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Well I woke up early, early in the morning (5 am) so I could use the free internet (only one computer in the hotel) as long as I wanted.. Only to have it not work. I’m not sure why, but another thing I’ve learned about traveling in a foreign country is that computer issues are exponentially more taxing when the computer commands are in a foreign language. So, I’ll type this on the bizarre looking Word & hopefully copy paste it in later when someone else is awake in Chongqing.
The last day in Lhasa, Tibet turned out to be amazing even though my stomach + yak = me skipping the day trip to Namu Lake. Ellen, Rachel, & I went back to the Barkhor, or the marketplace surrounding the Jakhon temple. While you might think I was shopped out by now, the stores and stalls were fascinating in Tibet. Many of the things being sold were handmade, which was fun to watch & more rewarding to purchase. Most craft items were solicited as yak-anything, whether they actually were or not, which was hilarious either way. Only in Tibet will anyone try to sell you a fake ostrich wallet as real yak leather. We met an older couple from Canada who were very funny & kind, only to be literally driven away from the store with a series of brooms and bells struck in our ears. Once the two young guys realized we were merely chatting and not purchasing they got creative. There was a lot of beautiful artwork & antiques, along with handmade jewelry, etc. that was so neat to look at. It was also nice just seeing everyday people interact… the intricate hairstyles of the women were hard not to stare at; they braided in colors, jewelry, and ribbon to create works of art. The children were funny & polite, except for the one that tackled my knees while I wasn’t looking.
While it’s sad that pizza has earned such an elevated status, finding real pizza in Tibet was a high point of the trip. To my credit… the place we found it was awesome. A tiny little hut-like “Traveler’s Café” was set up bohemian hippie style and serving amazing, real, good pizza. For whatever reason it had yak-bacon on it, and more than likely yak- cheese but.. it was priceless. There was amazing artwork and really neat photographs covering the walls & many people spoke English, it was a unique experience. We attempted to take a rickshaw back to the hotel, but after two deliberate rammings of fellow rickshawers and several stops for directions we jumped out & hailed a cab. We later took a cab back into the city in search of something Fodor’s guide book recommended, only to find… nothing. So, we strolled through the park across from the Potala Palace & enjoyed interacting with the people and marveling that yes, we were in Tibet.
Our guide there, who’s name was never quite settled on, was the happiest, jolliest person I have ever met. I didn’t ever quite fall for the Santa Claus myth but if he ever existed, I think he came from Tibet. Nobu, or Norbu, punctuated every sentence with a rolling little laugh & threw phrases in with disregard to what they implied. I felt so bad for everyone who felt poorly, because Norbu’s answer was to eat yak (it’s strong), and “It doesn’t matter! (giggle giggle)”. It was never meant with malice, but really proved to be entertaining as the trip went on. He was my favorite guide yet, and when I could hear him, gave a lot of great information about what we were seeing. Once everyone had finally acclimated to the altitude, we left… (hopefully you can hear me rolling my eyes here) The flights there and back made me more than a little queasy, but the spitting around me on the flight to Chongqing was more tolerable.
Chongqing has been kind of a let down after Lhasa… apparently it’s the largest city in China but we are staying up in the middle of nowhere on the mountainside. The booking got messed up, which leaves us in a nice hotel, with nothing to do outside of it. However, the military practice range is comforting to wake up to in the morning… This city is completely different from the others we have been in, and is quite smoggy, busy, and built up development wise. At night it was really neat; the boats on the water and all the tall buildings were lit up like… Las Vegas when it first started maybe. We listened to lectures yesterday morning, will all day today, and tomorrow morning before we leave for Shanghai. Yesterday afternoon we traveled to an old, historic street (which has been turned into a tacky venue of cheap tourist goods.. how quaint), a museum for General Stillwell, and some gigantic replica of some old building that was never quite explained to us. The highlight was the television show being taped in said replica that’s purpose is unknown…. If you ever come to China please turn on the television because the shows are hilarious. I thought the telenovas on the Spanish channel were silly… but the Chinese definitely have them beat. On the English channel here I’ve seen a mix of Seinfeld, pop music, and The Shield which is a great indicator of American culture for everyone who watches it……Hmmph. On a positive note, the food in this region is very spicy. It’s nice to bite into something that isn’t so oily, and tastes yummy, but still less than appetizing to be served pig ears (no joke Dad, I took a picture) and mystery meat. We went to another hot pot last night which went as well as the last one, if you remember me woefully wondering who thought to mix boiling water and chopsticks. My dexterity levels seem to be Decreasing as the trip rolls on, and I have Chongqing to thank for the invention of hotpot…. But I really like some of the other dishes that are spicy & flavorful.
Tonight, after a full day of lectures we have an “interaction party” scheduled with students from the university here. I genuinely hope the awkward, 8th grade scene that I’m picturing is surpassed. We were promised dancing, singing, and small games; please imagine your own mental pictures of me involved in these activities with a bunch of Chinese people I’ve never met. We leave for Shanghai tomorrow afternoon, and then home on Tuesday! I’m excited to see Shanghai after all the rave reviews, but really wish we had something amazing right at the end…. Like another trip back to the Great Wall. Oh well. Look forward to another update from Shanghai, and then I’ll offer up my carefully culled set of pictures from the trip once I get home & settled into the new apartment. Please contact me if you’re interested in a private screening, full of anecdotes and captions , ha ha, and I’ll write in Shanghai! Love, Steff
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You certainly will have many memories. I think our Johnsonville guy is in Shanghi -also they sell Brats made here there. We look forward to your return and will enjoy your pix. Shanghi will be the most westernized city you will be in. Enjoy, Love dad and Mom