On top of the World
At 11,863 feet Lhasa, is indeed on top of the world. Some people say it is the rooftop and I would have to agree this is the closest to heaven I have ever been. I arrived in Lhasa yesterday, late in the day. Of course the clouds obstructed most of the mountain view during the flight, but I will not complain, it was amazing to even catch a glimpse of the Himalayas.
Flying in was the only was the only way not to be trapped with a tour group for the whole trip. The whole Tibet visa thing is the most convoluted process I have ever tried to navigate through. You must go through a travel agency to get the visa. They tack on some other Mofia charges and there you have it, a piece of paper that is your visa(no stamp), a flight and a really expensive trip to the city from the airport. Once in Lhasa we are set free. This is a new thing, usually you have to be with a group, so hopefully there will be no problems there will be no problems in Lhasa, but travelling around maybe a different story.
I wish I could have seen this city before the Chinese got its hands all on it, outside the old part of the city is a futuristic shopping binge. I am saddened by the sight of things here, just the way that all is being transformed into a bustling metropolis, better not focus on that though…
I will spend the next few days here, adjusting to the altitude, visiting Potala Palace,(see the pic on the top of this blog.. YAY! I am here!) visiting nearby monastaries, and of course eating poop loads of new and exotic street foods. Oh, one last thing I would like to thank the Chinese for the soup, they make a killer soup..
more tales soon.
jessica
Tags: tibet, Travel
jessica
The mountains you see from Lhasa are not the Himalaya. The Himalaya are many hours from Lhasa.
dear losang, I was speaking of the flight from kathmandu. Those mountains ARE the Himalayas.