SKU: 84037945955

Gasa Dzong from the trail to Laya, 2004

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Gasa Dzong from the trail to Laya, 2004Our headlights pierce the heavy rain and we see smoke seeping through the woven walls of a tin roofed bamboo hut. Wangchu and I have arrived at the Kencho Hotel where the motor road ends and the horse trail to Gasa begins. A young Sharchop woman greets us at the door. Inside two men sit at a rough table glaring at each other over their beer bottles. As we make to join them, I tell Wangchu to buy a round for the men and ask them about their

Our headlights pierce the heavy rain and we see smoke seeping through the woven walls of a tin roofed bamboo hut. Wangchu and I have arrived at the Kencho Hotel where the motor-road ends and the horse trail to Gasa begins.

A young Sharchop woman greets us at the door. Inside two men sit at a rough table glaring at each other over their beer bottles. As we make to join them, I tell Wangchu to buy a round for the men and ask them about their disagreement. The old man smiles and the men begin to recount their discussion, starting the disagreement all over again.

Wangchu explains that a wrathful spirit lives up ahead in a sacred grove near Damji. The villagers were afraid to cut the smallest branch or even gather a leaf. Then one day, surveyors came and a worker from India drove a bulldozer through the sacred grove. Nothing happened to him and he went back to India.

“This is Aap Dorji.” Wangchu introduces me to the old man. “He claims that the Indian bulldozer driver didn’t live in Damji so the demon couldn’t harm him.”

Old Aap argues that some of his cattle are getting sick and one of his cows gave birth to a calf with very unusual color. A farm house above the road just ahead is sliding down the mountain with its fields; a boulder rolled onto a house in Damji, flooding has uprooted trees and spilled gravel, mud, and rock into the irrigation ditches and paddies.

“Old Aap exaggerates,” swears Sonam, the young clean-shaven man in a fashionable gho. “These problems are not the work of spirits or the result of the road construction. They are simply natural occurrences—quite minor, really.”

“If it were not the spirits why did the King come on his jeep to look at the road and all the damages then continue on foot to the Gasa Dzong and the temple of Gomo?” Old Aap questions Sonam and then adds, “The King meditated in the temple, asked for guidance from the protective deity. He rolled the dice and then ordered that the road stop before reaching Gasa.”

“I don’t think it’s true,” says Sonam. The road was delayed because of budget constraints not spirits.”

“I want the road; we need the road!” exclaims Old Aap. “We just want it built without angering the gods!”

“These spirits can only harm local people,” says Sonam. “They are like local people and have to be submissive when there is an order from the government!”

“Our King doesn’t hold with that nonsense!” cries Old Aap. “Why would His Majesty and the Crown Prince perform all the traditional ceremonies and offering rituals if they could simply give a command and have the spirits obey? Anyone who believes what you are saying doesn’t believe in anything!”

From BHUTAN: Hidden Lands of Happiness, by John Wehrheim (Serindia 2011)

PHOTO PRINTS
Prints are on Hahnemuhle heavyweight (315 gsm) 100% archival cotton “Photo Rag Baryta” paper, using archival inks and archival spray coating. They have a 200-year life expectancy before any deterioration of the print will be observed when stored, handled, and displayed under archival conditions.

CANVAS PRINTS
What is often called “Gallery Wrap Canvas” is a fine art inkjet (Giclee) print on canvas, with printed edges to wrap around a wooden stretcher frame, like a painting. With canvas prints, your print image is still the same size, but given a "wrap effect" around the edges to account for the thickness of the stretcher. Canvas can be rolled and shipped with no effect to the print. Your local framing shop should be able to mount the canvas to stretchers at a fraction of the cost of traditional framing, making for an overall more economical way to get fine art on your wall. The canvas is printed to wrap around a 1-inch stretcher (1.5 inches on larger sizes). Specifications will be provided with your order. Feel free to contact us if you need guidance with your canvas order.

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Simply put, this book changed my life and sent my down a wonderful path. Every reader experiences the written word differently, but once you start living these practices, not just reading, an entirely new view begins to unfold.
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Barney “Scout” Mann and his wife “Frodo” host many prospective Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers, at their home, and shuttle them to the trail to start their trek. Scout is a Triple Crowner having hiked the Pacific Crest, Continental Divide and Appalachian Trails and has been very active as a volunteer, serving as a board member and in various capacities for several trail organizations. This eminence translates into a great number of five-star reviews: yet, this account merits them. Journeys North is about the author’s PCT thru-hike in 2005. It predates “Wild” and the resultant explosion in the trail’s popularity. The book focuses on the Mann’s and several hikers, who move north, in their proximity. There is considerable background and detail given about these characters, which enhances the readers appreciation of their trip. This balances with sufficient description about the trail and the hike making Journeys North a captivating and unique read among trail narratives. In the final chapters, the trekkers are buffeted and challenged by early season blizzards. Forced out of the snowbound high mountains, Frodo, Scout and their group improvise a low land route to complete their walk. With numerous of characters, the bouncing around and referencing of prior information can be confusing to the reader. There’s some heartwarming tales. The author describes an anonymous benefactor who provides two out-of-funds youngsters a considerable amount of money allowing them to continue towards Canada. The reader doesn’t learn whether the pair completes their journey; but that was a truly generous act, Barney. Journeys North transcends the trail in its portrayal of the human condition and the adversity and challenges that we confront in life. The book validates the camaraderie and caring that develops among hikers and the positive effect the PCT can have on changing lives. Well done.
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This book a little confusing at first since he is telling the story of several hikers at once. So keeping them all straight takes some effort. The actual description of the hike, the challenges and all the people along the way does make for fascinating reading. I personally, have great respect for those who attempt this formidable hike. They truly deserve our respect. I don't think you could be disappointed reading this book.
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