Some Thoughts on Leaving Tibet

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We arose early in preparation for our flight out of Tibet and managed to check out in good time. The friendly old lady was in reception at our hotel, the Banak Shöl, and touchingly presented us with katas before kindly hailing a taxi for us and confirming the fee.

It was quite sad driving away down Beijing Road, stealing one last glance at the Potala. It was a strange feeling as, in all, we had spent two weeks in and around Lhasa alone and were ready to leave. Perhaps it was the nagging thought that nothing else on our trip was likely to top the previous three weeks, with their spectacular sights and fascinating people. Perhaps it was the depressing thought of having three days to kill in Kunming before returning to the relative paradise of Bangkok.

Or perhaps it was deeper than that. The notion that when I one day return to Tibet it may have changed beyond recognition, with religion suppressed and people's spirits crushed, holy sites desecrated and more Chinese than Tibetans living here, just another extension to the Chinese megastate, is a very disturbing thought.

It will probably never happen, certainly not to the same extent that it did in the past, as both domestic and international tourism is big business, however, while the occupation continues, the Chinese government will sadly continue to exploit the land and the people for all that they can get away with, and with the rest of the world essentially turning a blind eye that is a very sobering thought indeed.

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Comments

[Steve]

yea, right
oh, yes, let Tibet stay under-developed so that we westerners can exploit the exotic scenes here... I don't understand why you ppl think the religion there is suppressed. You saw tibetans worshiping their god openly. Kids were taught in tibetan, signs are in both tibetan and mandarin...Did you ask the locals if they want an independent country? oh..yes, I forgot, you ppl have been brainwashed by your anti-communism education, and of course the so called 'Tibetan government in exile', which are bunch of ppl who speak better English than Tibetan... Having a sobering thought?? Well, let’s ask our ‘democracy’ government to use the tax money to liberate Tibet from communism! Guess then you will be satisfied, right?

[Tan Vong]

IT IS TOO BAD
That you spent two weeks but only got such silly knowledge about Tibet. Too bad.