Tibet free no more

Okay!! Finally finished posting on Tibet! Check over the last 3 posts for new pictures!

The last part of our Tibet trip brought us to the bigger Tibetan towns of Shigatse, Gyantse and the capital, Lhasa where we had the opportunity to visit some of the most impressive and tragic monasteries in Tibet. They held some amazing statues and chapels where they revere historical figures, high lamas and images of various buddhas. But they are just a shell of their former grandeur.

In all we visited a ton of monasteries and I was beat by the end. We visited the Tashilhunpo Monastery, the home of the Panchen Lama, in Shigatse, Pelkor Choede Monastery in Gyantse, Sera, Ganden and Jokhang monasteries in Lhasa and Potala Palace in Lhasa. That's a lot of monasteries! Though each one was interesting in their own right, I was pretty tired of visiting chapels (the 99 rooms in Gyantse were killer) and smelling burning yak butter. Here are some select pictures of the monasteries but none really capture the grandeur of the statues, the sound of monks chanting, and the reverence of the prostrating pilgrims that permeated each room.

The facade of the monastery at Gyantse. The building to the right is based on a mandala, which is design by the 5th Dalai Lama that is purely symmetrical.

Prayer wheels. They are outside every monastery.

Some monks goofing off at the top of a temple. They were supposed to be doing some construction work but they stopped to pose for our pictures!

The view from the Gyantse monastery. That's an old fort in the background from when the Tibetans weren't so peaceful.

A pilgrim bringing yak butter for the candles. There were pilgrims everywhere and it felt like sacrilage to take photos while these people were worshiping.

A rare photo from inside the monasteries. The monks charged up to 150 yuan to take photos in each chapel. It was way too expensive plus all the chapels started to look alike after awhile.

Monks engaging in traditional debates at Sera in Lhasa. Some of them really got into it and they punctuated each question with a very dramatic clap.

Pilgrams prostrating outside Jokhang monastery in Lhasa. It holds the most holy statue in Tibet and the pilgrims lined up to pay tribute to it. I was lucky to get a view of it!

The nicest Tibetan woman who guided us through Jokhang. She even showed us a small statue of a sheep that looked like it was coming out of the wall. According to her, the statue was very small about 50 years ago and grows mysteriously on its own every year. Fact or fiction, folks?

I got blessed by a monk! The black on my nose is for protection. No laughing!

We were lucky to catch these monks chanting at the Ganden monastery, way up in the mountains just outside Lhasa. Here's one of the high lamas who seemed more interested in posing for photos then leading the monks in chanting.

The main chanting hall in Ganden. I could have sat there all day, listening to the soothing chanting of the monks.

But the monasteries had this tragic feel to it also. Tibet was invaded by the Chinese in the 1950's in what the Chinese called a "liberation" campaign. The Cultural Revolution in 1959 also brought mass destruction to the monasteries, Potala Palace, other cultural sites and the Tibetan way of life. During the cultural and actual genocide (over 1.2 million Tibetans are believed to have died), the Dalai Lama fled into India and has vowed not to return until Tibet is their own once again. It breaks my heart to see how Tibetans have been oppressed and become a minority in their own land. Every where you can see how the Chinese are imposing their way of life on these people. Each house is forced to put up pictures of Mao and other Party officials while possessing a picture of the Dalai Lama is punishable by jail time. The Chinese don't understand the Free Tibet movement. Afterall, they've brought infrastructure, schooling, and commerce to Tibet while dramatically increasing their standard of living. That's true but at what cost? They've lost their land, religion, culture and independence. And its visible at every turn in Tibet, especially the major towns and monasteries, as beautiful as they were.

Each monastery holds only a fraction of the monks they used to house and the cities look more Chinese than they do Tibetan. It makes the first part of our trip, when we journeyed through the small Tibetan villages, that much more unique and precious. Han Chinese continue to stream into Tibet and I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like 5, 10, 20 years from now. So I'm glad to have made it here when I could. Its possible to imagine what it was like before the Chinese "liberated" Tibet and its sad to think it will never go back. You can't help but feel for the plight of the Tibetans and maybe that's at least one benefit from the increased tourism and spectacle the Chinese have turned Tibet into.

