Nov 16, 2009 - Lhasa - The Potala

The Potala. For me it is the icon of Tibet. Up close it is quite magnificent. At one time it was the tallest building in the world. Considering the fact that it was built in the 1600s it is an architectural masterpiece。 These days it is just a museum，maintained by the Chinese for us tourists. No more Dalai Lama living here, nor anyone else for that matter. Consequently there is none of the ambiance that you find at the working monasteries. Some fine gold and jewel encrusted buddhas，carving，metal work，and paintings. But a sad lack of...

Nov 16, 2009 - Lhasa - Dancing Ladies in the Barkhor

I went for a walk around the Barkhor and was very lucky to see a group of ladies, in traditional Tibetan dress. They stopped at one of the four incense burners in the Barkhor and began to sing and dance. Interspersed with drinking rice wine. They were obviously quite merry. A crowd gathered to watch and enjoy – even the monks were taking photographs. Unfortunately the gathered crowd upset the police, and soon the police and then the army came in and forced the crowd to disperse and move on. So the ladies moved on, singing and dancing, to...

Nov 15, 2009 - Tibetan Opera

A Night At The Opera, as Freddy Mercury and the boys from Queen named one of their albums. And I’m sure Freddy would have greatly enjoyed the Tibetan Opera that we attended at the Himalaya Hotel this evening. Lots of colourful costumes, singing, dancing, live music, great fun. It’s not exactly the real thing, but now that the Chinese are in control you can’t get the real thing any more, so this is the next best. The cast members seemed to enjoy themselves （see them laughing in the Mad Yak photos）, as did we. I just hope that these...

Nov 15, 2009 - Lhasa - Shey Monastery

Sera monastery is one of the “big three” monasteries in Tibet. Before the Chinese invasion of 1959 it housed more then 5000 monks. By 2008 this was down to 550. In 2008 and the “Tibetan Unrest” the Chinese either shot or imprisoned the majority of monks。 Pre 2008 you could watch the monks debating. We were told that the monks are no longer allowed to debate，although I met other tourists who saw them doing studies that looked remarkably similar。When we were there the place was deserted. You can't take photos inside the monastery, and the...

Nov 15, 2009 - Lhasa - Jokhang and the Barkhor

The Johkang temple/monastery is the most celebrated temple in Tibet. People apparently sell all of their possessions just to travel here and see the buddha inside the temple. Jokhang means "House of the Buddha". During the week there is a line of pilgrims waiting to get in. The line stretches around the Barkhor - the square and street that surrounds the Johkang temple. Pilgrims undertake a circumambulation - a circular waolk or kora - around the Barkhor, some of them prostrating (lying on the floor) themselves as they go. The police and...

Nov 14, 2009 - Gyantse to Lhasa

The drive today took in Kharola Glacier, Turquoise Lake - Yamdrok Tso, and a high mountain pass that we didn't stop at because you would have had to pay to take photos. Besides paddling in the lake (freezing), I got to pet a Tibet mountain dog (it's a puppy) which reminded me quite a bit of our dog Maya. The last photos show the hotel I'm staying at - quite beautiful, in the old Tibet area of Lhasa.

May 9, 2009 - Last of Lhasa

Yesterday we caught the bus 8km west of Lhasa to the Drepung (Rice Heap) Monastery which was once one of the world’s largest monasteries, home to over 10000 monks in its heyday. With many monks ‘missing’ also at this monastery, there are only about 500-600 left rattling around the massive grounds. Again the monastery had chapels (payment required for interior photography) and assembly halls similar to the other monasteries in the last couple of days. To be perfectly honest I think I am getting a bit monesteried out and the awful thing is...

May 7, 2009 - Monasteries and more monasteries

Yesterday involved a trip out to the Jokhang Temple in the heart of Lhasa. The Jokhang is the most revered structure in Tibet, thick with the smell of yak butter, echoing with the murmur of mantras and bustling with pilgrims. The temple is sourrounded externally by pilgrims prostrating themselves repeatedly before the Jokhang and the line of pilgrims snakes out well past the entrance. There are dozens of chapels inside (where photography is prohibited) and the pilgrims visit each one, pouring their yak butter into lamps to bring them good...

May 6, 2009 - Lhasa

An early start saw us heading to the airport at 7am and going through the most stringent security checks I have ever encountered at ANY other airport. Each person was scanned 4 times, given a pat down search 3 times, the contents of your checked luggage scanned twice and the entire contents of your carry on luggage emptied out and inspected with a fine tooth comb twice. I realised why we had to get there so early before our 11am flight, it was very tedious! The other bonus of getting there early was that my tour leader Gelu, managed to get...

Apr 10, 2009 - Thank you

We just took it very easy on our last day in Tibet - did some shopping, and just tried to absorb the culture. We also are resting up for our next challenge - Everest, which is only a few days away. We just wanted to take a moment to say Thank You to everyone who has been sending us messages occasionally on this journal site, it's really nice to hear from everyone at home and keeps us feeling in touch with all of you. We love it that you're all loving the journal entries - i know some of them are long winded (but hopefully not too boring),...

Apr 9, 2009 - Back Country Tibet

Our 4th day in Tibet is going to be really hard to describe. We drove out to Nam-Tso lake, high in the mountains - about a 4 hour drive each way. This was the day we got to see "real Tibet". We left Lhasa, at about 12000' elevation, and drove through mountain passes marked at 5190 meters (approx 17000'). The lake itself is the highest in the world at 4750 meters(approx 15,500'). If walking around at those elevations doesn't help us get some early altitude acclimation, nothing will. But we were definitely huffing and puffing just walking on...

Apr 8, 2009 - Monasteries

The next day we visited 2 monasteries, the Norbulinka and Sera monastery. Both are located on the outskirts of Lhasa, so the monks have more privacy and "more quiet" as our guide says. She tried all day to explain the roots of Tibetan Buddhism but frankly its so complicated, that there is no way to grasp it in one day. They worship 1000's of Buddhas,and they are all interwoven with political figures, kings, & historic figures - not to mention they also worship futBuddhasdhas that have not even been named yet. At any rate, it was a fun day...