Lhasa, Tibet!
Lhasa, the capitol city of Tibet; former home to the exiled Dalai Lama and now conquest acquisition of the Chinese Government. Ive only been in town for a week, but in this short time it is still possible to glimpse the deep cultural history of the Tibetan people and witness the affects of the domineering Chinese assimilation. While it may not be possible to fully understand the cultural and political situation, the Lhasa prefecture offers a variety of interesting adventure and other diversions for a visitor.
The most easily accessible, and remarkably addictive amusement is found in the Barkhor Pilgrim Kora surrounding the Jokhang Temple. A mass assortment of Tibetan travelers circle clockwise through the old streets surrounding the Tibetan Buddhist’s most sacred temple. The people are an absolutely amazing visual spectacle. Everything from the elaborate jewelry, exotic costumes, uncanny amount of Indiana Jones’ style fedoras and their unique religious customs are a treat for a westerner’s eyes. Although I have seen a few non-reconstructed, functional historic cities before, none were a remote comparison to the bustling old sections of Tibetan Lhasa. It is traditional and exotic! It is alive and exciting! I got sucked in to looping this circuit with the pilgrims several times during my stay there, and it never ceased to entertain and bewilder.
Click here to see all of my photos from the Barkhor Kora.
Another day exploring the Tibetan culture was at the Sera Monastery, home to an attractive collection of very colorful traditional architecture, stunning assembly halls and about six hundred lamas (Tibetan Buddhist monks). I had a fortunate experience in meeting a couple of the monks on the rooftop of a building. Despite the lack of verbal communication, a lot of smiles were shared as they inspected my tattoos with wide-eyed amazement. This monastery is famous for it’s afternoon debates, and I was also lucky enough to be there at the right time to see it. A courtyard full of lamas loudly slap their hands and stomp their feet in an exaggerated manor to expressively make points to the passive seated defenders.
Click here to see all of my photos from the Sera Monastery.
A trip to Tibet cannot be complete without a trip to its architectural icon, the Potala Palace: former residence to the exiled spiritual and political leader. This imposing structure towers over Lhasa. Upon first arriving in the city it is hard to ignore the palace’s dominating grandeur. To describe the sheer size and splendor would be futile in comparison to the real thing’s majesty. While walking through ornate rooms and halls containing half-ton gold tombs of the previous Dalai Lamas, the extraordinary décor never ceases to astound. Unfortunately, a cadre of Chinese military waiting to stop any religious practices by the devout Tibetan pilgrims shadows this magnificence.
Click here to see all of my photos from the Potala Palace.
My last great adventure in Lhasa was a 3AM trip to Nam-Tso Lake. We managed to pull a group of fourteen backpackers together who were willing to fight through the red tape, suffer a four-hour mini-bus ride and tolerate the sub-zero temperatures in order to witness the sunrise over this sacred turquoise lake. The scenery was absolutely remarkable! I can’t put it into words as well as my photos can show.
One of the unusual highlights was skipping rocks across an ice pond on the shore of the lake. Among the odd sci-fi laser sounds it made, there was a pure joy in simply seeing heavier rocks plummet through the ice and send waves rippling under it’s frozen surface.
Click here to see all of my photos from the Nam-Tso Lake.
The next couple of days in the city were spent overcoming the bureaucracy, arranging permits and a securing a vehicle for a six day road trip through a few of Tibet’s famous monasteries, cultural centers and Mt. Everest Base camp on the way to the Nepalese border.
Click here to see all of my miscellaneous photos from Lhasa.
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Tags: - Photography, Asia, China, China: Tibet, Lhasa, Photo, Tibet
Adam Shane
Wow INCREDIBLE pictures….
Brilliant pictures!
Really cool that you got so close to Mt. Everest. We hear about it and see it often in the media, but to actually walk around near it is amazing. I continue to marvel at your expedition and carry much jealousy. But the young must travel on and report to the old and so, for that reason, I’ll give you a pass and will not hate you (lol).