Weekend Bonus: More Everest Details

Before concluding this week's look at Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, there are a few more details I wanted to share with you. The area around Expedition Everest is an incredibly rich storytelling environment, offering something new to see every time you look.

The Yeti Mandir (which we discussed in Wednesday's article) is a Newari-style structure, similar to those seen in Nepal. It was produced with the help of artisans from Kathmandu and contains one thousand carvings, statues and other depictions of the Yeti.

Facing the Forbidden Mountain near the exit of the attraction is a Tibetan mani wall. In Tibetan Buddhism, mani are stone tablets inscribed with prayers. They are often placed together as a form of offering to the spirits.

These tin signs advertise the Serka Zong Bazaar, which we visited on Monday. The architectural style of the buildings was inspired by structures seen in the Kali Gandaki region of the Himalayas. It's a combination of stone buildings, like the tea warehouse, and "rammed earth" construction, where moist dirt is placed in a box frame and pounded with mallets until it's hard as concrete.

Using earth-based pigments, the color of the buildings is packed with symbolism. Red on corners or around windows is thought to provide protection, while stripes on the roof represent the three spirit worlds. In the image below, the red building at the right is a gompa, a Buddhist prayer hall used for meditation. The building with the long stripes all the way down (created in the traditional way, by pouring paint down the wall from the rooftop) represents a wealthy family with ties to the monastery.

Many of the detailed environments which make up Serka Zong can only be seen along the standby queue for Expedition Everest. Here, though, even guests who choose Disney's Fastpass service get a bit of storytelling. Instead of passing through Tashi's Trek and Tongba Shop, they instead pay a visit to this smaller vendor, offering many of the things one might need for a journey into the mountains. Nearby, Fastpass guests also find a satellite display set up by the Yeti Museum, teasing the collection and inviting travelers to come and visit the real place.

For those who do wait in the standby queue, Tashi's Trek and Tongba Shop has more detail within its walls than anyone could take in on a single visit. If you're not completely distracted by the Serka Zong souvenir T-shirts or the plush Yetis (one of which is wearing Mickey Mouse ears!), take a look to your left. Here, you'll find not only the register and additional items offered for sale, but also signs that Tashi actually lives in his shop. There's a cot and stove, some folded magazines he's been reading, and a trunk of personal items under the bed.

If Tashi is in on the occasion of your visit, be sure to say "Hello," and order something from the menu. A cup of delicious tongba is only 100 rupees. Be sure to ask for a bamboo straw, so you can have the true local experience!

The Journey to Everest

All this talk of the Yeti has certainly provided some local color to our visit to Serka Zong, but now it's time for the reason we came here in the first place... to conquer the tallest mountain in the world. "Expedition Everest," the tour we booked with Himalayan Escapes, is about to depart for Base Camp, and we're packed and ready to go!

At the rail station, an old boiler provides the hot water necessary to power the steam engines that will push our train through the mountains. All aboard! With a shrill whistle and a puff of white, we're bound for Mt. Everest.

A gathering of totems and prayer flags at the edge of the forest provide us one last reminder of the wonderful people and culture we experienced in Serka Zong... or is that one final warning to beware the wrath of the protector of the "realm of the snows?"

No matter. We wouldn't turn around now, even if we could. The scenery along the rail line is spectacular, from dense forests to thundering waterfalls, and ahead in the distance we can see our goal. To get there, we just have to cross Forbidden Mountain.

The air at this altitude is thin, but we slowly become accustomed to it, as we prepare ourselves for the ultimate ascent. A cool mist hangs in the valley, and our train makes a turn toward...

Wait! What's this?! The track is out ahead, but it's not just broken. The rails have been bent and twisted! A Lammergeier vulture hovers on a gust of wind above us. The animal's high-pitched cry is soon drowned out by a chilling howl, coming from the icy caverns behind us.

