Soggy Moose Travels : A DAY IN LHASA

DAY ONE HERE IN LHASA

I am remiss in not telling you about our amazing trip leaders. First is Yam, he is a resident of Kathmandu and has been leading these trips for many years. He is always arranging and navigating our experience so we can experience this journey to the fullest. Next is Peter from New Zealand, who has led several trips and expeditions to this area. His experience in these great mountains is amazing and his willingness to share is great.

The Nat Geo itinerary is well thought out so as to help people adjust to the altitude. Hence we are spending four nights here in Lhasa at 12,000 feet before we journey higher, following the old mountaineer adage of work high sleep low and go slow and but steady.

We are staying at the Four Seasons Lhasa and I am finding this hotel rather nice. Our dinner last night was more than adequate. I enjoyed a yak steak and chicken sate, shrimp, rice and veggies. Desert was a nice assortment of cakes and other delights. I stuck with the ice cream as I enjoyed the strawberry, green tea and my favorite, the mango.

I am not noticing the altitude as of yet but am finding myself very ready for bed at 2100. Still awaking early.

While here in Lhasa, we are traveling by bus, and then, when we leave Lhasa we will be divided into smaller vehicles. This makes me think the roads will be different from what we have experienced thus far.

After breakfast we gathered in the lobby and were soon on the bus to the Drepung Monastery (literally “Rice Heap” monastery). Located at the foot of Mount Gephel, it is one of the "great three" Gelugpa university monasteries of Tibet. The other two are Ganden and Sera.

Sadly photography is currently not allowed, we learned it was because a person complained about having to pay to take photos.

Drepung is the largest of all Tibetan monasteries and is located on the Gambo Utse mountain, five kilometers from the western suburb of Lhasa.

Here we explored many areas of this monastery, as it used to house 10,000 monks. We visited the Main Assembly Hall where all the monks would meet to chant. This was also the residence of the Dalai Lamas. We were able to visit his residence which contained a meeting room, a bedroom and a study room. We then visited the kitchen where meals and tea are prepared for the 10,000. It also is in these monasteries where the hand written teachings used for study are stored. Here we learned of the volumes and volumes which must be memorized by a person aspiring to be a monk.

I was very impressed with the ornate decor and paintings and statutes of Buddha. As I learn more about Buddhism it is my assessment it is complexly simple.

Here we walked up and down many steps in and out of what seemed like endless alleyways.

Next we went to the Lhasa Steak House for lunch. We were served family style. The menu consisted of chicken curry, yak and potatoes, a yak dim sum THIS WAS THE BEST!!!, veggie pizza, rice, and a tomato soup with naan bred. All was great.

After lunch we had time before the monks debate at the Sera Monastery started so we went to the Barkhor Street Market.

Located in the old area of Lhasa, Barkhor Street is a very ancient round street surrounding the Jokhang Temple (we will visit there tomorrow) and the locals are always proud of this market place. To sum up, Barkhor Street is a place full of religious atmosphere and a world of exotic articles and some not so exotic. For me this market is a great reflection of the daily life of the people of Lhasa. It is here you find you daily needs of cheese and meat and spices and yak butter and toilet paper. Here one can obtain cooking ware, clothes, dentures, and clothing all sold by small shop owners. We learned the small businesses in these markets i.e Mom and Pop operations, do not have to pay taxes on their business, yet if a large supermarket or box store were to be built they would be taxed. This is a great advantage and a very sensible way of helping the little guy make a living.

From the market we went to the Sera Monastery to watch the monks debate. These are practice debates for their testing to ascend in their ranking.

Here the lively “debates” take place with one monk sitting and the other standing as if a teacher. The standing monk will slap his hands and will ask a question in a most vigorous manner. The sitting monk answers and so it goes. I thought this would have been conducted one at a time, but this is not the case. The court yard is filled with maybe a 100 monks actively “debating” at the same time.

Sadly recently no cameras are allowed. This would have been a great photo op. Even our local guide learned of this when we arrived.

Soon we will be meeting for our daily briefing and then to dinner and bed.

Tomorrow will be a visit to Potala Palace, another visit to the Barkhor Street Market and then the Jokhang Temple.