Hi all,
Ok, enough of the hate mail... I know I have not posted in a long time (well only 5 days really), but did you not read about the secluded beaches of Ko Samet? Blogging was obviously too much pressure for my 'john learning to relax' crash course....and it got in the way of my volleyball and napping marathons, and my sunburning time.
Well my friends, the time has come. Tomorrow morning I head to the Beijing International airport to HEAD HOME! Two months and two days sure can fly. Ko Samet was wonderful and we did not want to leave. We made great new friends, swam in the ocean morning and night, I got eaten alive by every multi-legged creature on the island, and perhaps had a beverage or two.
Then it was back to Beijing yesterday (saturday). It was actually very surreal coming back to the city exactly two months after we first arrived. I am not going to go into it on this blog, as I am planning to do a few debrief, decompression blogs upon my return to Canada, once I have had time to step back and really get a grasp on what actually happened on this wild ride over the last two months. I have to say that it is nice to end our trip here in a way, as it is familiar and David, Ethan and I have been able to visit some of our old haunts. Also, it doesn't hurt that by sheer serendipity my mother happens to be working in Beijing at the moment and, as a result, I have spent my last two nights at the St. Regis, Beijing (finally a COMFORTABLE BED IN CHINA!)... and my room comes complete with my own butler... I have not had the nerve to make him do anything, but from what I understand, butlers buttle.
My last moments in Beijing have been quite chill, as I am preparing myself for my reentry into 'reality' and the reverse culture shock that is sure to ensue. I will have to refrain from pushing and shoving my way onto the subway, slurping and shoveling all of my food, and voiding my nasal cavity and throat of all phlegm whenever I see fit. When I arrived in Beijing we were picked up by our own car and brought to the St Regis - nice. Then I met mom for a drink (or a bottle really) and we chatted and caught up. We had only seen each other one day in the last five months (as I was in Costa Rica, vancouver and Vegas right before Beijing). It was actually really nice and she did not remind me to eat one fruit or vegetable (she learned her lesson from the 'amsterdam incident') - she may even be realizing that yes, most of the time, I can in fact take care of myself. We were later joined by Ethan (who is bunking in at the 'Reeg' as David is staying with friends in Beijing and that way, Ethan can save a buck or two... but he is on his own tomorrow when I leave - sorry dude).
I have to say it was odd to have my two worlds collide. Mom represented both family and work (as she is working the Mary Kay incentive trip that I have done the last five times), and Ethan represented my olympic life (jet set) as well as my old backpacking life... they got on just fine which was a relief... I think mom was relieved as well to find out that I did not travel with complete and total boobs. Following drinks, it was out for one last night on the town. Today, I met all my old Mary Kay friends for breakfast, helped mom prep a few things for their day, then David, Ethan and I went off to the 798 art district which is an area of beijing that is all free art galleries in multiple warehouses.. very neat and low key. Then we met up with Jared (our other traveller from Ko Samet) for one last dinner together... which brings us up to present time.
So it is here my faithful reader that I will say, not goodbye, but see you tomorrow! I board my flight to San Fran at noon and then connect through to Toronto. My Canadian cell will be up and running as of 8:00pm Monday night Toronto time. I can't believe it! Alas, I have no idea what will become of my blog. I expect that I will do a few more posts (mainly about tibet as I was not allowed to write what I really wanted to - and my final thoughts) but I suspect that I will become very hum-drum shortly upon my return. Perhaps I will keep it up, perhaps not (it is my new laissez faire attitude I suppose). All I really want to say is that it has been fun having someone (real or virtual) to 'talk to' about my experiences here and I really appreciate everyone's comments, questions and mostly support during rougher spots. This incessant rambling of mine really helped me, and I thank you all for taking even a passing interest.
Here I will also give a shout out to David, Ethan, Jared, Mirjam and Fran - the core members of the David Daldwin Tours Team... I could not have survived with such a smile, constant laughter, and a song in my heart while learning so much about the world around me, Sarah Palin, and most of all myself, if it were not for my travelling mates. Here is to you all until David Dalwin Tours reconvenes in the future - perhaps Africa? South America? Laos? Cambodia? Vietnam? New Zealand? Wherever it may be, it would be a pleasure and honour to travel with all of you again.
