Ghost City

Today we were up at 7 and eating breakfast in a mad flash in order to get into Ghost City by 7:45. We had the choice to take a ski lift or walk up the mountain on the stairs, so I took the stairs and in the end was up before Mom and Dad and te rest of the group at the top of the mountain. At the top there are temples where, years ago, a few men fed up with the corruption in government went to set up a temple where they could pray. It became known as a holy area and people began coming up to the top of the mountain to pray for themselves and their loved ones. The belief is that when you die the spirit goes to this city to be judged and sent either back to earth reincarnated in a new form or to hell. There are a bunch of scary statues to deter people from behaving badly, showing them their fate if they are bad, and there is also a doorway to paradise and three gates to cross, representing wealth, health, or marriage. You can only cross over one, and whichever you choose supposedly will bring you that in this lifetime. I was so sweaty it was incredible, but I was still able to enjoy the stories our tour guide, Bonnie, told.

It was a really neat tour and then we got back to the cruise which is nice and cool. I will be inside for the rest of the day, I am sure.