Tibet – HurricaneMaine

Shigatse to Gyantse in Tibet

We traveled 370 km on the last day. It was a lot of time in the van but a few gorgeous stops along the way.

Palcho monastery

Built in 1427, the most prominent feature is the giant stupa. This one is different from others and has 5 floors and 68 prayer rooms. It is named Gyantse Kumbum. In each of the tiny chapels are exquisite paintings (kumbum means 100,000 images). It is important to follow a clockwise route around which is the same in any of the monasteries. The murals survived the Cultural Revolution though some statues had to be restored.

The monastery is unique in Tibet as it houses three separate schools of Tibetan Buddhism under its roofs – Sakya, Gelug, and Kadam. The monastery has aspects of Chinese Han, Tibetan, and Nepali architecture, and is one of the highest status monasteries in Tibet. Inside the temples are beautiful statuary.

Simila pass and Manla reservoir

Simila Pass is at an elevation of 4200 meters. The pass is unique to others due to the greater amount of countless colorful Tibetan prayer flags decorating rock faces. In this winding mountain pass, the wind here waves the prayers in beautiful patterns. The Manla Reservoir is the biggest dam in Tibet.

Karola glacier

The glacier originates at Mt. Noijin Kangsang (7,191m), which is one of the four holy mountains of Tibet.

This stupa is just for decoration though monks did visit it when we were there

Yamdrotso lake

Yamdrok Yumtso, is a beautiful lake along the old Friendship Highway between Tibet and Nepal. It is at an altitude of 4,441 meters. Yamdrok is the largest inland freshwater lake in the northern Himalayan mountain range. Yamdrok Lake is one of the four largest sacred lakes of Tibet (the others are Lake Lhamo Latso, Lake Manasarovar, and Lake Namtso). According to Tibetans, the lake is a lifeline and if the lake dries up, Tibet would become an uninhabitable place. One is not to swim in it. Tibetans pilgrimage to the Lake and walk around the lake in seven days to remove their sins and earn merit. The lake’s spiritual energies are from the Second Buddha, Padmasambhava, who brought Buddhism to Tibet. It is also believed Lake Yamdrok helps to find the reincarnated soul of the Dalai Lama.

Along the way back to Lhasa, we made a few other stops due to traffic through the pass.

If you look closely in to the picture, yak poop is dried too use as fuel for cooking and heating.

To see the Himalaya mountain range

We drove a long time (8 hours and 340 km), stopped at several points, and had several checkpoints for ID. Travel was along the Shanghai Nepal road and where we stopped was at 5248 meters elevation. I definitely felt the lack of oxygen.

First glimpse of Everest along the pass.

Along the Gyitso pass we stopped for bathroom break and also to take pictures. You can purchase a prayer flag and write a recipient name on it. They tie it for you and the blessings and prayers are sent by the wind.

Here the option is to go on to Everest or continue on the other road to Nepal.

We hiked a short section to get to Everest base camp at 5,150 m elevation. The camp is located below the moraine slopes from the Central Rongpu Glacier. A moraine is the earth and rocks pushed by the Glacier when it was advancing.

One minute you can see it and the next it is converted in clouds. We are lucky to have had the weather we did that day.

We stayed in a large tent at the base camp. The blankets they use are very thick and the tent is heated by using dried sheep and yak poop. It actually gives off less ash and is more plentiful than wood. Our tour group was interesting : 1 Japanese, 1 Chinese, 1 American, 1 Brazilian, 1 Singaporean, 1 Russian, 2 Brits, and 3 Germans. We spent a lot of time together! The tent owner would cook fried rice with yak meat for dinner and an omelet or pancake for breakfast. Lowest temperature was – 4C at night.

The base camp for hiking Everest is another 4 km away. You can no longer get a permit to hike unless you have Sorvino prior experience. We are about 20 km to Nepal.

I came on this trip already with a headache and stuffy nose so not sure when or if I was acclimated to the altitude. But when I arrived at Everest base camp, I was definitely struggling. My vision pulsed with each heartbeat and I had no energy. I used a nasal cannula with oxygen for 30 minutes. I felt better and then continued to feel better as we went back down in elevation. My sports watch measures my pulse. My resting heart rate is normally 46 bpm but jumped to 68 after arriving in Tibet. No wonder it shows in under great stress.

The Tibetan name for everest is Chomolungma, meaning “Goddess Mother of the world”. This marker is the height at the top of Everest.