The outside of Potala Palace, the former seat of the Dalai Lama. You could feel the intrusion of the Chinese the most here. This is where the Dalai Lama should be, presiding over his people rather than in exile in India. It is so sad.

Here are some parting shots of the Tibet trip. Our Intrepid group was great! We had some laughs but mostly we bonded by huddling together through our altitude sickness. Trust me, you get past the polite stage pretty quickly when everyone is looking haggard and sick together. Our leader, Puskar, was also amazing. Always quick with a smile and reassuring words on such a difficult trip. His cure for altitude sickness? "Think happy thoughts!" Yeah, right. :)

Our group at lunch! Tibetan food leaves something to be desired but at these altitudes, we didn't feel like eating much anyways.

That's me getting attacked by a yak. We went to a Tibetan culture show where we saw some traditional dancing (like this one where the domestication of the yak is celebrated) and had some traditional Tibetan foods like yak butter tea (disgusting) and tsampa, a mixture of barley flour and yak butter tea (also disgusting). As you can tell, I'm not a huge fan of yak in any form.

Okay, I've been in front of this computer for 4 hours and I can feel myself turning to mush. I don't know how I used to spend 15 hours a day in front of a computer when I was working! How am I supposed to do it again???

Into thin air

My head wouldn't stop pounding, I could barely breath, the bathrooms were nightmare-inducing, snow was constantly blowing in my face but the trip to Everest Base Camp was everything I had hoped it would be. It was just so amazing to be standing in the same spot as the climbers who defied human limitations to climb the highest peak in the world.

We arrived at Rongbuk monastery and you could immediately feel the difference in alititude from the moment we stepped out of the car. We had spent the last few days trying to acclimate, moving from 1300 meters at Kathmandu to 4200 meters at Tingri. We were already pretty battered from the altitude (you try sleeping with your heart racing and head pounding!) so the thought of staying at 5000 meters was pretty tough. Every step was a struggle and I had to stop every few minutes to give my head a rest. I think our group spent something like 5 hours just sitting in the dining room, trying to nurse our headaches. I also decided to stay in the monastery (you could chose to stay at the lodge just 5 minutes away) to have the "true" experience and it was pretty basic. Actually, really basic. It was musty, dirty and a bit moldy but at least it had some beds to sleep on. Not that we actually slept that night.

The lucky winners who got to stay at the monastery. Later in the day, some guys took away the stove, leaving a gaping hole in the ceiling. That definitely came in handy while in snowed at night. It also stank. Actually lots of things on our trip stank. I don't even want to talk about the bathrooms!

But it was definitely an achievement to stay at Rongbuk and I wouldn't have changed a thing. We were staying at 5000 meters (17,000 ft), which is higher than Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48. I've never stayed at this type of altitude so I'm glad to say I did it though its not very fun. And the views. We had a picture perfect view of Everest from our door steps, shining like a beacon and beckoning us to come. The monks at the monastery were also pretty nice so it added a spiritual feel to Everest.

Our first view of Everest from Tingri, where we stayed the day before arriving at Rongbuk. Can you feel the excitment yet? That's Everest!!

And there she is!! Imposing, impressive and stunning. The view from Rongbuk was perfect.

This woman really wanted her photo taken so I kindly obliged. We sat next to each other for about 15 minutes afterwards, smiling and nodding though we had no idea what the other was saying.

The stupa from the monastery. It definitely felt like being on holy ground.

