Lazz Lazes in Lhasa

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Arrived Lhasa from Xian on Fri 19/Oct. The flight was great, a little turbulent at times, but I do love the flying thing. The terrain we could see as we approached our destination was pretty special. Mountainous, but stark, any growth on these slopes has cammouflage colours of those grey/greens. Some distant peaks were snow capped & the odd turquoise lake was visible. Beautiful, but it looks, even from here, to be such a hard land to live in.
Lhasa airport was small compared to the ones we've seen lately, looking more like an Aussie regional stop, but the facilities have all been revamped & look new & slick. We soon had our baggage & had found the 25Y=$4 shuttle bus to the city. The first few K's of this route were gunbarrel straight as we drove the new road/bridge into the tunnel through its base - apparently, this new tunnel & bridge have reduced the distance to Lhasa from 95km to 55km. The rest of the drive followed the mountain contours & turquoise riverside into the city.
Got dropped off to the side of the Potala & I, & the luggage, got a cycle rickshaw (10Y=$1.50) to the Yak Hotel while the girls hoofed it there. We had just picked this hotel, as a starting point, from our Lonely Planet list but did end up staying here (300Y=$46 double/night) after research by Marg & Sue couldn't find better value. It was more expensive then we'd hoped to pay but accom was hard to find at this time (lots of tourists) & it did include breakfast which we reckon was worth 50Y=$8.
We came from Xian at an elevation of 1350m to Lhasa at a level of 3650m & felt the difference pretty quickly. In fact, felt quite weak & headachey for about 2 days - lucky we had factored in some down time here. Also good chance to catch up on some blogging.
Lhasa rose to prominence as an important city in the 7th century AD, when a unifying leader of Tibet, Songsten Gampo, moved his capital here. He built his palace on the site now occupied by the Potala. He also established two significant Buddhist temples at this time - the Ramoche (for his Nepali wife) & the Jokhang (for his Chinese wife). Lhasa's prominence lasted only around 250 years when the capital shifted elsewhere but resurged again when the 5th Dalai Lama defeated the ruling forces at that time (mid 16th century) & shifted the capital back. He built his palace, the Potala, on the site of the ruins of Songsten Gampo's palace.
Contemporary Lhasa has suffered much with the Chinese takeover of 1959 & the subsequent Chinese 'modernisation'. It went from a small town of maybe 30,000 at that time, to todays population of 250,000, with Chinese residents greatly outnumbering Tibetans. Lhasa's Tibetan quarter is now an isolated area in the eastern end of town, while the western end, the Chinese section, has more of the upmarket accom, shops & commerce.
Coming into Lhasa, you first note all the construction, the beautiful road you are travelling on, then you finally spy the awe-inspiring Potala Palace, perched high above much of Lhasa (especially the eastern end). You then notice the square opposite, which houses a 35m high monument to the Chinese 'Liberation' of Tibet (you may also note the constant guard on this monument as well).
When you go out walking you see very many Tibetan pilgrims, in town to take part in the various koras (pilgrimage circuits): the Nangkor, Barkor, Lingkor & Potala, & maybe even others associated with various monasteries. They are devout Buddhists who perform these koras as a part of their lives; a means of gathering merit. They are from different parts of Tibet but still have a distinctive look - heavy, colourful clothes, dark-haired, hair plaited & braided with beads &/or tassles. Travelling in family groups, many with a prayer-wheel in constant motion. At the various koras you'll see many prostrating themselves, some doing this repeatedly on the spot, & others every 3 paces until they have circumambulated the route.
We visited the Potala on Mon 22/Oct, but had to pre-book a ticket the day before & be allocated a specific time for entry, 12.40pm & 100Y=$15 each. Admission is free to pilgrims of Mon, Wed & Fri so we had the great honour of seeing family groups of pilgrims working their way around this amazing rabbit-warren of a place. There were countless icons, shrines, chapels, rooms of worship, to visit, all very full with so many deities, helper gods, scripture boxes etc, etc. We would see & hear these Tibetan pilgrims chant & bow (touching their heads to the icon/wall), maybe leave some money behind, maybe add yak butter to the candle burners, maybe throw a white scarf onto an altar or icon or maybe all of the above. They are a very religious people & in a way that is difficult, as a westerner, to fully comprehend. A better understanding of Buddhism would allow you some access to knowing these people - Buddhism being such an intrinsic part of their being. They seem such a happy, friendly, smiling people. Traditionally there have been at least three distinct segments of Tibetan society: the nomads (drokpa), the farmers of the Tibetan valleys (rongpa) & the community of monks & nuns (sangha). They have different lives but all are deeply Buddhist and will do these pilgrimages as a matter of course. The vast majority of Tibetans live outside Lhasa.
The Potala kora is around the Potala and is circumambulated, like all kora, in a clockwise direction. Much of this circuit has a series of larger prayer-wheels attached to the perimeter walls for the pilgrim to walk past & spin. Occassionally, pilgrims will light yak butter candles above some of these wheels. There are quite a few monks amongst the pilgrims, too, maybe not that surprising as it is good karma for a son of each family to become a monk. The Tibetans are mostly traditionally dressed but you do see more modern additions, especially with things like 'bucket' hats & footwear. You'll even see, occassionally, a puffy jacket over the top of the traditional wear.
We visited the Jokhang on Wed 24/Oct (70Y=$10 each) & were amazed by the great throng of bodies wending their ways in & out of the various rooms much like an ant colony with bodies hugging the left hand wall around every corner. Again, all pilgrims, and engaged in chants, blessings, donations of money, white scarves & yak butter with people out the front repeatedly prostrating themselves.
Marg & I also visited The Norbulingka on Tues 23/Oct (60Y=$9 entry), the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas in the western part of town. We walked the distance, maybe 8km, to get a better look at the city layout. This complex was first built in 1755 as a palace & retreat; the procession of the Dalai Lama & his entourage from the Potala to here was quite a highlight for the locals. It was from here, that the current, 14th Dalai Lama made his escape from the Chinese authorities in 1959, dressed as a Tibetan soldier. He has been in exile ever since.
Our accom at the Yak Hotel has included breakfast, which is taken at the rooftop dining room, & has featured western style fare like eggs, bacon, toast, jam etc. One morning we observed a construction team of roof stompers in action. On the roof of the building opposite were two teams of about 15 persons, each with a long-handled ramming tool. As they chanted, in unison, they would take a step or two & pound down on the earth surface material, with the next verse of their chant, the other team would do likewise. This action & song continued all day & was a most pleasant thing to watch & listen to.
Another interesting phenomenon we've seen here, but not exclusive to Lhasa, is the gathering of staff at larger businesses outside in a military style parade. Standing in well-defined rank & file, & in well presented uniform, the contingent is moved through some routine manouvres & subjected to some house mantras & information to ensure they have a good attitude & good working day. This is perhaps something De La might like to try - I can just imagine the staff lined up outside the Tiverton main office!
Eating has been good, & we've almost been weaned off chopsticks here - I'd got to the point where I brushed my teeth using chopsticks to hold my toothbrush! We've had our western brekky each morn but enjoyed the momos (dumplings steamed or fried filled with veg, meat or cheese); yak burgers or yak pepper steak; bobis - pancakes smeared with cream cheese & rolled with some meat/veg filling - these were great. Marg & Sue also made sure I had a cake to mark my birthday. It's been a great, relaxing time here. Many more westerners then we've seen & very few of the language problems.