Himalaya means “abode of snow”. There is about 15,000 glaciers throughout the whole range. The Himalaya form an arc that separates the Indian subcontinent in the south from the Tibetan Plateau in the north. Many of the world’s major rivers, the Indus, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Yangtze all begin here. The next three pictures are the Himalayan range. A panorama would not let me zoom in so close.

Along the way we could see Tibetan farmers cutting and taking hay by hand. They did lift the hay wagons pulled by tractors. They keep the hay in their yards to feed livestock.

Shigatse, Tibet

We drove a long time to get to Shigatse. Along the way we had to present our documents at a police checkpoint. You need a visa for Tibet and permits to move from one place to another. Plenty to see!

Am alpine goat who was happy that I shared my apple with him and his buddy.

River view of Brahmaputra, the mother of all the rivers that flow from here.

After we settled in the hotel we had time to grab a quick bite. I ordered Thupke, Tibetan noodles.

View of the hotel from inside the courtyard.

Tashilunpo monastery.

It is one of the few monasteries in Tibet to weather the destruction of cultural landmarks of the Cultural Revolution. It is as if time did still, and walking on the cobbled paths that wound around old buildings. The monastery is now the largest religious institution in operation in Tibet.

The huge golden statue of the Future Buddha is the largest gilded statue in the world. Pictures are not allowed to be taken there but many would pray outside the doors, touching their forehead on the top decoration on the floor.

We walked back to the hotel and stumbled upon a Muslim night market. People have been very friendly here in Tibet as foreigners have not been seen here in about 3 years.

Lhasa day 2

At breakfast, I ate more of the barley cereal and also tried butter tea. It tastes like rich butter dissolved in hot water. A bit to get used to and I’m sure my body needs this. Next time though I’ll add it to the barley cereal. I’m sure the Tibetan people cringe when they watch us do such things.

Potala palace

The palace was built in the 7th century AD when King Songtsen Gyalpo built a fortress on it for his two foreign wives (he also had a third Tibetan wife) . The left side of the palace was created in the magnificent vision today by the Fifth Dalai Lama. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama added on the right side of the structure to what we see today. The walls are 2 to 3 meters thick making it warm in winter and cool in summer.

The left side of the palace is the winter home of the Dalai Lama (7th century) . The right side is the newest addition to the building (14th century)

This looks down in potala Square, the Tibetan equivalent to Tiananmen Square. Of course the picture of the Dalai Lama can’t be shown so instead the president of China is.

Since 1755 it has become the winter palace of the Dalai Lama. There is over one thousand rooms including the living quarters of the Dalai Lamas while they lived and their golden tombs after they died. It is the religious and political centre of old Tibet bearing witness to various political and religious moments of the past centuries. Potala Palace also holds a great amount of rare ancient cultural relics.

Later at night we went back to take a picture. Beautiful!

There are many stairs to climb and it is very challenging especially as your body is just getting acclimated to the elevation.

The tour guide big chodon in front of cloth made with yak hair. In front of open spaces like windows it protects from wind, rain, and cold.

Many Tibetans were curious about the foreigners, saying hello, and coming up to speak to us or just stare at us! One young boy called me Faguo, which is Chinese for French. I just laughed. Most guess Meiguo (American) correctly.

Outside the palace the monks walked among the people. Many who are disabled were waiting there. The monks blessed them and gave them money. Money is also given to shrines on the outside.

“The first time I stepped onto the rooftop of the Potala Palace, I felt, as never before or since, as if I were stepping onto the rooftop of my being: onto some dimension of consciousness that I’d never visited before.” Pico Iyer

Jokhang Temple was also built in the 7th century AD to house the statues of Buddha that princesses Bhrikuti from Nepal and Wen Cheng from Tang Dynasty China brought as gifts for their future husband, King Songtsan Gambo (the one who built Potela palace for them). The original statue that Princess Wen Cheng brought over 1300 years ago is the most sacred and famous one. The temple is on Barkhor Square in the center of the old section of Lhasa. Our hotel was a 10 minute walk.

Barkhor street a circular street around the Jokhang Temple in the center of the old section of Lhasa, it is the oldest street in a very traditional style in Tibet, where you can enjoy bargaining with the local Tibetan vendors for the handicrafts which are rare to be seen elsewhere in the world. Barkhor Street is one of the most important religious paths along which pilgrims walk around Jokhang Temple while turning prayer wheels in their hands through centuries. Buddhist pilgrims walk or progress by body-lengths along the street clockwise every day into deep night. For your first visit to the Barkhor, enter from Barkhor Sq, a large plaza that was cleared in 1985. The square has become a focus for political protest and pitched battles between Chinese and Tibetans on several occasions, notably in 1998 (when a Dutch tourist was shot in the shoulder) and most recently in 2008

Lhasa Day 1

Breakfast was a buffet from the hotel and I was able to taste a few Tibetan dishes.

