Abstract=Visit of the monastery and rest while waiting for the opening of the Lhasa road.
We get up late and Olivier decides to wash our laundry. Our guide, as at each stage, must go to the Public Security Office to present our passports and permits. During this time we visit the market. Upon returning, the guide informs us that we must remain one more day in Pome because the road is still cut. The Toyota leads us to the monastery, in the S-W of the city. We cross the river for the southern bank which we then go along towards the W to reach the monastery of Totung gompa.
The "tulku" had returned from abroad but he has instruction not to see us. In front plane, "lungtas" of several hundreds meters in length cross the horizon in the direction of Pome and the sight of the valley is splendid. The reception is warm. We visit the Dukhang, the new temple whose construction was stopped by order of the Chinese authorities and a series of Chortens. The monks offer us Tibetan tea and some tsampa.
We have a good look at all the valley and the town of Pashoe. When we return the driver stops to wash the Toyota in the bed of a small river, a crowd surrounds us and a kid proposes wood boards to print ourself lungtas. We decide to return on foot to the town which is 800 meters away approximately. We stop in front of a group of houses where a group of monks live. They engrave boards to diffuse the Holy Texts and lungtas.
The lama in charge receives us, we buy a board and we also take a picture of the tent which is planted in the garden and which is very beautiful. The road to the S of the bridge leads to Pemako while passing Galung pass. Return downtown where the state of the road to Lhassa feeds all the discussions. This road is the lung of the area. Indeed mild climate makes it possible to produce the same vegetables as in our country and in abundance. The vegetables transported to Lhassa are bought normaly by the richest families of Lhassa. The lunch is quite ordinary but the nap which follows is refreshing and appreciated. We put our notes in order and copy all GPS points. We also contact our wives to give them all our news.
Downtown, we attract groups of young children aged from 5 to 10 years. As I do not know how to communicate, I acquire a certain popularity in making them sing a kind of counting rhyme: "Pö ki its - Pö ki ke - Pö ki trouklo" (the ground is Tibetan - the language is Tibetan - the dress is Tibetan). The adults smile and applaud. Downtown I cross a Tibetan man dressed as in the past and wearing a silex lighter. We embrace. The evening, a dinner of Chinese ravioli in a dirty souless restaurant attemps to nourish us.
