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2008/2009 Nepal & India

Day 44: Gyantse, Tibet > Lhasa, Tibet

12 January 2009

It was still freezing this morning -4c in the hotel lobby.

We headed out to Gyantse towards our ultimate destination Lhasa.  We stopped at Mt Myugying Kangsang (7191m) and its adjoining glacier (Jojin – Kangtsang) crossing Kara La (4960m) and having lunch in Nangartse before continuing around the outside of Yamdrok Tso one of Tibet’s most sacred lakes and now one of Tibet’s largest hydro power plants – don’t really think they go hand in hand somehow.

Yup, it's cold here!  High too!
Yup, it
These lakes are sacred and if it weren't for the ice, perfect for sailing!
These lakes are sacred and if it weren

We approached Lhasa entering the city from the Chinese side which is all large gleaming buildings, but not many people.  Lhasa is big with huge highways and a lot more traffic than we have seen  so far on the trip.  We turned into old Lhasa and arrived at the Yak Hotel which is located just near the Barkhor area.   The hotel is very swish with all mod cons such as hot water – what a luxury.

We headed immediately out of the hotel to find a bank, but it appeared to be closed, so we followed the old town walking tour in the Lonely Planet to get our bearings.  The weather doesn’t seem so cold here, I even ventured out without my down jacket.  We walked through a continual stream of little shops that only had a pool table, but they were obviously popular.  The Muslim quarter was busy but non Muslims aren’t allowed into the mosque so we continued on finally getting caught up with the flow of pilgrims from all over Tibet all doing the Barkhor Circuit.  It was fascinating seeing everyone praying etc whilst they were also buying things from the continual circuit of shops selling everything you can imagine – prayer flags, yak meat, cheese!

Outside the Jokhang there were hundreds of pilgrims prostrating themselves.  We did another 1/2 a kora to find out street, going back to the hotel for a very very hot shower and even some clean clothes.  We wandered around for a restaurant, settling on a place near the hotel, where the food was nice and a change from noodle soup.  We retired happy, fed and clean back to our fancy hotel.

A beggar woman on the Lhasa street outside the restaurant.
A beggar woman on the Lhasa street outside the restaurant.

Lhasa is much bigger than we both expected and there is also a large military presence everywhere, particularly in this older part of town.  I think the chinese have realised they can’t stamp out Buddhism so have started restoring some of the monasteries destroyed during the cultural revolution as it is also a major tourism drawcard – who would come to Lhasa if they couldn’t see any of the history.