This dish uses barley powder, dried yak cheese, and a little sugar to mix with hot water to a cookie dough consistency. Tastes like barley but I added more water to make it like oatmeal.

The barley dish with toast and yak butter.

Being active is tough here but as the day wore on I felt a bit more acclimated.

Drepung monastery

The monastery was founded in 1416 by a disciple of Tsong Khapa. Drepung had over 10 000 monks. As the biggest monastery in Tibet, the lamas helped train new Dalai Lama. There are now 600 monks. Drepung belongs to the Gelupa sect. In the past, if there are two sons in a Tibetan family, one son must become a monk. Now there is a choice. This monastery was the hole of the Dalai Lama before leaving Tibet.

Overlooking the monastery and the city of Lhasa.

In the courtyard, there will be dances during festivals and the Dalai lama would watch from the upper right window.

In front of the monastery. No pictures allowed inside.

The bathrooms are a long or with half walls. The last time I saw one like that was Yunnan.

Tibetan prayer flags (Lung tas) represent peace, wisdom, compassion and strength it is believed that the flags with the mantras and messages carry the goodwill out to others.

Sera monastery

Founded a few years later in 1419 by one of Tsong Khapa’s eight disciples, this temple became famous for its tantric teachings.

People pray as they walk clockwise around.

The paintings on this rock represent helpers. Wisdom is represented by yellow and blue is protection. These are Bodhisattvas and are male. Compassion is represented by white and longevity is green. These are Taras and are female.

Inside the sanctuary where monks meet for chant and prayer.

Other paintings

Yak butter. It is actually quite tasty.

At the end of the day, a group dinner with traditional music and dancing.

The start of seven days in Tibet

I have always wanted to go to Tibet but it has been closed to foreigners when I arrived to China and then covid happened. I had planned to go this last summer but they closed it to foreigners again. Luckily, my other tour for this holiday week fell through and I was able to scramble to get a visa and permit for Tibet! It required a few documents, a negative covid test, and a little waiting. Even with the extra hassle at checkpoints and the extra covid tests it is worth it. I will need another permit and possibly a virus test to go to Everest base camp.

Along with the shroud of spirituality, Tibet has distinct cultural traditions, intricate architecture, and a beautiful landscape. I have seen similar sights and ate some similar foods in Yunnan as these places are still along the Silk Road that connected other cultures to China and border Tibet itself.

Our first day was travel and going through the checkpoints. Along the way I met some great people. A chinese couple helped with translating and there I met a lovely woman from Scotland. While we were waiting for the second flight, two young men who wanted to practice their English chatted with us. Later on the bus I also met a couple Americans.

After settling into the room we were cautioned to take it easy as we would need to get adjusted to the altitude. In fact the next two days we will stay close to Lhasa to acclimate before going higher in elevation. Tibet is 4500 meters above sea level making the cities like Lhasa the highest in the world. Our only adventure was finding food.

Given the mountainous features of this area, Tibet is the most secluded and least populated provinces in China. It’s prominent feature is the Himalayas where the average mountain stands above 20,000 ft tall. To get from one scenic area to another will be long bus journeys. The views along the way will be amazing as this area is known for its breathtaking beauty.

In Tibet, Buddhism is not just a religion but a lifestyle. It actually is a lifestyle for many Buddhists around the world and is the way they embrace life.

Potala Palace from the bus window. That will be a lot of stairs to climb.

Tibet is also called the ‘third pole’. Tibet holds the third largest storage of water and ice in the world (after the Arctic and Antarctic). In fact, the water here is needed by 47% of the worlds population. There is a multitude of lakes, rivers, or glaciers. There is a lot of water here which makes it the center of geological and political interest. In fact, six of Asia’s largest rivers find their origin here in Tibet, including the Mekong, the Yangtze, and the Indus.. .

The diet of the people of Tibet is determined by the arid climate and high elevation. Food here include products unique to the region such as the Tibetan yak. Other foods such as yogurt and butter are popular compared with the standard Chinese diet. The most popular dishes include: tsampa (the staple composed of barley), balep (bread), thukpa (noodle soup), yak butter, yak cheese, yak yoghurt, and yak meat.

For our first meal, we tried a few items.

Noodles, vegetable Tikka, yak masala, and aloo Gobi though the spices are a little different.

These noodles are delicious and the texture is more one of my favorite.

Tomorrow we will view palaces and see sights as well as have a large introductory dinner.