Pangboche

The hike from Tangboche to Pangboche is a short two hours with the route continuing up the Khumbu Valley.  We traversed through the woods down to the river and back up the other side into town.  Pangboche is situated at just about treeline with many juniper bushes scattered on the hillsides.

We're staying at the Highland Sherpa Resort (!) which has a great tearoom with windows on four sides providing views up and down the Khumbu as well as a unobstructed view of Ama Dablam.  Displayed within the tearoom is a wooden gear crate from the 1953 Everest expedition.  Also displayed are oxygen bottles from 1952, 1952 and many other succeeding years.  It's a great a place to spend a few hours during an active rest day.

In the afternoon we made a visit to the local Lama to receive a blessing for the climb.  This is an important traditional event that I really look forward to.  We climbed way above town to a small house where he lives, and filed in to the main room.  Our group of 18 filled the space and we listened quietly as he prayed over the prayer flags which will hang at base camp after the Puja ceremony.  After the general blessing we each approached the Lama in turn offering a donation and receiving a blessing.  We also each had a colored string tied around our necks to wear as a talisman for our adventure.