Got up way early for the flight, but after many security checks and baggage weight issues (limited weight allowances due to tricky landing in the Himalayas…and the hockey gear is not light) we were on our way. Lucky for us the flight left pretty much on time, after seemingly taxiing halfway there (I swear, it was 20 minutes or more), and landed without incident. I guess, when the local weather is bad…which can happen quickly, the plane will fly circles around Leh for a couple hours waiting for safe conditions to land, only to then fly back to Delhi. We had beautiful weather…breathtaking actually and arrived in little over an hour from Delhi.
Leh is the largest city in the Ladakhi region of the Himalayan Crescent. It is part of the Indian state of Jammu-Kashmir, an area that, west of us, is in a state of war between Pakistan and India. Ladakh, to the east, is relatively peaceful, though there is a huge (and proud, more on that later) military presence here, since China (Tibet) is about 20 miles to the north and east, and they too claim this region.
Our bus, on arrival. Notice the military tower, strong military presence since we are in the middle of disputed territories (China and Pakistan claim this region as their own).
This bus had a sweet stereo!
After dropping off our bags at the hotel and grabbing breakfast, we went to the rink to watch the Women’s (2nd annual) and Men’s (5th annual) championships. This was unbelievable (a word I will invoke too many times from now on, but always appropriate).
Local Zamboni
Between periods entertainment Ladakhi style
Local Dignitaries
There were somewhere around 3000 people watching, many clinging to trees.
Ladakhi Penalty Box…where you feel shame.
Some championship hockey action, a game between the Ladakhi Scouts (branch of the Indian Army) and the Indian National Team.
The views were just breathtaking, hard to take in and impossible to capture with any justice. Its funny that, no matter how impossible the task, I couldn’t stop trying to find that elusive picture.
Speak, Memory 