Kathmandu to Lhasa

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It ended up being a late start because the meeting time was changed by Karma at breakfast, after half the group had already eaten & left the restaurant. We waited in the bus for over an hour & when nobody else showed, headed off to Drepung monastery, located in the mountain foothills about ten kilometers from Lhasa. The best thing about this monastery was the talk that Karma gave us about his religious beliefs & views on the current situation in Tibet; otherwise it was just another monastery. On the return journey to the hotel, Monika & I got off early with another couple from Austria & went to a very local Chinese restaurant. The menu board was in Chinese & we were the only westerners there, but somehow we managed to order four red curry like noodle dishes that were great. It was a quick lunch though, as we were supposed to meet back at the hotel to head out on the bus for the afternoon.

Once again the bus was delayed in getting away, but we finally headed off to visit Sera Monastery & see the Monks debating. Upon arriving, we could hear the Monks from down the street; they were making such a rabble. We went into a courtyard where they were assembled into groups from two up to five or six & were having animated discussions. I had no idea what the subject matter was as I don't speak Tibetan, but I sat transfixed for ages, just watching them all, it was fascinating. I'd never seen Monks so lively before, as they are usually chanting or meditating & this must be the one time each day they get to let loose.

Back in Lhasa a bunch of us headed back to the groovy coffee shop for a recharge & afterwards snuck back into the Jokhang Temple to see the Monks chanting. Karma told us our tickets were valid the whole day of purchase, but were refused entry when we attempted to go back on Thursday evening. No such problems today, as we arrived super early & lined up with the pilgrims before realizing we could go straight in for viewing time.

After losing the rest of the group outside the Temple, Monika & I shopped for a while, then wandered off to find somewhere for dinner. We ended up eating at the Snowlands Hotel restaurant because we'd heard the desserts were to die for. The combination of a late lunch & afternoon hot chocolate meant I wasn't really hungry & so opted for a soup. Monika was in the same boat, but we did start with beer & ended up substituting our dessert for more beer after dinner. A couple of Swiss guys from our tour joined us & we carried on for a bit to celebrate the conclusion of our Tibet trip, before stumbling back to the hotel at what was still a fairly decent hour.

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Photos

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Rock paintings at Drepung Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

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Drepung Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

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Drepung Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

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Drepung Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

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Monks debating at Sera Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

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Monks debating at Sera Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

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Monks debating at Sera Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

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Monks debating at Sera Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

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Monks debating at Sera Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

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Touristazzi watching Monk debating at Sera Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

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Monks debating at Sera Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

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Monks debating at Sera Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

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Sunset from Barkhor, Lhasa, Tibet

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Women cleaning shoes, Lhasa, Tibet