The next day, we hiked just 8km (around 5 miles) to Everest Base Camp, which is at 5200 meters. Though we only gained 200 meters in altitude, the hike was tough. Every small hill looked like an unsurmountable mountain and every step was a struggle. It also snowed that day (pretty rare) so we couldn't really see anything along the hike or when we got there. But still, it was Base Camp for godssake so we couldn't miss the opportunity. We spent a frigid half hour there before the snow drove us back to Rongbuk. Because of the snow, we decided to take donkey carts back to Rongbuk. It seemed like an easy option at first but it was the most undignified and ridiculous thing I have EVER done. We were bounced all over the place, barely able to hang on while the driver kept looking back at us and laughing. It was also frigid, ice-cold. I couldn't feel anything after about 5 minutes except hail and snow hitting my numb face. The hike was hard but I would chose it over the donkey cart any day! Never again!

This is all we saw from our hike. Clouds and more clouds.

It was actually pretty miserable to hike in the snow. Even these yaks looked frozen!

Hotel California, indeed. There were all these tents at the top, waiting to serve us hot tea and cocoa at ridiculous prices. We were, of course, happy to pay.

Yeah!! Made it to Base Camp! It was truly an epic moment.

Look at those unsuspecting fools in the cart. Little do they know how ridiculous the trip is. We bounced so hard on those benches I thought I would break every bone in my butt!

We also got to see some expedition tents at Base Camp. I thought it was nutty to stay at 5000 meters but that's chump change compared to the people climbing Everest. Those people are TRULY CRAZY. The top of Mount Everest reaches an unbelievable 8848 meters (29,029 feet) and thousands of people attempt it every year. The climb takes a couple of months in order to acclimatize and the climbers spend their going back and forth between camps before attacking the peak. I can't even imagine what its like up there. The altitude was so painful at Base Camp and that was only 5000 meters! The air at the top of Everest is so thin that if someone was just dropped off at the top, his head would explode in minutes. Also, 1 in 10 climbers don't make it. Not as in having to come back but as in they DIE. Its something that seems exciting in theory but I would never do it. I don't think I'll ever go back to 5000! (Well, maybe. Kilimangaro is definitely on my list...)

Look! Its the crazy people! The expedition tents from Base Camp weren't that impressive but apparently climbing from the Nepal side is more popular.

It was quite a relief to come back down to 4,200 meters but we were definitely sad to go. We were right there! In the face of Everest! This is what legends are made of!

At our last dinner, we went to this place where we could commemorate our trip to Base Camp (held by Puskar). Congrats on making it, everyone!

Along the friendship highway

Update: Finally made to Bangkok where the heat is so stifling. It feels like you can cut through the humidity with a knife. I'll be here all week taking care of administrative stuff and waiting for Ang to come. Its hot but Bangkok is an easy city to navigate and the touts are way less annoying so I think its a good place to recharge. That means I have time for photos!!

How do I describe the journey from Nepal into Tibet? I studied Tibetan Buddhism at Columbia but the whole "life is suffering" idea has whole new meaning after seeing the landscape. At an average of 4500 meters (look what traveling has done to me - I've been infected with the metric system!), the Tibetan plateau is dry, barren, dusty and, at first glance, completely uninhabitable. But that also gives the land an eerie beautiful quality that's hard to capture on digital film. The beauty of Tibet also comes from the people who are unbelievable friendly and quick to give a smile despite the meager living they manage to squeeze out of the land and the oppression by the Chinese government over the last 50 years.

We started our journey from Kathmandu, driving to the Nepali-Tibetan border and climbing over 1100 meters to 2400. Kathmandu was an interesting, lively city but seeing the countryside definitely made me want to stay for more. Nepal is famed for its treks and I definitely could see myself spending weeks hiking around the lush, green land amidst the towering Himalayas.

The countryside of Nepal was a lot more green and lush than I expected. A truly beautiful country that I can't wait to come back and trek through it! Annapurna, anyone?

