Finding the campsite...

When we were stymied in our desire to ride the Ganden-Samye trekking path we headed around the back of Ganden to have a look around to see what our options were....we parked the bikes and then I went for a look around...and then A went for a look around. Hmmm.


I got these prayer flags blowing in the wind...yup, I forgot again, you will have to watch sideways :)
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Looking out from the kora, we decided that the fort ruins looked like they had great potential! :)


The fort ruins....


A monk tried to stop us from going down the path to the ruins and at first we thought he was telling us that bikes weren't allowed, but then he mimed that we would crash and get injured (which was very funny to watch). A pulled out the Mandarin dictionary and explained that we were "professionals" :) We all laughed and then we headed on our way as they watched to make sure that we really were not going to kill ourselves.

The ride down to the campsite...

K rides down the start of the kora...


A heads off the kora path (prayer flags in the background)


Check out that valley view...


A's more interested in riding (and she is starving, so we must get moving :)


Down...


down...


down!


The look back towards Ganden from the campsite - you can see the thread of a path back up. It was a GREAT ride...


We had a bit of a look around the ruins and the views over the valley...



and then I got busy cooking dinner :)


We waited until the sun was setting to put up the tent, so that it wouldn't attract too much attention.


Then we watched the sun set over Ganden...


...and the moon rise over the tent :)


After a good, if windy, night's sleep we awoke to a brilliant sunrise!


This is A's view out of the tent when I woke her up after sunrise :)


We made some breakfast, A was waking up - our ledge was in the bright sun and that helped :)


Then when A went off to walk the kora, I stayed to guard the bikes and read my book...