Zai Dien (ciao from China)
See you in Canada Eh!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Ko Samet...I think that is Thai for John has finally chilled out....
Just wanted to do another quick update. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Bangkok and are now on the tranquil shores of Ko Samet in the Gulf of Thailand. We are in a beach front bungalo, and we went upscale... paying 13$ a night. It is brilliant and I may actually be relaxed for the first time in my life... but seeing as I have never truly been relaxed in my life being the charming stressball I am, I am not sure what 'relaxed' feels like... but I am working on it.
Bangkok, like I said, was great. We did not see as many sights as we wanted, but saw the major ones. Reason being, we were there over the weekend which meant late nights out and about soaking up the local flavour... aka an adult beverage or two. It was a perfect balance to all the heavy touring and hiking we had been doing. Time to release.
We left bangkok and took a three hour bus ride (for 5.50), to Ban Phe, where we caught a ferry to Ko Samet. The water is perfect, it is rainy season, so it rains on and off throughout the day, but there is more than enough nice weather. Yesterday when we arrived, we dumped our stuff, walked out our front door and dove right into the ocean (of course I was so excited that I ran in with all my $ in my pockets). We swam for a couple of hours and then walked down the beach and played a pick-up game of v-ball, ate dinner by the ocean and then enjoyed the chilled out nightlife.
Woke up this morning to the sound of rain falling on our bungalow roof, and just layed in bed and read for a bit... so nice. No alarms, no touring... the big decision being whether or not to go for a swim or take a nap... both alluring, both with their advantages.
You are forced to relax here and it is exactly what we all needed before we fly home and are assaulted by jet lag and reverse culture shock. We are here (doing pretty much nothing) until Friday morning, then it is back to Bangkok for the night to catch our flight out in the morning. I am in Beijing for 2 nights and then home!...in 6 days...it is hard to believe really.
Sorry for the lack of pics, but I can't use my computer here and so I will update my blogs when I return home and am unemployed for a bit...ahhh a vacation from my vacation...
Bangkok, like I said, was great. We did not see as many sights as we wanted, but saw the major ones. Reason being, we were there over the weekend which meant late nights out and about soaking up the local flavour... aka an adult beverage or two. It was a perfect balance to all the heavy touring and hiking we had been doing. Time to release.
We left bangkok and took a three hour bus ride (for 5.50), to Ban Phe, where we caught a ferry to Ko Samet. The water is perfect, it is rainy season, so it rains on and off throughout the day, but there is more than enough nice weather. Yesterday when we arrived, we dumped our stuff, walked out our front door and dove right into the ocean (of course I was so excited that I ran in with all my $ in my pockets). We swam for a couple of hours and then walked down the beach and played a pick-up game of v-ball, ate dinner by the ocean and then enjoyed the chilled out nightlife.
Woke up this morning to the sound of rain falling on our bungalow roof, and just layed in bed and read for a bit... so nice. No alarms, no touring... the big decision being whether or not to go for a swim or take a nap... both alluring, both with their advantages.
You are forced to relax here and it is exactly what we all needed before we fly home and are assaulted by jet lag and reverse culture shock. We are here (doing pretty much nothing) until Friday morning, then it is back to Bangkok for the night to catch our flight out in the morning. I am in Beijing for 2 nights and then home!...in 6 days...it is hard to believe really.
Sorry for the lack of pics, but I can't use my computer here and so I will update my blogs when I return home and am unemployed for a bit...ahhh a vacation from my vacation...
Friday, September 12, 2008
What the elephant....
So here I am in Thailand typing on a thai keyboard... I can´t find punctuation... things like question marks and it is killing the English major in me- so I apologize now for any reading inconvenience.
