Travel to Tibet is an experience as far removed from our
usual travel destination as can be imagined. Let me count the ways - (1) the
country has been open to westerners for less than 15 years and we are still as
much a curiosity as the other way around; (2) bizarre stories abound - my
favorite is the WWII American fliers who were almost executed because they
looked down on the Dalai Lama; (3) the very open and obvious political
infighting between Chinese and Tibetans. These are only the beginning of a total
assault on your travel senses.
The eight of us who consisted of the entire party all originated in Houston. We were met in Beijing by our charming and very dedicated guide/escort who remained with us for the duration of the trip. I will omit the description of the beginning and ending of the trip. That would be another full story. We flew into Beijing and out of Shanghai and thoroughly enjoyed both cities.
From Beijing we flew to the extreme west of China to the city of Chengdu, the jumping-off point for Tibet. It was necessary to stay a day in Chengdu (time to visit the panda preserve) and then leave for Lhasa.
Lhasa, 12,500 feet high, became our home for four of the next seven days. The Lhasa airport, for whatever reason is located at least an hour away from the city. I promise you this is not due to urban sprawl. After stopping to examine a yak, we arrived in Lhasa with the warning to go directly to bed and sleep off the effects of the air at this altitude. Those who didn’t, paid dearly for their evidence of free will.
The following morning we assembled in the hotel lobby and compared headaches. No one escaped feeling the affects of the altitude. It took about 3 days for us to get our feet under us.
The hotel was located in the heart of the Tibetan side of Lhasa. The Chinese side featured wider streets and larger shops and, in general, was far more prosperous in appearance. The Tibetan side of town was far more
interesting with its winding streets, bazaars and displaying a far more dilapidated appearance.
Approximately one block from the hotel was the central square of Lhasa. A large open area filled with the mingling masses, stalls extended for blocks in all directions. Goods for sale of all varieties were everywhere. Prayer shawls, prayer wheels, bells, incense burners competed with jewelry and the substance of flea markets around the world.
At the far end of the square is the Jokhang Monastery. What an eye opener! Perhaps somewhat unfairly, this could be called the local parish church. If the Potala Palace, the former home of the Dalai Lama, is the revered holy site of Tiber, Jokhang is where the locals go. In front of the monastery, mobs prostrated themselves on the pavement. Enormous prayer wheels
funneled the masses into and out of the monastery. Statues of gods, Buddhas and deities beyond number adorn this sacred place.
Always, there are mobs of the devout, carrying their yak butter candles and uttering prayers. And, always, we are as much the object of curiosity as the reverse. I can certainly understand the native point of view. As a group we offered blondes, red heads, bald heads and big noses. Any of the above would guarantee that we would not blend into the background.
The following day we visited the Potala Palace. 13 stories high, the Potala is divided into the religious section (containing the bulk of holy images) and the residential section holding the domestic quarters and administrative rooms. The wealth and artistry are incredible. Tons of gold and jewelry adorn images that are magnificently conceived and created.
More jarring to the senses are the vast sums of money being left at every image. In addition to the prayers and burning candles, paper money is left by the great majority of the devout. In the land of amazing poverty, piles of money are deposited at the feet of the buddhas. I saw two man teams sweep bundles of cash into garbage bags like so many leaves.
In the end, however, my impression was of the emptiness. I
never felt the sense of life. The Dalai Lama’s living quarters seemed a symbol
for the entire palace. An empty bed, waiting for ... something. His return or
perhaps his ending. The last chapter of a story, but then, what replaces it? I
was in awe of the images but also lost in the midst of a story only dimly
visible.
In the end, I guess you can only describe what can be quantified. The
dollar is amazingly strong. The population of Lhasa is guessed at 700,000, but will vary by hundreds of thousands,
depending on the season and who is counting. Internet cafes are everywhere. One hour costs 50 cents.
And, finally, the food. For the mass of restaurants, food is delivered daily strapped to the rear of bicycles. As you would suspect, the hygiene of most restaurants would not please Marvin Zindler. The restaurants that we were taken to all were subject to the approval of our tour operators. While our curiosity was to try all sorts of local food, we were tempered by the knowledge that there were a whole lot of unfamiliar germs out there.
In the end, most of the food was similar, both in variety and quality, to an above average Chinese restaurant in Houston. An occasional yak burger and mystery meat tantalized, but none of us went native.
Our three days beyond Lhasa are quickly summarized. Fascinating and
rugged the views of the Himalayas are magnificent. Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet and the highest city in the world, was a 6-8 hour bus journey from Lhasa. Well worth the journey, Shigatse should be included in any journey to Tibet. I urge anyone who is going to include
Tibet in their travel plans to include much time in the gorgeous and desolate countryside.
Trips can be arranged by West University Travel, 3622 University Blvd, Houston, TX 77005. 713-665-4767.