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Stefanie's Travel Journal
Thursday we began our drive from Lhasa, Tibet, China to Kathmandu, Nepal. The eight of us on the tour, plus Gelu and Geishi (our guides) plus three drivers in three Land Rovers.
We drove about 11 hours on Thursday to arrive in Gyantse. We stopped along the way to see some sights like the location favored by locals for sky burials (instead of cremation your body can be chopped up and left on a rock for birds to come and take away to the sky.. yeah...) and a holy lake that was a stunning turquise color.
Most of the roads were paved but the last hour or two was quite a bumpy ride through a desert. Beautiful scenery the entire day. I'll post photos in Kathmandu if I can.
Gyantse used to be the third largest city in Tibet but Chinese migration to Tibet has increased the size of other cities and they have surpassed Gyantse. Gyantse was also an important trading hub between India, Tibet, and Nepal in the past. Today it is a small, quiet town but the Chinese influence is felt strongly here too. The infrastructure is significant and there is another memorial commemorating the 'liberation' of Tibet in the most conspicuous place in town.
But our hotel was great (hot water, nice bathrooms, very comfortable and we had a good dinner. Then Friday morning we went to see the monastary in Gyantse which has the largest chorten (a spire-shaped temple with one or more chapels) in Tibet. This chorten was built in the 1400s and many of the murals on the walls are still in tact due to the dark rooms and they are beautiful and elaborate. I'll post photos of those too.
Then we headed off for a two hour drive to Shigatse which is the second largest city in Tibet. Shigatse is also the home to the Tashilhunpo Monastery which is where the Panchen Lama lives. The Panchen Lama is the second most important leader next to the Dalai Lama and therefore the Chinese have been trying to control the selection and upbringing of the Panchen Lama for decades. The Chinese have taken a huge interest in Tashilhunpo and Shigatse therefore and their presence is very strong here. And the monks at the monastery are even thought to be working with the Chinese at times and are suspect by others. If you can you should read about the Panchen Lama in Lonely Planet or some other source. The ninth Panchen Lama was held prisoner by the Chinese after trying to work with them to gain greater leverage against the 13th Dalai Lama. The 10th Panchen Lama grew up under Chinese control but later spent many years in prison for voicing opposition to them. And the 11th Panchen Lama identified by the Dalai Lama and the abbot of Tashilhunpo was imprisoned by the Chinese (as a child just after being selected) and has not been seen again. The Chinese insisted on a new 11th Panchen Lama being selected and the son of a Party official was named. This "Chinese Panchen Lama" lives and studies at Tashilhunpo (he is only a child still) as Panchen Lama's should but he needs to be heavily guarded when he goes out. In fact, yesterday we had to pull over and wait in a town for about 30 minutes because all roads were being cleared so the Chinese Panchen Lama's motorcade could drive through. Security is incredibly tight when he goes out.
After arriving in Shigatse we had lunch and some time to shop. I shopped in the local markets and then went to the Tibet Gang-Gyen Carpet Factory. This place is a great business. Conditions for the women who work there seem very good for here. I got to see the entire process. They use only Tibetan sheep wool. They donate 44% of proceeds to the monastery and use most of the rest for hte business and their employees (bonuses and social programs). The quality of the carpets is great and they are soft and tightly woven. I couldn't find a color/pattern combination I liked today but I'm going to go back tomorrow and look at their special order catalogs. I'd really like to support this socially responsible business.
In the evening our group went to dinner in our hotel (which is also great, by the way - we keep wondering when the roughing it starts!). These Australians are a blast! We polished off three bottles of Tibetan red wine and had eachother in stiches laughing so hard. Our Tibetan guides were blushing but laughing as hard as we were. We're going to have fun on the way to Base Camp!
Tomorrow we'll go to Tashilhunpo and then on to spend the night at either Sakya or Lhatse depending on road conditions. Then we go to Base Camp! We'll likely ride donkeys to Base Camp which should be an experience. Then we head back towards Kathmandu and arrive there on Wednesday the 27th. I'll write more journal entries when I can but you may not see one til the 27th (but then it should come with photos from Everest!!)
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