The three of us have now made it to Thailand, the land of smiles... we really were not prepared for this leg of the trip- no book, not much research, not knowing if we needed entry visas and no hotel until I used expidia online to book one night at Boonsiri Place - in old town - at midnight the night prior to departure seeing as we were arriving in Thailand so late (about 11 30pm). It has all worked out brilliantly, though. We landed and to our relief found out that Canadians and Americans do not need visas unless staying more than 30 days, everyone spoke English, there were WESTERN TOILETS everywhere... with paper towel in the bathrooms! and it truly was the land of smiles... the Thai are almost too helpful if that is possible.
Before we exited the airport I bought myself the Lonley Planet Thailand and immediately felt more comfortable. We then got in a taxi and came to the hotel. Now, we were saying in the cab that we could honestly be in any major city in the world... Bangkok was modern, sprawling with high rises and busy... We said that until we saw a man riding an Elephant on the shoulder of the express way! If only I had my camera out and it wasnt the dead of night! We arrived at the hotel and they had my reservation! It is in a convienient part of town and clean... and the beds much softer than china! All was well... it was 130am in Bangkok, which felt like 230 to us as thailand is an hour behind where we had just come from. We passed out.
This morning we had a slow start... understandibly. We had a good hearty breakfast (included in the rate... awesome!) we did some email- 30 bhat for 30 minutes... which converts to less than one dollar a minute! But no pics for the blog unfortunately, as they are all on my computer... We then headed out to expolore our neighbourhood.
We are in the heart of old town, and the grand palace, the river, many markets, vendours and ko shan road (a backpaker haven full of bars, restaurants etc) are all within easy walking distance... and walk we did. We were all kind of out of it from our travel day the day before, so we meandered aimlessly, got driven around town in a tuk tuk for a bit and ate dinner on the street - the best way... just sampling the different street fare... when food is 10 bhat or about 33 cents... the world is your oyster... and you could eat those too if you wanted. I opted for a lot of fresh pineapple, some amazing pad thai, some spicy eel concoction with rice which was extremely tasty but had a lot of bones... odd. I had other stuff too, but cant remember now.
Following our day of meandering and orienting ourself in the city, we headed back to the hotel for a nap.... you see, David´s friend Jarred is joinging our group today and is on almost the same flight as we were yesterday... so when he arrives at 1230 - the plan is to head out to the bar street and get our drink on, dance a little perhaps and celebrate a new country and new experience...
We are in Bangkok until the weekend is over and then are heading to Ko Samet - an island with swimming and beaches! The prices drop dramatically during the week, so we are on the island from monday to friday and then return for one night to Bangkok to catch our flight to Beijing the next morning. It is going so fast. Only 9 days and I will see the fall leaves of Toronto... I am excited for that.
I am also excited that I am an uncle for the 2nd time! Congrats to Aimee and Ben on Oliva... can´t wait to meet her! You said you would wait until I got home though! Oh well. Thanks to everyone that has been leaving comments and emailing. I love news from home and now I need it more than ever. I was thinking the other day that with Costa Rica, Vancouver, Vegas and now my Asian Adventure I have been gone for Five months (almost continuously)... I miss all of you, but will be home soon! Will keep you posted as much as possible in the coming days.
The three of us have now made it to Thailand, the land of smiles... we really were not prepared for this leg of the trip- no book, not much research, not knowing if we needed entry visas and no hotel until I used expidia online to book one night at Boonsiri Place - in old town - at midnight the night prior to departure seeing as we were arriving in Thailand so late (about 11 30pm). It has all worked out brilliantly, though. We landed and to our relief found out that Canadians and Americans do not need visas unless staying more than 30 days, everyone spoke English, there were WESTERN TOILETS everywhere... with paper towel in the bathrooms! and it truly was the land of smiles... the Thai are almost too helpful if that is possible.
Before we exited the airport I bought myself the Lonley Planet Thailand and immediately felt more comfortable. We then got in a taxi and came to the hotel. Now, we were saying in the cab that we could honestly be in any major city in the world... Bangkok was modern, sprawling with high rises and busy... We said that until we saw a man riding an Elephant on the shoulder of the express way! If only I had my camera out and it wasnt the dead of night! We arrived at the hotel and they had my reservation! It is in a convienient part of town and clean... and the beds much softer than china! All was well... it was 130am in Bangkok, which felt like 230 to us as thailand is an hour behind where we had just come from. We passed out.
