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Tibet.
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July/August 1998 - Fly from Nepal, Lhasa (Potala, Jokhang Temple, Drepung and Ganden Monasteries), Yam Drok Tso Lake, Gyantse, Shigatse (Tashilhunpo Monastery), Shegar, Hot Springs, Obscured View of Everest, Zhang Mu, walked across border back into Nepal. See 'A True Story' and 'Tibet - Frequently Asked Questions' for more information, 'Lhasa Photos' for a photographic tour of Lhasa and 'Tibet Pictures' for more photos of Tibet. It is strongly advised that you also read the section on 'Altitude Sickness'. Also have a look at these 'Mystery Pictures'.
Strange Happenings: Stayed in run down hotel in Zhang Mu (see 'Photos'), last night in Tibet. Told to stay clear of Dirty Rooms, where it appears prostitutes were plying their trade. Note to Chinese government; if you're going to stay in Tibet, clean up Zhang Mu!
Sight of Yaks starts argument over circumcision - reminds me of a certain "Wedding" (See Uzbekistan).
Shared a room with a lad in Lhasa who started conversation in the middle of the night about women. He proceeded to ask me what I thought of the women we were travelling with before delivering the coup de gras - 'he didn't go out with women'. Now I've met some brilliant people who just happen to be gay and I truly believe in each to their own. But having a pass made at me in the middle of the night was a surprise I was not expecting. I diplomatically talked my way out if it by pretending I didn't understand and continuing to talk about the girls. Two days later, he requested a new room mate (I had cold and he decided to share with someone else because of this).
Travel Advice and Information: Do not be discouraged from travelling to Tibet, because of the situation there. Even the Dalai Lama has said that contact with tourists is a useful way for ordinary people to keep in contact with the outside world (... alongside the Internet). A visit to Tibet is still a trip of a life time and it is still possible to see bits of Tibet as it was, with many Buddhist monasteries now restored, especially in and around Lhasa. Fairly safe, though at night time it is better not to travel alone. Avoid talking politics in public.
Don't ask Chinese settlers for directions, they sometimes have difficulty in answering (250 metres from the Jokhang temple and they didn't know where it was). When using taxis, look for tied bit of cloth around rear view mirror (for luck), as the driver will be Tibetan. Haggling possible, look for 60% of first price.
In Shigatse (Xigaze), beware of the red light district in the town centre. Also the monastery in Shigatse has a resident population of dogs, which people believe to be reincarnated monks. During the day, these animals are relatively docile, but tend to be more active in the early morning. They have been known to turn on people, so do not be tempted to pet them and give them a wide berth - rabies is present in Tibet. If going overland from Lhasa to Nepal, before crossing the border, it is advised that the traveller stays overnight in Nyalam, 20 km from border. Zhang Mu at the border is not the healthiest place on earth to stay. If you have to stay in Zhang Mu, avoid Hotel Gyan Tsen (not sure that spelling is correct), as half the rooms are used as a brothel. If unavoidable, use the 'clean rooms'.
Sending a quick e-mail is possible from the Barkhor Café (opposite the Jokhang Temple, on the corner of Jokhang Square), which has a small number of computer terminals.
For more information, see 'Tibet - Frequently Asked Questions', which gives passport, visa and permit information required for Tibet. It also gives information on how to get to Tibet, as well as attempting to answer other questions that prospective travellers have come up with on the Internet (why go given the situation there, where to go and what to do).
Altitude Sickness: Altitude sickness cannot be ignored when making a trip to Tibet and with Lhasa at an altitude of 3,660 m and most places in Tibet higher (many of the passes are 5,000 m or 17,500 ft plus), taking account of altitude is of crucial importance for a healthy and comfortable trip. I have placed a sizeable section on altitude sickness on my 'Tibet Frequently Asked Questions' page.
Weather: Relatively cool winters (Lhasa daytime temperatures between 5 and 10°C) and warm summers (Lhasa, lower to mid-twenties) in the valleys of Tibet. Shigatse (Xigaze) is normally a couple of degrees cooler than Lhasa. The high altitude and thinness of the air means the daytime heat is lost quickly and night time temperatures can fall well below freezing at any time of year. The higher plateaus tend to be a lot colder and can be extremely cold (well below freezing) for up to six months or more during the winter.
Above 4,500 metres, precipitation always falls as snow, but melts very readily during the summer. The main rains come during the mid to late summer, when the Monsoon makes it across the Himalayas, leading to sharp, heavy rain storms. Hail, sleet and even snow are possible, even at the height of summer, though the latter tend to be very short lived. More prolonged snow is possible during the winter, though in Lhasa and the valleys of eastern Tibet, this melts readily during the daytime. At higher altitudes, the passes can become blocked with snow any time between early November and early April, hence making the summer the best time to visit.
Travel Companies: Basically, not many. The most reasonably priced companies are on my 'Links Page'. Prices are pretty steep, which can't be avoided.
Currency: Chinese 'Yuan'. You can only official change to Yuan in Lhasa itself. Changing back to other currencies is only possible on the black market outside Tibet. In Zhang Mu, it is possible to change at a good rate to Nepalese Rupees before crossing the Tibet - Nepalese border.
Beer, Beverages and Food: The Chinese Tsing Tao beer is readily available, but for local stuff try Chang, which is Tibetan barley beer. Please remember, however, that alcohol consumption is not the best idea for the first few days on arrival in Tibet, due to the aforementioned 'Altitude Sickness'.
As for none alcoholic stuff, tea here is called 'Jah'. Also look out for Tibetan butter tea, which is made from Yak's milk, often with roasted barley flour or 'Tsampa' added, Tsampa being the staple diet of Tibet.
