump. It was just flopped to the side. How do you think that made me feel?
Taken along the road to Pangong Tso in August of 2016
The one on the bottom was rocking out, singing “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey into an air mic. Not really, but you can imagine it, can’t you? In fact, I bet you now have that tune stuck in your head. You’re welcome.
Taken in August of 2016 in Diskit, India
It’s over 100ft (30m) tall.
A Maitreya is a “future Buddha,” meaning a Buddha who hasn’t yet appeared, but who was prophesied to live in an era to come. For people unfamiliar with Buddhism, this might seem strange. The Buddha we normal think of is Gautama Buddha, or the Shakyamuni Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama.) He was the founder of the religion, but one of many said to have achieved enlightenment. In other words, the Buddha we think of was an awakened one, not the awakened one.
Taken in August of 2016 in Leh
From the Shanti Stupa
From the base
Tiger Riding for Beginners 