This morning we had a slow start... understandibly. We had a good hearty breakfast (included in the rate... awesome!) we did some email- 30 bhat for 30 minutes... which converts to less than one dollar a minute! But no pics for the blog unfortunately, as they are all on my computer... We then headed out to expolore our neighbourhood.
We are in the heart of old town, and the grand palace, the river, many markets, vendours and ko shan road (a backpaker haven full of bars, restaurants etc) are all within easy walking distance... and walk we did. We were all kind of out of it from our travel day the day before, so we meandered aimlessly, got driven around town in a tuk tuk for a bit and ate dinner on the street - the best way... just sampling the different street fare... when food is 10 bhat or about 33 cents... the world is your oyster... and you could eat those too if you wanted. I opted for a lot of fresh pineapple, some amazing pad thai, some spicy eel concoction with rice which was extremely tasty but had a lot of bones... odd. I had other stuff too, but cant remember now.
Following our day of meandering and orienting ourself in the city, we headed back to the hotel for a nap.... you see, David´s friend Jarred is joinging our group today and is on almost the same flight as we were yesterday... so when he arrives at 1230 - the plan is to head out to the bar street and get our drink on, dance a little perhaps and celebrate a new country and new experience...
We are in Bangkok until the weekend is over and then are heading to Ko Samet - an island with swimming and beaches! The prices drop dramatically during the week, so we are on the island from monday to friday and then return for one night to Bangkok to catch our flight to Beijing the next morning. It is going so fast. Only 9 days and I will see the fall leaves of Toronto... I am excited for that.
I am also excited that I am an uncle for the 2nd time! Congrats to Aimee and Ben on Oliva... can´t wait to meet her! You said you would wait until I got home though! Oh well. Thanks to everyone that has been leaving comments and emailing. I love news from home and now I need it more than ever. I was thinking the other day that with Costa Rica, Vancouver, Vegas and now my Asian Adventure I have been gone for Five months (almost continuously)... I miss all of you, but will be home soon! Will keep you posted as much as possible in the coming days.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Update
Heading to Thailand today. Can't believe the time is going so fast. Just 8 days in Thailand then back to Beijing where it all began to catch a plane home. Not feeling up to writing an in depth post so just a quick update. Things have been good. Still happy, having fun. Climbed a mountain for 2 days - it was tough but good. We climbed, monkeys tried to pee on us, stole our stuff, we slept in a monastery, made it to the summit and I even squatted for the first time at a buddhist monastery (sometimes these things just have to be done) - I will say 2 things about the experience: 1. I now feel like a real traveller since experiencing that 2. It is actually a very good position for voiding bowels. My only piece of advice? ALWAYS bring toilet paper or 'wet ones' with you...ALWAYS. After we conquered mount emei, it was off to Leshan to see the world's largest Buddha. It was neat. Then back to Chengdu for the night to crash at Kate's and off to the airport today. I will do a more detailed post about all my adventures later (I am hoping to have a lot of blogging time on the beach!). I have posted a couple of new albums on facebook, so feel free to check them out. Until we leave for the airport in a couple of hours, it is rest up for a LONG travel day to Thailand. I hope everyone reading this is well. Miss you all.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Panda-monium in 'The Du'
Sunday, September 7, 2008 – 11:30pm – Chengdu, China – Sichuan Province
I realize that it has been a few days since my last post. We have all taken some much needed r&r after our intense experience in Tibet. When we left Tibet on the 5th, we flew to Chengdu (pronounced Chun-doo), affectionately known as “the Du”. It was a relatively uneventful flight, except for the child across the aisle from me that decided to channel the exorcist and projectile vomit all over the his seat, the seat in front of him, his mother and her suitcase. Poor kid. But it was remarkable how much came from this small child who could not be more than 2.