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Photos

Lhasa views
En route from the airport to Lhasa

Marg outside the Potala
We walked passed this palace dozens of times - each time feeling a special awe.

Potala kora
Prayer wheels that line the Potala kora (pilgrim circuit)

Pilgrim Friends
Working our way up to the Potala Palace Sue had time to befriend some of the pilgrims.

Daily Staff Warm-Up
This contingent are the staff of a large department store, yet, they can goose-step with the best.

Potala sidewalk
Here pilgrims can be seen prostrating themselves at the front of the Potala Palace.

Happy 50th Lazz
The girls managed to get me a cake in honour of my birthday - how's the tomato decoration amid the cream?

Birthday evening
Went out for dinner this night.

Entering the Potala
No photos were allowed inside the palace. (Marg's photo)

Roof Stomping Party
Opposite the Yak was this construction team involved in a chant & stomp fest to prepare the new roof surface. (Marg's photo)

Potala Palace
A fine shot from Marg

Lhasa Beer
Local culture just has to be imbibed.

Lazz at the Northa lika
Marg & I checked out the summer palace. (Marg's photo)

Outside the Jokhang
Smoke from the stupas & prayer flags wrapped around the pole. (Marg's photo)

Tibetan Pilgrim
Typical sort of wear for the Tibetan women. (Marg's photo)

Norbulingka
This is the Summer Palace of the Dalai Lamas & only a few K's from the Potala. (It was from here that the current Dalai Lama escaped, disguised as a soldier, in 1959)

From our hotel rooftop.
Splendid weather here!

Comments

[tine - johan]

nice travelblog you have
Hey Larry - and Margaret, we were just taking a look at your blogspot. So nice, and pleasant to read! Many greetings, also to Sue. tine -johan (from the bus)