TIBET – ABANDONED VILLAGE
“Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend – or a meaningful day. “
– 14th Dalai Lama
On the way to and from Everest Base Camp was an abandoned village who our guide Tsewang proclaimed to be “Tashi Dzong.” The name is given to many places throughout Tibet and Nepal and literally means “Prosperous Village.” The village had been there in a previous life, with a unique fort embedded into the mountain. It’s believed that the fort stood to protect the passageway to Mt. Qomolangman, but not much else is known about the village as it continues to decay in its desolation. Fascinated by its mysterious past, I sought to get closer not really thinking about how I was going to cross the multiple streams of water. In tune with the spontaneity of adventure, I decided to improvise.