PLAN, last update 2012/05/01

Hi,

Not so much travel so not so much to post here since I have started my working life... But keep posted... Things can always change ;)

In the meantime, I wish the blog might still help you traveling. I will still be available for any question!

Cheers,
Simon


Tuesday, October 20, 2009

***TIBET***

Hi guys,

Here are my favorite pictures from Tibet... A wonderful trip (with a group... but wonderful!)...

We started on Tuesday 13 from Kathmandu, drove by bus to the Chinese border. After completing the numerous check points offered by the Chinese army, we could make our first steps in Tibet.
At the border, we boarded on 4*4, our new vehicle for the rest of the trip. We are now on the Friendship highway which will take us to Lhasa.We got some lunch and drove to Nyalam, the first city on the high plateau. The coldness seized us. We slept in this ghost city and took the road in the morning...



Nyalam...


Along the Friendship Highway...










After few hours driving, we got to the first pass, the Tong La Pass, 4950m. I think the pictures are expressive enough. You might not feel the cold air blowing in your back, but at least you can get some overview of how it looks like! ;)







This first was just one of the greatest for me... Huge landscapes, mountains, snow, blue sky... Everything was perfect! The next stop on the road brought a long picture session... The Mount Everest was showing up...

Mount Everest (8848m) on the left side...Cho Oyu (8201m) in the middle...


Friendship highway...




After an other check point on the road, we soon get to the second pass of the day: the Gyatso La, 5200m.



We arrived in Lathse in the early afternoon. We got some Chinese food, wandered in the small city where there is nothing interesting to see. We grabbed some Lhasa Beer and spent some times outside, having fun with some locals.





Collective toilets...


On Thursday morning, we took the road for few hours to get to Shigatse. We crossed the Yulung Pass (more than 4500m)...





Shigatse, second biggest city in Tibet, is famous for its famous monastery complex of Tashi Lhunpo, see of the Panchen Lama, one of the reincarnation of Buddha. The complexe is now inhabited by 4 to 6 hundreds monks whereas there used to be 6 thousands of them living there. The atmosphere is hence less impressive than it should be...

Tashi Lhunpo is one of the four "Yellow sect" monasteries of Tibetan Buddhist, was founded by Gedun Drupa (the first Dalai-Lama) in 1447. There is the highest siting Buddhain the world, made of gold and copper alloy. It also host many sacred cultural relics.


















After the visit, we went walking around to get a better view of the complex. A path surrounds the site. People take it as a pilgrimage and spin wheels all along the way...






Shigatse...




The next day, the aim was to get Gyantse. On the way, we stopped at a water-power mill.Here they are making flour from Tsampa, the primary product of the Tibetan plateau. Tibetan people eat it by mixing it with hot butter tea, or by eating it like porridge...



Water-power mill...


A solar cooker...

We got to Gyantse for lunch... After a yak cheese burger, we went visiting the Baiju temple.


The Gyantse pachu monastery was erected in 1418.


The stupa is one of the eight Buddhist stupas known as tashe multi-door stupa and stood at 32.4m height. It has 108 cells containing several mural paintings and holy images amounting to 100.000.

The stupa...






Then, we once again went wandering around, taking a lot of pictures, enjoying the nice weather and the nice views...










Baiju Temple...





Back to the hotel, we had couple of beers till late in the night. We woke on time to get the last ride to Lhasa. An awesome trip of 6 hours to the Capital city...







The Kharola Glacier (5560m)...





After lunch, we drove along the Yamdrok Lake. Sceneries were just gorgeous...














We got them to the last pass on the way to Lhasa, the Khampa La.



On the other side, we could discover the Brahmaputra one of the major rivers in Asia.




Brahmaputra...


We eventually got to Lhasa in the afternoon. As we heard about it before leaving, Lhasa is not anymore the old traditional city that made its reputation. All the surroundings are busy with new buildings, new shopping malls, news offices... Nevertheless, we could see that the old part, around Jokhang temple is well preserved and that the new buildings keep having the traditional decoration.

We started our first day of visit in the Capital by going to the Jokhang temple. An impressive place in the middle of the old city where people come to pray. The flow of crowd turn around the complex in a clockwise walk in the pedestrian streets.

The construction of the temple started in 647 A.D. during the time of the Tubo King Strontsan Gampo. The Temple faces west and spreads over 25100 m2.








From the second floor of the temple, the view is great over the city. We can appreciate the Potala, standing close to there. We can also see the horde of soldiers and policemen patroling all around the city, standing on roof tops and on every street corner... I didn't feel so much the Chinese oppression during the first days but here in Lhasa, the atmosphere is kind of heavy. It makes a strange mix between the pilgrims and the occupants...




We went around after the visit, enjoying the special atmosphere of the city...



Yak butter...









In the afternoon, we rode a bus to go to the Sera Monastery. This one was founded by Jamchen Choje Shakya Yesh who was a disciple of Tsongkhapa in 1419. Sera Monastery has an Assembly hall, three colleges and thirty three houses and covers an area of 114964 m2. It is the second biggest monastery of Tibet.






After a crazy night in a Karaoke bar and in a club, we woke for the last day of visit in Tibet.

The Potala Palace was our last sight (there was another last monastery but I didn't go there). This is probably the most site in Tibet, I would also say the most massive. When you are around it, you can't focus on anything else than its beauty...

It was built at the time of Songtsan Gampo during the 7th century. In the 17th century, the Dalai-Lama extended the palace to its present size. It also became the Dalai-Lama's residing place. There are two different sections, the Red and the White palace. The building is 115 m high with 13 stories including living quarters, temples, funerals, stupas and monk dormitories. The countless cultural relics in the palace are images, statues...of incredible value.

Unfortunately, the Potala is not use anymore as it was and the best impression I had from it was from outside. There are still some treasures inside but we just visit a small part of the complex. The Chinese presence has pulled out the holy atmosphere that was there few decades ago...












We had in the evening a very nice night picture session...



Here are some pictures snapped in small local market...




Yak meat...




The last evening, I went for a last picture session in front of Jokhang Temple...





That is it for the trip in Tibet. This was a very beautiful and interesting trip. I would love to go there again on my own and be free to go around as I wish. The Tibet land is a paradise for huge scenery lovers.

The way back to Kathmandu was just one of my best flights ever... Gorgeous views of the Himalaya and the Everest... Just Enjoy...!




Mount Everest, the highest on the pic...









2 comments:

Anonymous said...

ohw how sad.. that the indi's ripped you..

love your pic's..

missin' the nepali vibe..

i want to come back soon..

boa viagem

M-Laure said...

superbe les photos... vraiment sympa ton big travel ;)

A bientôt ! A LBN