All in all, Chengdu is nothing really to write home about. It is a city, with little personality. Well, that is not all together true. The people of Chengdu have a reputation in the rest of China as being lazy, relaxed and slower paced. This is because of their “Tea House Culture”. It is the equivalent of coffee houses and cafes back home.
Regardless of the fact that Chengdu may not be all that interesting, we have all had an amazing time here – mostly due to our new friend Kate. I met Kate in Beijing as she is a friend of one of my colleagues and was up visiting one weekend. We had a beer together for just over an hour, she said if our travels took us to the ‘Du’ to give her a shout. I did, and it worked out awesomely. Kate booked a hotel for us which was just beside the apartment that she shares with her roommate Sara, a local Chengdu-ite. It was nice knowing exactly where we were going once we arrived. The hotel is fine – simple, clean, and most importantly, cheap.
On our first day, David was not feeling too well, so after taking a quick nap (as we had to get up early in Tibet and travel all day), Ethan and I went out for a walk to check out the area. We are staying in a very ‘neighbourhoody’ section of town and so that was very refreshing. We went into a local restaurant, had a couple of beers and discussed what we might do for the remainder of our trip. We thought that we would go to Guilin and Yongshuo, but after investigation we found it to be too expensive (mainly to get to Thailand afterwards).
By the time we finished our beers, Kate called and we decided to meet up for an early dinner (she had a conference call at 9pm and we were all starving). We went to hot pot – it was great. It is where you have a big pot divided in two one side with chicken broth and the other with a spicy Sichuan broth. You then order a bunch of meats, vegetables etc and throw it all in, let it cook and then enjoy.
Once we had gorged on another inexpensive dinner, Kate went home for her call and we went back to the hotel for a nap as we had decided to go out that night. We met up with Kate at a bar right beside our hotel called “Carol’s”. It was a weird pub-type dance club. We sat, chatted, had a few ‘pops’ and then danced our pants off. Kate’s friends called and they were out at a different club, so at 1:30 we left David at the hotel as he was still fighting a little with Montezuma, and headed out. Our evening was great. We met a lot of new, interesting people and Ethan, Kate and our new friend Drew even ended up doing Karaoke in an empty bar run by a guy who looked like a 14 year old Chinese Harry Potter. It was a trip. Then off to McDonalds at 4am to combat the impending hangover. A great night.
The following day, we went to see the Panda Base on the outskirts of Chengdu. It was amazing. I did not think that I would like it so much, but the bears are pretty cool, and it is a breeding and research facility, so there were many young panda babies in incubators. Quite cool.
The park itself was quite the contrast from industrial, slightly dilapidated Chengdu. It was serene, quiet, full of lush vegetation, flowers and even a ‘swan lake’ replete with butterflies. It was great to get away from the big city and just wander amongst the bamboo-lined pathways. Perhaps I was just tired from the night before, but I did not feel much like talking that day, so I went off and explored for a bit on my own while David and Ethan did their own thing. It was just what the doctor ordered.
We got home, had a quick nap (I was loving the lazy, napping culture of Chengdu), and then went over to Kate’s place for a ‘dumpling party’. It was amazing. Kate’s roommate loves to cook and wanted to make of feast for friends that included homemade dumplings, chicken feet, a pork noodle dish and some rabbit. It was delicious (and the first home-cooked meal that I had had in five months). Yummy.
I think the best part of the entire evening was just that it felt like being home. Going to a friend’s place to eat, drink and just hang out. It made me feel normal. That is why Chengdu will have a place in my heart for a long time. Hanging out with Kate and her ex-pat friends has been so relaxing and just what I needed. Following the feast it was off to Moon/KTV for some Karaoke. I had not done real Karaoke in China. It is much different here.
Firstly, driving up, it looks as if you are visiting a swanky hotel. You go to reception to register and everything. Then you go to the ‘grocery store’ where you get a shopping cart and pick out you beverages, snacks and even a full rabbit on the Barbie if you want. You then go up the escalators and are led to your private Karaoke room. There, you have a wait staff that waits on you hand and foot while you sing to your hearts content. We had a blast (and quite a lot to drink). It was very surreal and an experience I am glad that I had. To top it off, it was only 500 yuan for 7 of us – meaning that it was just over $10 for each of us – and we had alcohol to spare when we left. Insane.
