Sights of Sikkim

Early morning on the 27th, we piled into a jeep and left for Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, in the northeast of India between Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan, and north of West Bengal. It was a bumpy 4 hour drive, with sights of tea country and rivers. On our arrival, Andrew and Sylvia passed out due to fevers, and Garrett, Jeremy and Durba had a look around town. Andrew left the next day after going with the gang to see Ganesh Tok, a local Hindu temple and a high vantage point over Gangtok. Sylvia and I said farewell to the newlyweds the next day, and Sylvia was finally feeling well enough to see some sights. During our stay in Gangtok, compliments of Hotel Zi on Tibet Rd., we rode the ropeway gondola over the city and visited the Dharma Chakra Center at Rumtek. The monastery holds the remains of the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa Lama of the Black Hat sect of Buddhism in Sikkim, and there is a throne that awaits the 17th Karmapa, who currently resides in Dharmsala, in northwest India. He's not permitted into Sikkim as his presence will create conflict with China.

The next day we went to Changu Lake, also known as Tsomgo Lake, at an elevation of 12,400 ft. The lake is also 18km from Nathula Pass, the Indo-China border and the historic Silk Road. We weren't able to visit Nathula Pass since it's only open to domestic tourists, and instead spent a few hours at the lake, in all it's foggy glory. Usually the sights are clear and the lake is frozen over, as the high tourist season is in winter, not in the middle of the monsoon. Nonetheless it was serene and beautiful. We also got to sit on yaks, because who doesn't want a picture with a yak?