Just as we glance to our side and identify what look to be claw marks in the snow, the brakes on our train give way, and we start hurtling backwards into the dark abyss. The train comes to rest in a large cavern. We think we're safe, but a shadow cast from above reveals otherwise. As another train rolls by, a large creature swings into view, roaring after them and ripping up more of the track. Suddenly, it hears us. The Yeti is coming our way!

Our Sherpa throws a track switch and we start out the tunnel, full steam ahead, in an attempt to escape the clutches of the Yeti. Our train thunders to the base of the mountain, spiraling through forests and caverns.

Will we make it back from the Forbidden Mountain, or will we suffer the same fate of the legendary lost expedition? Hold on tight. It's going to be a wild ride!

(Photo ©Disney)

The Yeti Museum

Not far from the rail station in Serka Zong is the Yeti Museum, "dedicated to the serious study of the scientific and cultural aspects of the mysterious creature known and revered throughout the Himalayas as the Yeti." The curator of the museum is one Professor Pema Dorje, PhD., and he welcomes us with both a traditional Indian and Nepalese greeting (Namaste) and the Tibetan greeting Tashi Delek (roughly translated as "blessings and good luck").

Just inside the entrance, we find a photograph of Professor Dorje, along with his degrees from the Royal Anandapur University College of Science. He has earned a Masters in Anthropology and a Doctorate in Conservation Science. This is no kooky local obsessed with myth and legend. Professor Dorje is a legitimate expert concerned with the study of the Yeti.

Professor Dorje even proudly displays a letter he received from Russell Mittermeier, President of Conservation International, congratulating him on the opening of the museum and his support of local empowerment in conservation efforts. In the world of Imagineering storytelling, this is one of those great details that adds so much credibility to the story being told. Professor Dorje, while fictional, was inspired by Dr. Pema Dorjee, a renowned Tibetan physician, while Conservation International is actually a real organization, with Russell A. Mittermeier, PhD., as its president.

The Yeti Museum is filled to overflowing with exhibits detailing the history of Yeti mythology, the cultural significance of the creature, various legends associated with its existence and scientific evidence to the contrary, proposing cases of mistaken identity with various native Himalayan species.

Many of these exhibits contain real artifacts collected by the Imagineering team on research trips to Asia. Some pieces though, while based on actual stories, have been fabricated to help tell the story of Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. The Mystery of the Lost Expedition is one such exhibit.

On display are a torn tent, ripped boots and battered supplies apparently discovered on the side of the mountain, left by a team of explorers who were never seen again. Most curious of all, the exhibit includes photographs developed from a camera found at the site. The pictures show flashes of a creature of some kind, perhaps the best evidence to date of the existence of the Yeti.

Yeti Is Real

Many people who live in the part of the world around the Himalayas firmly believe in the creature known as the Yeti. It's a legend passed down through generations about a mystical, albeit real, being that protects the forest and mountains... and snacks on the occasional yak. The Yeti is seen as a positive force by the locals, but they are concerned about the reopening of the rail line through Forbidden Mountain. They're worried that it will disturb and anger the Yeti.

Here in Serka Zong, the Yeti is regarded with respect. Throughout the village are symbols of that reverence, from totems honoring the Yeti to the Yeti Mandir. A mandir is a Hindu temple, typically devoted to a primary deity, in this case the Yeti. Under the pagoda is a central shrine, including a statue of the Yeti and carvings dating to the 17th century.

A pair of stone guardians mark the entrance to the temple, where on the porch one finds a series of bells. In Hindu tradition, the ringing of the bell invokes the deity, calling up forces of good and casting out those of evil.

Visitors to the Yeti Mandir often bring symbolic offerings of fruit, flowers or other natural objects, placing them at the base of statues of the Yeti. It is their hope that these offerings will please the Yeti and encourage his protection.

Located further from town, right at the edge of the Forbidden Mountain, is an ancient fortress since converted into a shrine to the Yeti.