From the border, we systematically gained altitude from 2400 to 3700 and finally 4200 in order to acclimatize ourselves in preparation for hiking to Everest Base Camp, which is at a mind-boggling 5200 meters (that's over 17,000 feet btw). But along the way we saw some amazing views from snow-capped mountains over 8000 meters (there are only 14 in the world) to barren lands that make you think you are the only beings in the world. Some days we spent over 7 hours in 4x4 jeeps, over grueling terrain but the scenery was never dull and made each journey worthwhile (actually the landscape reminded me a lot of my Uyuni trip in Bolivia).

Tibet is like a huge rocky desert but at unbelievable altitudes. Everywhere you looked, it was just nothing and no one.

Our unbelievable Tibetan drivers. These guys were absolutely fearless. Some of the roads were so terrible, we ended up bouncing around in the car and banging into everything. Quite an adventure! Btw, I don't think I'm built for off-roading.

Nothing but me and the Tibetan plateau.

More gorgeous scenery! I could just stare it all day without getting bored.

Sorry, one more landscape photo. You can see the little village nestled at the bottom on this mountain.

Our lovely accommodations! No running water and very cold but they did have a home-y feel. The accommodations were a little bit basic and probably the worst I've ever had! Just remember to hold your breath when going to the bathroom!

There were tons of Tibetan villages along the way. They all had similar architecture, coloring and good luck Buddhist symbols. These villages seem so remote and far apart with very little to sustain themselves with.

Taking a well-deserved break. Though we were driving most of the time, the trip was still very tiring and hard. The altitude definitely didn't help!

An amazing view of a glacier at yet another pass.

The overland journey also introduced us to the Tibetan people. Traditionally nomad herders and farmers, the Tibetans manage to eek out a living in a place no person would chose for themselves. But they seem to be happy and proud of their home, however hard it is. Their main cash crop is barley and the animals their raise are yak, sheep and more yak. Everything in their lives are made from yak - yak meat in everything (how does it taste, you ask? A little chewy and a bit like rotten lamb - gross, really.), yak butter candles in monasteries, dried yak dung as fuel, yak butter in tea (yes, tea) or mixed with barley flour, and of course, my personal favorite, yak cheese. More than 70% live under the poverty line but I've always felt welcomed by their quick laugh and gregarious personalities. Its hard to see so many of them beg for food and money but you appreciate their outlook on life in the face of such hardship.

A lot of Tibetans are traditionally nomads, herding yak and sheep. We met these lone travelers at one of the highest passes we crossed at 5,000 meters. We were dying with headaches and collapsing lungs while its just normal life for them.

Lots of donkey drawn carriages. You could hear them coming because of the jangling bells on the donkeys.

Ah, soccer. Crosses the cultural divide every time. Too bad Tibet doesn't have a World Cup team this year.

The older people were pretty superstitious about having their picture taken but the kids loved it! They would pose and then rush over to see how the photos turned out.

The trip from Kathmandu to Lhasa has been one of the more emotional journeys on this trip. The Tibetans are deeply religious people who believe that life is suffering and the only way to reach pure bliss, or nirvana, is to leave behind all secular feelings and materialistic needs that keep them bound to this world. That takes on a whole new level of meaning after seeing how little these people have and how unforgiving the land seems but how wonderful the people are. You can also feel the spirit of the people in the surrounding mountains, making their stark beauty that much more heartbreaking. They definitely makes you rethink the things that seem so important but really are so insignificant in the long run. Not everything has to have an ulterior meaning, things don't always have to be analyzed to death and sometimes he's just not that into you. As our leader, the unfatiguable Puskar, hilariously said to a woman who demanded to know why a stone was outside one monastery, "I don't know. A stone can exist without reason." Things can just happen and we have to learn to simply let things go and let them be. There are bigger, more important things than me out there that can exist simply so why can't I? That's definitely hard for someone as anal and type-A as I am but I'm learning! I might even end up running away to travel the globe and never come back. After all, who needs the hardships and responsibilities that come with going to business school, finding a job and actually growing up?

Yes, that's me on a yak. It cost 5 yuan (about 6o cents) and it was totally worth it! Except when it started to move. It also stank.