I was a little undone by the altitude, but I wouldn’t change being here for ‘all the tea in China’! In reaching Lhasa, I was transported back to my 18 year-old self when I was absorbed by books on Tibetan Buddhism and the life of the monks - the embryo of a dream. In a little nod to those memories, I ate tsampa and yak butter at breakfast each day whilst in Lhasa. Tsampa is a glutinous meal made from roasted flour, usually barley flour, and is usually mixed with Tibetan butter tea. Because the flour has already been roasted it doesn’t need to be cooked so it is a convenience food for many travellers. It can be made into a type of porridge with the addition of Tibetan cheese, butter, tea and sugar. I really liked its nuttiness.
Our hotel was very comfortable
Breakfast of tsampa and yak butter - delicious
After breakfast on our first morning in Lhasa, we headed for the world-famed Potala Palace – the major attraction of Lhasa. It is an extremely impressive structure, so we spent some time taking photos from the large public square in front. Now a museum complex, it was once the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas and from 1649 until 1959 served as the Dalai Lamas' residence - before the annexation of Tibet. The complex is said to contain more than 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines, and some 200,000 statues. The palace is named after Mount Potalaka, regarded in Buddhist tradition as the mythical abode of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara.
Potala Palce in the background
Potala Palace. The lights in the foreground were made in the shape of locus flowers
Guess who!?
Most of our group decided to tackle the 800-odd steps up to the monastery but Lindsay and I and another person in our group opted out in favour of exploring the surrounds and spent the time people-watched. Quite fascinating and humbling to see people, some with obvious physical problems, heading for the lofty steps. The palace is a place of pilgrimage and we watched hundreds of people, both local and visiting Buddhists, observing the rituals of their faith circling the palace in what is called the pilgrimage circuit or ‘kora’. The circuit is approximately 2 kms and many, old and young alike, repeat the circuit many times some in a prostrating pilgrimage in which they prostrate themselves on the ground after every step or two. We watched a mother and her young child and a young boy on his own (carrying a CD player pumping out chants) circling the Palace numerous times.
Streams of people entered the palace here and tackled the many 100s of steps
Ther Palace from on side - it's an impressive structure
Another aspect of the Palace
L: a devotee topping up the candles with butter. R: a visiting monk (prepared for the weather)
People watching
People from all walks of life and far0flung places
People and bird watching - L an Oriental Turtle Dove, R a Tibetan Blackbird
A very moving sight watching theis young woman and her child on their pilgramage
Later in the morning it started to rain so we took shelter in one of the ‘arcades’/markets where we later met our group for lunch. Our lunch spot had a wonderful local feel and was crowded with many locals. We ate the local fare and drank buckets of milk tea so I was happy – and Lindsay tried the local beer. In spite of swallowing medication, I was still feeling pretty debilitated by the altitude, so after lunch I was dropped off near our hotel with an oxygen bottle while the rest of the group went on to another palace complex, the Norbulingka Palace. This complex contained four palaces used by various Dalai Lamas over many years. In the meantime, I had discovered the hotel’s excellently equipped laundry and did some much-needed washing; they supplied laundry liquid, washing machines, dryers and clothes lines.
A market selling all manner of things, including food, ran along the Palace
The dumplings and bread were delicious as was the milk tea
Beer from the roof of the world!
Fabulous laundry catering for all comers
The next day we opted for a morning of domestic ‘bliss’ – more washing and a bit of a wander to do restock our supplies for the next few days on trains. The group were going to a few other monasteries in the afternoon but I simply couldn’t manage it physically. I was disappointed beyond belief but one has to breath! The valiant Lindsay went on the tour - more monasteries and temples including a monastery where the young monks debate theological issues as a means of learning and clarifying their knowledge. It would have been very interesting but again entailed a long steep climb to get there.
A walk along the river bank beside sheets of drying mushrooms
Norbulinka Palace
Debating monks at Drepang Monastery
Some of the group entering the Sera Monastry
The Palace by night
The group waited around until darkness fell and the Palace was lit up in an impressive water and light show. Lindsay came back exhausted and very sore. To read more go to https://www.tumblr.com/lindsaystravelblogs7 That night I ate alone in the hotel. The food was average but at least I was in Lhasa! I have to say I did a lot of rationalising during these enforced downtimes! But when Lindsay returned it was obvious that sadly I simply couldn’t have managed all the climbing.
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