We had never imagined that religion could play such an important role in our lives, until we went to Tibet. It was for us, another great momentous event.
The first sight of Tibet is disconcerting. There are very few places left where you can see so many local people fully dressed in their traditional ethnic costumes. There were Tibetan women religiously holding the Buddhist wheel, touring the Jakhong temple. The pious Buddhists used their four limbs to make their pilgrimage to Lhasa as we traveled between the cities of Tibet. Tibetans, even though they are only making ends meet, are generous when they donate to temples. No matter how small, they offer everything they can to each Buddhist statue they pass. Before long, and deeply moved by the pious act of the Tibetans, we did the same when we visited the temples.
The Potala Palace is spectacular. There are rooms after rooms and statues after statues. If you casually point to any item in the palace, it may be a thousand years old. In fact, it is a treasure trove of treasures.
We went to two of the Sacred Lakes in Tibet: Yamzho Yumco Lake and Namco Lake. They are peaceful blue lakes under clear blue skies, like a jewel in a beautiful landscape, with yaks all over the prairie. The excursion is a challenge for our adaptation to the high altitude climate. The highest point we climbed was 5,190 meters at Lake Namco, an altitude we never thought we could reach.
As we traveled from Yamzho Yumco Lake, we were driving below the Himalayan ranges. The massive mountain ranges of the Himalayas seem so close, and those snow-capped peaks soaring 7,000 meters high into the sky feel so easy to reach, when you’re already at an altitude of 3,600 meters or more. Although we did not have the courage to climb the Himalayas, it was a wonderful experience to be so close to the highest mountains on earth.
We entered a tent occupied by a grandmother and her two grandchildren. They were taking their flocks to graze and put up a temporary tent to rest. Life was simple: feed the herd, gather herbs from the snow-capped mountains, make cheese from yak milk, but happy.
Our itinerary covered Lhasa, Tsedong, Gynagtse and Shigatse, the main cities of Tibet. It was pretty daring to complete in around 7 days. Wherever we went, we visited the local historical Buddhist temples, many of which have a history of more than 1,000 years.
We saw monks leading a simple life in secluded temples, holding on to their beliefs and preserving their tradition and culture, as well as the many treasures of the temple in the modern 21st century.
The temples, with the vast landscape behind them, offer a sense of spirituality. The huge mountains are there to protect the shrines and for thousands of years the local Tibetans have adorned them with their culture and heritage.
Yombulagang Palace and Samyae Monastery in Tsedong were the most impressive. Yombulagang Palace was believed to be the first Tibetan king’s palace built in the 2nd century. Today, the palace seems very modest and tiny, but it is built on a small hill with magnificent views of the valley. This three-story structure must be a splendid structure from around two thousand years ago.
The visit to the Samyae Monastery was like a trip back to medieval times. The Monastery was built in the year 779, with a creative combination of Tibetan, Chinese and Indian styles. It can be imagined that the monks at the beginning of the 8th century were already “world-viewing”, informed and travelled, and open-minded to accept foreign cultures.
In recent years, Lhasa has developed very rapidly. It used to be a sparsely populated city with buildings of only 2-3 floors, but nowadays 5-star international high-rise hotels are being built. Although the city is located at a high altitude, it is clear that the provincial government has developed a standard procedure to help visitors cure altitude sickness. Two members of our group were uncomfortable with the high altitude, but there are clinics in 5-star hotels or medical centers in small towns where doctors can come to your hotel to treat you. Our members were treated to a drip, and after a few hours of rest, they were ready to hit the road.
It is one of the most memorable trips we have ever taken. We just want to come back as soon as we can!
