2-4 day alternative photography workshop June 16-17, June 19-20 During this alternative photography workshop you’ll discover the joy of slowing down, observing your environment, and how to make amazing sun prints using one of the first photography techniques invented, cyanotype – also known as the blueprint. We take the time to collect plants and flowers … Continue reading Cyanotype Workshop
In mid-June 2025, Djarga traveled to America for the first time since 2009. Driving outside of Colorado Springs, there were some houses in the trees and cliffs, and he asked, “What do these people do? They don’t seem to have any fields? Do they raise animals?” I said, “They drive into the city to work … Continue reading What is a life? Thoughts on Tsowa
It’s been a long break from writing. Since then, we’ve had quite a time. I tried to write in 2023, but found myself still too angry to write reasonably. Now, things are improving and I see light again, so here is an update. In late 2021, Chinese car tourists started showing up and camping … Continue reading Pandemic Recovery Finally
When I got home from a US trip in late 2023, Tashi told me that he had refused lodge entry (for coffee and a photo shoot) to Tenzin (丁真), who is the biggest Wanghong (internet influencer) of all of Kham and, you could say, Tibet, and indeed propelled Kham to fame in China in 2020. … Continue reading Deinfluencing (from late 2023)
What a few months it has been. We arrived back from the US at the end of January, and just a few days later, Wuhan was locked down. Our last guests left on January 28, and then, we were... silent, for a long time. The exits to the village were blocked, even the walking exits. … Continue reading Finally
One of the things that has most touched me about living in this place is the amazingly deep connection to land and place that exists here. In January 2004, when we took our first trek to Zhakra Mountain, I asked Djarga and the other nomads guiding the group to plan the trek themselves, since I … Continue reading Huge Home and Parasitic Tourism
This year has so far been an amazing year for flowers here! Enjoy the color extravaganza! Please let us know if you the names of any of the flowers, so we can improve the listing!
This morning, I slept in a bit and had a missed call from 7 AM from Woobzang in Sertar. Later, I mentioned it to Tenzin Nyima and Rekho, who said that Woobzang had called Rekho's phone before 7, asking them to please send Pengtso's yak across the river. Pengtso did not want to call me, … Continue reading Early Morning Yak Call
One of the things that is most different here from other parts of the world is that people have not fully bought into the necessity and normality of money and work — the basic capitalist system. This is why it is so hard to get people to work for us; they simply don’t really believe … Continue reading Work, Capitalism, Barter, and the Non-Monetary Economy
In the past few days, I have received two requests to translate or compose request letters to a Swiss group (whom I know very little about) from Tibetan students who are being supported by them. I’ve done this before — even for the daughter of our Ecolodge manager! The letters are composed in Chinese, … Continue reading Translations and Aid