DCP_0960.JPG 2001/11/10 14:20 7.5mm f5.6 1/250s

The small village of Braga is built right into the steep and rocky hillside just off the main path. The houses are stacked up on top of each other so that the roof of one is at the foot of another. Some of the rooms must be in natural or man-made caves in the rock itself. The place was very dry and windblown and must be bitterly cold in winter. Most of it looked mediaeval but there were electric cables strung from poles around the village.

A chap who kept 'Om'ing showed us round a buddhist monastery which is the large square building at the top-left. The place was full of incense and there were lots of model bhuddas of various sizes. He spoke pretty good English and tied a multi-coloured silk cord round our necks. We guessed they were to bring us luck so we didn't took them off for the rest of the holiday.