Saturday 7 April - the started somewhat brighter and after breakfast we set of the 26 kms to Rumtek Monastery . As the crow flies the monastery is not that far as it lies on the opposite side of the valley to Gangtok. The road winds down through busy Gangtok but on the other side of the valley life is much quieter as the road rises up through woodland and past terraced fields.
Arriving at the complex you have to show your passport and Sikkim permit as it seems it has been the site of "altercations" between monks. The complex itself is not old and was built by Tibetan monk refugees in the 1960's replacing the Tsurphu monastery which was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The origin of the dispute is that the 17th Karmapa should be crowned here but he is apparently holed up in Dharamsala as the Indian authorities are anxious not to upset the Chinese.
The complex itself has very much the feel of monasteries we visited in Tibet. As it was Saturday it seemed the novices had the day off and the place had a bit of a festive air.
Back to Gangtok we stopped by the Sikkim Handcraft Centre and got a couple of souveniers before being dropped on the MG Maarg to find lunch which was a vegetarian thali and a cup of tea. We needed to buy some paper hankies as the pollution in what we hoped was going to be pure mountain air is taking its toll on the sinuses.
After a stop for tea at Golden Tips - the Gangtok branch of the Drajeeling tea establishment - we headed to Big Bazar India's own answer to Tesco. Somewhat surprisingly they were out of Paper Towels (seemingly India usage for Kleenex) although we did get a few other bits including a mango and pomegranate. On the way back we did manage to find a small shop with Tempo's so were able to stem the runny noses.
Dinner at the hotel was Sikkimese special menu - including thukpa soup, bamboo shoots, fiddlehead fern and stewed nettles which were quite tasty !
Arriving at the complex you have to show your passport and Sikkim permit as it seems it has been the site of "altercations" between monks. The complex itself is not old and was built by Tibetan monk refugees in the 1960's replacing the Tsurphu monastery which was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The origin of the dispute is that the 17th Karmapa should be crowned here but he is apparently holed up in Dharamsala as the Indian authorities are anxious not to upset the Chinese.
The complex itself has very much the feel of monasteries we visited in Tibet. As it was Saturday it seemed the novices had the day off and the place had a bit of a festive air.
Back to Gangtok we stopped by the Sikkim Handcraft Centre and got a couple of souveniers before being dropped on the MG Maarg to find lunch which was a vegetarian thali and a cup of tea. We needed to buy some paper hankies as the pollution in what we hoped was going to be pure mountain air is taking its toll on the sinuses.
After a stop for tea at Golden Tips - the Gangtok branch of the Drajeeling tea establishment - we headed to Big Bazar India's own answer to Tesco. Somewhat surprisingly they were out of Paper Towels (seemingly India usage for Kleenex) although we did get a few other bits including a mango and pomegranate. On the way back we did manage to find a small shop with Tempo's so were able to stem the runny noses.
Dinner at the hotel was Sikkimese special menu - including thukpa soup, bamboo shoots, fiddlehead fern and stewed nettles which were quite tasty !