[champy1013]

Love that Prayer Flag one Matt

[Matt]

Each little neighborhood has these white offering shrines. People come, pray and leave a cash offerings. I couldn't get a decent answer on where this money goes. If the owner collects it, then it is a nice racket. A lot of the money appears to have been there for a while, but in the mountains of China, everything ages quickly.

In case you forget the sutra, it's written on a stone here for you.

And prayer flags span out from the top.

The homes here have some very nice gardens. Here's a nice handheld macro.

This is a small market and restaurant (and probably also a home).

Their garage door.

I find another one of those shrines in a garden.

[Mikell]

I want to know what happens to that money too!
Wonderful photos...love the close up of the money under the rock.

[Kelly]

love the close up of the money under the rock.

me too. also the close up of the prayer flags.

[americanhero]

the prayer flags are beautiful, and their houses, too. What an amazing area.

[Matt]

What the colors (of the flags) symbolize: blue=sky; white=clouds; red=fire, green=water; yellow=earth.

The swastika is a symbol of balance to Buddhism, but in places where westerners could go, they are often modified from their original form, in order to not offend.

The wind horse carries prayers from earth to heaven. This belief actually pre-dates Buddhism. You can see this symbol everywhere, including prayer wheels and flags.

[Kelly]

awesome.

[Matt]

That's my attempt at creating a flickr cliché photo.

[Kelly]

compliment withdrawn. yeah, it sucks.

[hobkyl]

WhileI love the boards smilies....and was going to choose a dancing banana or pickle, these photos invoke much more excitement in me that I couldnt resist....


A little help here....youtube tag doesnt seem to want to work....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU2yt6wOoK0

[Matt]

compliment withdrawn. yeah, it sucks.

Thanks

[Matt]

WhileI love the boards smilies....and was going to choose a dancing banana or pickle, these photos invoke much more excitement in me that I couldnt resist....


A little help here....youtube tag doesnt seem to want to work....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU2yt6wOoK0

We could add this to the smilies:

[hobkyl]

We could add this to the smilies:

That would be fantastic!

[Matt]

More walking around Tibetan villages...
I'm not sure about this depiction. The three heads is similar to that found on the kila daggers and other objects that ward off evil spirits. In the center is the "Ohm" symbol.


Everything is hand painted.


This is a restaurant. Notice the rack of bronze prayer wheels to the left. Just below the wheels are arrows indicating the clockwise directions one should take when spinning the wheels. Spinning a payer wheel, which is engraved with a sutra, is the equivalent of reciting that sutra.

This is the very top of a Mani Pile that is about my height. Mani stones are stones inscribed or painted with small sutras/mantras. Passers by will leave a stone on the mani pile, which is the equivalent of reciting that sutra. Some piles, particularly the ones alongside roads, often grow miles in length. Piles are often wrapped in prayer flags and topped with Yak skulls, which helps the Yak's souls reach heaven.


Joni stops at this Cafe to check her makeup. Need to look your best when hiking in the mountains.

Hand-carved, hand-painted woodwork on all the homes. Where do they get the bright colors? Traditionally, from stone minerals, trade (southwest china is along the silk road), and local fungi.




I'm not sure what this is.

[Mikell]

So much colour...love it!
Especially like the one of Joni checking her makeup!