Whilst I'm here, I may as well mention that Yak's butter is also used for the candles seen burning in the temples and monasteries all over Tibet, this producing the strong smell noticeable on entering. Also, the barley produced in the area of Shigatse and Gyantse is said to be that from which all the world's other varieties of barley are derived. Tibetan herders are also known for a yoghurt made from the thick creamy milk of the Yak cows (the Yaks themselves being the bulls).
In the towns, Chinese food and restaurants are now much more common, though the Moslems of Lhasa do have some 'Halal' restaurants. Historically, the Tibetans used the Moslems (descended from Kazakhs) to butcher animals for them, on order to get supplies of fresh meat. The Tibetans did not do it themsleves, due to the Buddhist belief in not harming any living thing - a kind of a work around if you like.
I can also tell you that the Snowlands Restaurant, just off the Jokhang Square does some very nice pizza.
Language: Tibetan, but the Han Chinese immigrants do not tend to speak the language. Similarly, the Tibetans tend not to speak Chinese. A very few educated people can speak a little English. The keenness of the monks to speak to foreigners, normally in English, but also less commonly in French or German, is a point worth remembering.
Religion: Lama Buddhism, headed by the exiled Dalai Lama - see 'Background' for more information. Some Tibetans follow the older animist Bön religion. There is a resident grouping of Sunni Moslems in Lhasa, Islam arriving in Lhasa during the reign of the Fifth Dalai Lama in the 17th Century, when Tibet's influence was temporarily extended over Ladakh, now part of Indian Kashmir. Many work as butchers, based around the main Mosque, to the south east of the Barkhor and a smaller mosque, near the Ani Sangkhung Nunnery. The balance has been upset by the influx of Chinese (Confucianism and Taoism) and Hui Moslems.
Photos - Click on Place Name.
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| · Nepal | · Lhasa Photos |
| · Altitude Sickness | · Tibet Pictures |
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Also take a look at these 'Mystery Pictures'.
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Potala Palace, Lhasa
...why is this place not among the wonders of the world. The long climb up was well worth it. This photo, taken from the top of the Jokhang Temple, shows just how big it is. For a close up view, see my 'Lhasa Photos'. |
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Jokhang Temple, Lhasa. The smoke is from giant incense burners. Most noticeable was the devoutness of the many Tibetans prostrating themselves before it. Even at midnight! By the way, the tassels and braiding on the upper left hand part of the building are a left over of when the Mongols invaded. |
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Yam Drok Tso Lake This was on the back road to Gyantse and Shigatse, not far outside Lhasa. The photo doesn't do it justice, but it is supposed to be known for it's brilliant blue colour. After coming down the side of the mountains out of the fog, it was certainly a breath taking site. |
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| Karo La Pass and
Glacier
Here we see Beef Sandwich (on top of the stones) looking at the glacier at Karo La Pass between Yam Drok Tso Lake and Gyantse. The tip of the glacier is shown in the top photo. The tent in the background is typical of that used by Tibetan nomads and the family who owned this one were supporters of the Chicago Bulls. Pardon me for being ignorant, but who are the Chicago Bulls? (See the main 'Beef Sandwich' website - 'Fiends of' section in 'Other Links' - for more info. on the Beef Sandwich or 'Beefy' as he's known here.) |
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| Kumbum Stupa and
Gyantse Dzong (Fortress), Gyantse
Gyantse used to be a focal point for the Yak caravan routes, carrying wool and other goods to Nepal and China. The main trading partner became India after the British Younghusband expidition to force a trade agreement on Tibet in 1904. Gyantse became a bit of a backwater after the Chinese takeover, with Lhasa becoming increasingly important under Chinese rule. The Kumbum Stupa is an example of 15th Century Newari art, as Newars were brought in from the Kathmandu area in Nepal to do artwork on temples for the Tibetans. The Stupa and the adjoining Palkhor Chöde monastery (at least a good bit of it) were among only a few buildings to survive the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The dzong, already damaged by the British in 1904, was left in ruins after the Cultural Revolution, but has since been restored. A large number of Buddhist manuscripts also survived and are still held at the monastery. (Just as enlightening as the manuscripts are the toilets here (ugh).) |
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| Tashilhunpo Monastery, Shigatse
Beware of the dogs here, which people believe to be reincarnated monks (See 'Advice'). They have been known to bite. |
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Everest.
Yes, I know this is the same picture as in the Nepal section, but because of clouds around Everest (Qomolungma or "goddess-mother" in Tibetan, Sagarmatha or "forehead of the sky" in Nepali), I couldn't get a picture of it from my vantage point on the main road from Lhasa to Kathamndu. The 'Q' in Qomolungma is pronounced 'Ch', by the way. |
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| Milarepa's Cave
(and the accompanying village of 'Zhonggang')
Milarepa was a Tibetan poet who spent several years in a cave in this village. The entrance is now inside a small monastery (top photo), which escaped the ravages of the Cultural Revolution, because the river nearby was in flood, not allowing the Red Guard to cross. The cave is situated near the Nepalese border, close to a place called Nyalam. The village is typical of many Tibetan villages, the houses built of stone, with prayer flags flying from the rooftops. |
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| Hotel
(?), Zhang Mu
Because of the Hotel (or otherwise, see 'Strange Happenings') above, we were more than glad to cross the border bridge shown below. If this is an example of free enterprise, Tibet can do without. We walked most of the way to the border due to a truck running into and somehow getting stuck on top of a rock, coming up the other way. |
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| Tibet - Nepal Border, Zhang Mu |
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