Book Details

	Butter Tea at Sunrise: A Year in the Bhutan Himalaya By: Das, Britta Published By: Summersdale Publishers Ltd. ePub for Digital Editions Price: $14.99 PDF for Digital Editions Price: $14.99 Mobipocket Reader Price: $14.99 Microsoft Reader Price: $14.99 Available to read online in eb20 (what's this?) PDF for Digital EditionsePub for Digital EditionsMobipocket ReaderMicrosoft Reader	EBOOK OPTIONS ADD TO CART ADD TO WISHLIST TELL A FRIEND RECEIVE ALERTS
	Set against the dramatic scenery of the Himalaya, this memoir reveals hardships and happiness in a land almost untouched by the West - Bhutan. When Britta, a young physiotherapist, goes to work in a remote village hospital, her good intentions are put to the test amid monsoons, fleas and shocking conditions.

Excerpt

Somewhere in the valley, a conch signalled the start of a new day. The deep echo bounced off the cliffs of a magnificent mountain range and, faithfully, the sheer walls repeated the ancient message until it faded in the thickness of the jungle. Two red-robed figures sat motionless under the long thin branches of a cypress tree. Only a wispy beard danced on the chin of the old lama as he solemnly murmured a prayer. His eyes were closed. He did not need to see the script written on a page to follow its rhythm and intonations. After a few moments, the other monk joined the recitation. His young voice was strong and confident, and the old lama quieted, only his body continued to sway back and forth to the ebb and swell of the holy words. In the distance, the softly rounded Himalayan foothills were flushed in pink while morning sun flooded the Indian plains. Gradually, the bright yellow fireball climbed in the eastern sky. When the first sunrays reached over the ascending height of a mountain range culminating in the highest peaks on earth, the last lines of the prayer were completed. The old lama stacked the sacred pages back between their wooden covers and wrapped them with a yellow cloth. He nodded and heaved his body from the seated position. Then he turned to face the young monk by his side. ‘Today we will see if you are ready for your lessons,’ he said. ‘You have grown up, Sangay.’ The young monk also stood, but he did not meet the eyes of his elder. ‘I hope that I will not disappoint you, la,’ he replied. ‘I am still small and ignorant.’ With these words, he bowed deeply and offered a white silken scarf to the old lama. The teacher accepted the respectful gesture and then motioned to a narrow muddy path. ‘We will go now,’ he said and turned towards the mountain. Sangay followed his teacher without comment. His mind wandered ahead to the test that he must pass, an initiation rite, which many had failed before him. An enormous cliff stood above the monastery of Larjap. He used to come here as a little boy, when the red robes he wore were the only thing he knew about being a monk. His mother had always warned him to stay away from the deadly drop-off that plunged hundreds of metres into the forest below. When he was a child, he used to turn from the ledge in tears. Today, however, he must face it.

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