Today we visited Ken's suspension bridge, built in 1998 for the benefit of the people of Syangma village. At the bridge we were met by Ang Purba Sherpa, an elder of the village and a former climbing guide, veteran of two Everest ascents and one of K2. He had kindly lit on one of the bridge's abutment caissons an offering fire of juniper boughs in Ken's honor, and the two of them stretched a new line of prayer flags across the bridge, then offered a prayer at mid-span for its long life, a hundred swaying feet above the rushing milky-white water of the raging Dhud Khosi.
After, he led us to his house at Syangma, a thousand feet above the river on the steep and heavily forested west slope of the gorge. There, we enjoyed sweet milk tea in the lovely dining room of his traditional Sherpa home, as he told us stories of his climbing career.
On parting, he graciously presented us all with katas, the snowy white silk scarves that symbolize welcome and best wishes for all visitors to Nepal. It is truly said that no one leaves Nepal with a cold neck.
Namaste,
Jim Ronning
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