Lhasa

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Wow, we are here and it is awesome!! We are sitting at an internet cafe at the YAK hotel. Its high speed connection and as we wade our way through the Chinese Microsoft version, trying to remember which row some of our responses are on, it is a bit hit or miss!!

We are on our 4th day here and appear to have adjusted to the altitude (13,000+). We leave on Sunday (Oct 2) for a 9 day trip, 4 days trekking to Everest Base Camp with a Spanish couple. So, we will be back on line @ Oct 12th.

We have spent the past days just roaming the streets. There are lots of pilgrims with their prayer wheels in their traditional dress. So far we haven't taken too many photos, but we will once we get comfortable. Spent 1 day touring the Potala Monastery. It was fascinating with all the walls gorgeously painted some from the 7th century. So many winding hallways with small chapels filled with Buddhas, paintings and previous Dalai Lama's tombs. But you are aware of the emptiness of the corridors with only the occassional monk studing in the chapels, and of course the tourists tromping about. It was fascinating and looking up from the outside, very very hard to believe we are here.

The streets are narrow with lots of street venders selling everything from vegetables to mechanical things to blenders (even saw one pilgrim buy one) to Tibetan prayer wheels, horns and flags. It is all very colorful.

What is most enjoyable is the friendliness of the Tibetans. You are constantly greeted with the most beautiful smiles. On the first day we were just walking and stumbled on a small room with a huge prayer wheel, at least 12' tall and 6' in diameter. As we stood there watching one of the monks motioned for us to join in. So I did or at least tried to. The older female pilgrim opened a space for me but the slippery floor and the speed they were walking and spinning the wheel was amazing. After about 5 turns I was starting to feel dizzy and definitely felt like I was holding them up. But the beautiful smiles were among the 10-12 people spinning the wheel as we left.

The weather has been great, beautiful blue skies since we arrived with day time temps @ 65 degrees nights @ 40.

Well I want to add some photos. I imagine I will have tons to write when we get back from EBC as they say here.

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Photos

Potala
Still so hard to believe we are here!

Street scene along Barkhor Square
Just amazing with all the activity

Street scene along Barkhor Square
Venders selling Prayer flags along right side

Women Pilgrims
Resting and accepting alms

Tibetan door
One of many beautiful painted and decorated doors in the Tibetan side of Lhasa. I could do a calendar of just doors and windows!