4700m High On Nam-Tso Lake

Looking at the photo-record of a journey to the highest salt lake in the world I am compelled to say: “What luck… I am really lucky …” For surely it was my lucky button that introduced me into Louis and Kim’s plan for a day trip to the lake. They agreed to let me share their rented four-wheel drive and driver…

If we never meet again, this day at Namtso Lake will remain forever recorded into the archives of eternity.

If someone asked me what I thought of Namtso lake, I would have to say that it cannot be express in words, it has to be experienced.

If my life had been a preordained spiritual quest, my Nirvana would be achieved on the wintry shores of icy Namtso Lake quicker than as one of 10.000 monks in a mountain monastery.

The malignant spirits that during the Bon era of Tibetan religion, haunted every part of Tibet, must have shun the shores of Namtso Lake. Those shores did not echo memories of shamanistic song and dance to protect the Lake’s community from evil spells…

Even as events took place, it seemed as if time stood still… Its pristine solitude predated the dawn of gods and man…

Perhaps the few tents of a nomad’s encampment will give place to a future tourist village.

Perhaps where heaps of yak-dung, stand drying for use as fuel, hotels will rise…

Whispering Prayer flags will be silent pictures on a nostalgic wall…

Mani stones replaced by neon signs and billboards.

Text and Photos Coyright©2008 M.Della Marina