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Puja Day at Base Camp
12 September 2005
Check out the view from our tent door!! Cho Oyu in all her glory. Today started slowly after the big day yesterday. French toast, fruit, fresh yogurt, cheese omelet washed down with real coffee and Sherpa tea.
Next was the Puja ceremony, a traditional ritual where we lay out our crampons and ice axes, along with food and wine as gifts to the gods. Prayers are read, and rice thrown on the decorated temple of rocks. Flour is tossed, often on the one sitting next to you, and finally some of the food and wine is consumed. A fun event asking for three things; permission from the gods to step on the mountain, safe passage on the mountain and for a successful expedition.
After the ceremony we had nachos for lunch as the seemingly typical afternoon snow showers came in. Time to relax in our tents, read and rehydrate.
This is Mark signing off on behalf of the 2005 AC Cho Oyu Expedition.
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The view from Camp
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Resting in Camp
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Puja ceremony
