Blog Morning Walk

Morning walks are rare for two reasons, 1) since Lhasa is on Beijing time getting up early means getting up really early (8am is really 5am according to the earth), and 2) sometimes you need a pass to get off campus and that means someone at the desk has to be up or you have to get a pass the night before. On this particular morning I was inspired to get out early because I needed to pick up some fresh veggies and local milk for cheese making. Actually one of the only organic veggie sellers is only out in the mornings. So the early bird really does get the worms or in this case tomatoes.

After a little waiting around and entertaining my chances at successfully counterfeiting a pass for the morning, someone finally woke up and I got a legit pass. At the market I ended up getting fresh milk (4.5 liters of it), tomatoes, some yogurt, and bok choi. I don't think I've ever bought so much milk before, here or maybe anywhere to come to think of it. But the crazy thing was I was still a cup short for my mozzarella cheese recipe. Do you know how much cheese you get from 4.5 liters or a cup short of a gallon of milk? Like 10 ounces. Anyway as this was my second attempt at making the cheese, this time using the correct amount of milk (or close to it), I was happy because I was fairly successful as well as very excited about it. Thus, I showed off my cheese to many a hall mate (sounds a little strange I know).

But milk and veggies weren't the only things I took away from my morning walk around the Barkhor. Among thoughts of missing my friend's graduation in New York City, I began to notice things that could easily be missed during the hussle and bussle of the afternoon or evening. Besides the mostly Chinese tourists taking inappropriately invasive photos of pilgrims praying in front of the Jokhang temple, I began to notice the uniformity of butter tea tables set up next to the line to get into the Jokhang. The butter tea women wore the same blue aprons and each table had an out of sequence number spray painted on it with two or three mismatched pitchers placed on top. They were all there because this morning happened to be the 30th of the Tibetan calendar which meant a special holy day where traditionally Tibetans won't eat meat and will pay their respects to their main monasteries in the city.

As I continued on the circular route, I began to think how Lhasa would be changing in the next few weeks as more and more tourists arrived for the start of tourist season. Would there be more restaurants and shops open now? New ones I've never seen open or been to before?Already there has been an influx of different foods and plants since the end of Losar, like mangos, strawberries, pineapples and flowering plants. Even fashion seems to be changing here as the new spring styles are arriving. I can't help but notice all the cool/ funny trucker hats that are very popular with the youth here. Each hat having it's own slogan or design both foreign to me and sometimes non sensicle. My favorites that I've seen have been "Sex is not a crime," a hat that has a C O 2 on it but the C is crossed out, and one that says "Nursil" (??). One hat that isn't funny but just cool is one that just has a "T" on it. The "T" stands for Tibet and comes in seven different colors, purple, light blue, dark grey/ faded blue (can't tell), red, maroon, light green, and black. I secretly or not so secretly want one of each, except purple. Like the trucker hats with strange slogans the "T" hats are worn by all ages of young people and they can be seen all over Lhasa.

On my way home I stopped for potatoes (cooked like home fries by the pound full and a favorite Tibetan street snack) and since it was so early I got a glimpse into the fried potato making process. They don't peel the potatoes with a knife or peeler like I would do or like I had seen before at the veggie market. No they have this potato tumbler cyclone like machine that just spins the spuds round and rubs them against each other until the skins are just off. Just like that. Oh, how the littlest and technologically outdated things can amaze. But my favorite thing one the walk back to school and a source of continuous amusement is the status of the St. Regis golden lettered signs in front of the high priced hotel. They letters are such a source of fun because they systematically disappear (aka get stolen). And I don't know why exactly, whether it is for their monetary value or just an act of pure vandalism, but they disappear as fast as they get put it seems and I think there is nothing anyone can do about it. Actually at this point (maybe the third or fourth time since all the letters have been taken) I think the hotel has given up and just will live without them and leave the signs blank. I look forward to more morning walks when the streets are just waking up and the rarities come out for me to see only just for a moment at the start of another busy busy day in Lhasa.