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An article about Tibet in National Geographic reminds me one of the most unforgetable beverage I have ever had till now-Yak butter tea. I only had two chances to taste it only during my trip to the Tibetan area of Si Chuan province in China.That is Dao Cheng and if you have read the book "lost horizon" you will know that is the "final Shangri-la". The first time I saw real yak butter tea was when I reached the camping place of Yading Natural Reservation Area,which is nearly 4000 meters above sea level. For an electrical engineer who is lack of exercises like me, every step there is pushing me to the limit of my resource. Although surrounded by the three divine mountains worshiped by all Tibetans around the world, I couldn't feel any strength in my body. And it it at that time a smiling,bright faced Tibetan gave me a bowl of yellow,oil surface,salty liquid with strong smell. That's Yak Butter Tea! At first sight you may find it quite unacceptable and I know many people who has great reaction to it. But for a worn-out traveller like me it not only warmed up my body but also revivaled me. And the shrine was then covered by the red light of the sunset. After a cold and wet night,awaked several times by headache caused by high altitude, we begin to go on the 12 hour journey of surrounding the holy mountain. The local guide promised us that there will be a yak farm in the middle of the trek and we could enjoy hot yak butter tea and dry our clothes there. That almost became the only reason surpport us to keep going after climbing over a 5000 meters valley. The snow-covered yak farm was finally proved to be a summer-season farm and there was nobody there when we arrived, not to mention long promised bright fire and hot yak butter tea. The awkward guide again promised to bring us nice and hot yak butter tea once we arrived at his home. And since he is only local people we can find in the moutain at that time, what we can do was continuing following him until we saw his 3-floor temple-like house under the glimmer of the star. It is very hard to decribe our feelings when we saw that liquid again and you can never have more fresh yak butter tea then that because the yak which produced the milk just lived under floor. Each of us finished one pot of yak butter tea and then we got the strength to talk about the passing day. Yak is to Tiebtan as water to fish. As soon as you enter the Tibetan area, you will see herds of yaks wondering along the mountain,showing good balance jumping rocks. People there take it as sources of transportation,food,drink and clothes. They even make candles from yak butter. I even smells like a yak a week after I returned home. Post a comment in response: |
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