Eric's Beijing Diary

Click here for larger image.
Eva was planning to leave this morning, so I told her she could come with me to the canyon if she could be ready to leave by six. It never ceases to amaze me how many people come through Langmusi and never bother with the canyon. She was glad she came. And I was, too, because that morning it turned out that the shepherds had moved down into the meadow, and they had several very fierce dogs. She yelled several times to the shepherds to make sure the dogs were tethered. When it became fairly certain that the dogs were not going to come after us, we walked up among the sheep and cattle and had a nice chat with the shepherds.

Eva's friends decided not to leave today, so she actually went back up the canyon after breakfast and spent some time with the shepherds. To me, the canyon is the most beautiful part of this area (although I also like the ravine on the other side of town). I would say one of the most important reasons for spending a few days in this town, is that you can walk any direction for five or ten minutes, and you are in the hills. Most people, though, stop and see the monasteries, maybe attend a sky burial, and then leave.