Inside the shrine are prayer flags, gongs, bells and all manner of items used in ceremonies to honor the Yeti. The mural on the inner wall depicts the Yeti as protector. It is seen standing guard over Forbidden Mountain, casting away evil spirits. As we set out on our expedition to Everest base camp, let's just hope the Yeti doesn't consider us a threat to this sacred land.

Attention Serka Zong Shoppers

One of the larger establishments in Serka Zong, serving locals and tourists alike, is the Serka Zong Bazaar. Take a look at their sign over the door. A couple details to notice: This sign was painted by the same firm (Bhavani Sign Painters) that provided the marquee for the new Yeti Palace Hotel down the road and a pair of painted antlers have been placed below the sign as a symbol of prosperity. Nearby, look for the plaque provided by the Anandapur Ministry of Economic Development, offering a clue as to how long the bazaar has been in operation.

Heading inside, signs of welcome are joined with a reminder for trekkers to "Please Remove Crampons Before Entering." Crampons are the spiky, metal attachments mountain climbers wear on their boots to help provide traction on icy slopes. They would probably do some real damage to the floors of the shop.

Inside behind the registers, you'll also spot the standard portrait of the royal family, Serka Zong Bazaar's operating license and the first 100 rupee note the shopkeepers ever earned. On this side of the shop, you'll also find a nest of electrical wiring and outlets, evidence that the building housing the bazaar is actually quite a bit older than the shop itself. When the bazaar opened in the 1950s, electricity was added.

Serka Zong Bazaar sells a little bit of everything, from daily staples for locals to items needed by those setting out on mountaineering expeditions. Of course, serious climbers probably get most of their supplies from Tashi's Trek and Tongba Shop (read more about that establishment at this link).

Beyond necessities, though, Serka Zong Bazaar also specializes in decorative and ceremonial items, particularly those related to the legendary protector of the mountain.

Whether the proprietors of the bazaar believe in the existence of the Yeti or not isn't clear, but they are more than happy to provide for both those who fear and worship the Yeti and those who simply find the stories colorful and entertaining.

Booking a Trip with Norbu and Bob

Those of us in Serka Zong to catch the Flying Yak to Everest Base Camp must first check in with the Himalayan Escapes Booking Office. Himalayan Escapes organizes a number of tours and expeditions in the nearby mountains, but the one departing today is among their most popular offering: Expedition Everest.

The Booking Office is a cramped space, but serves its purpose. A look around the office reveals dozens of tiny details, all of which help tell the story of this place. Clockwise from the top left, look for a portrait of the Rajah of Anandapur and his wife, the first rupee they ever earned, old photos from their first expedition, a business license, alerts for trekkers, a map of the Himalayan region, a pack covered in patches from past trips, a computer and radio (older models, but still functional) and a safe.

On the wall to the right, you'll also find this letter from a Colonel Edward Blanchard (fictional) to the owners of Himalayan Escapes, identified as Norbu and Bob. It's a great example of how Imagineering storytelling is revealed through details.

In the backstory developed during production on the Expedition Everest attraction, a complete history was imagined for entrepreneurs Norbu, a native Anandapuri, and Bob, a Brit, and how they came together to build the business known as Himalayan Escapes. Stories like this serve as a guide for the various Imagineering disciplines involved in creating an attraction. With everyone following the same blueprint, every element ultimately works in unison to help tell the story.

The backstory for Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain also describes that Himalayan Escapes operates a number of different tours. This part of the story is brought to life not only in the "temporary" banners and signs welcoming the Expedition Everest group, but also in details like this tour board in the Booking Office. It lists all the tours currently underway, along with their status, number of members and staff, the name of the guide and their current location. Expedition Everest is listed on the top row, with the current location being Serka Zong. Our tour is about to depart.

Patches and stickers displayed in the office also allude to previous tours offered by Himalayan Escapes, such as the Anandapur Polo Club Expedition and All American Women's Expedition, as well as certain affiliations, like the Anandapur Mountaineering Association. Look closely, and you may also discover a bit of Hidden Disney in the patch for the Mouseketeer Mountaineer Expedition.