This morning I woke a little tired again, as we did not get home until after 3:30 and then, because I was hopped up on red bull and vodka, Ethan and I chatted about nothing and everything that had happened to us until almost 5am. Why do I keep doing this to myself? Once ready to face the day, it was back to Kate’s to do some laundry.
In a bizarre way, I love doing laundry in other countries (like the time in torino when my laundry took 48 hours because I could not read the Italian directions and somehow managed to lock my clothes in the washer)… Here was another experience. The washer had no lid, you had to fill it with water yourself and then drain it too. There are also no dryers and so I had to ring everything out and hang it outside on a line. An experience for sure. After laundry was done, Kate and I headed to Shamrocks, an Irish pub down the street that has an awesome brunch. Now everyone reading this knows my how much I love brunch (it verges on fetish really). I was in heaven, just sitting talking with a friend, enjoying brunch and not really having any plans for the day. I really felt like I was back home in Toronto. It was great.
David and Ethan eventually joined and had brunch themselves. While I was slaving over laundry, they had figured out the rest of our trip – we are now planned until I leave for home on the 22nd – a good feeling really. Because Guilin and Yongshuo were not the most economical of options, we have decided to leave our crap at Kate’s and head to Emei Shan – a monkey infested mountain that we are going to climb, staying in monasteries along the way. It is supposedly breathtaking. It will be a three day excursion, and on the way back we are planning to visit Leshan to see the biggest Buddha in the world. We are getting a good balance between cities and partying and communing with nature. We are all pretty stoked about our trip – we have to take a bus (so boats are the only mode of transport that we have not done yet)…
Following brunch, we headed to “the people’s park” and wandered around. The culture was much akin to the temple of heaven – there were tons of people taking dancing lessons, flying kites, singing in choirs and playing badminton. We got in on the action too – we bought a fisher price type of raquet game and played in the square – getting stared at because we were 1. Foreigners and 2. We were crap.
Then it was off to see a huge statue of Mao and then some shopping. We went out to dinner and headed back as we have to leave pretty early tomorrow morning.
So tomorrow we head off to hike for three days. We return to Chengdu to crash at Kate’s on Wednesday night and then catch a flight to Guangzhou to catch a connecting flight to Bangkok, Thailand. We are staying in Bankok for a couple of days, then it is off to Ko Samet (an island) to relax on the beach for five days to end our trip. I then fly back to Beijing on the 20th, meet up with dear old mom who happens to be working in Beijing then, and fly home on the 22nd.
We will not be taking our laptops on our 3 day trek, so it is here that I will say adieu and I will check back in as soon as I can. It is strange to think that I will be home in two weeks tomorrow. Where does the time go?
PS - pics to come on this post....
I realize that it has been a few days since my last post. We have all taken some much needed r&r after our intense experience in Tibet. When we left Tibet on the 5th, we flew to Chengdu (pronounced Chun-doo), affectionately known as “the Du”. It was a relatively uneventful flight, except for the child across the aisle from me that decided to channel the exorcist and projectile vomit all over the his seat, the seat in front of him, his mother and her suitcase. Poor kid. But it was remarkable how much came from this small child who could not be more than 2.
All in all, Chengdu is nothing really to write home about. It is a city, with little personality. Well, that is not all together true. The people of Chengdu have a reputation in the rest of China as being lazy, relaxed and slower paced. This is because of their “Tea House Culture”. It is the equivalent of coffee houses and cafes back home.
Regardless of the fact that Chengdu may not be all that interesting, we have all had an amazing time here – mostly due to our new friend Kate. I met Kate in Beijing as she is a friend of one of my colleagues and was up visiting one weekend. We had a beer together for just over an hour, she said if our travels took us to the ‘Du’ to give her a shout. I did, and it worked out awesomely. Kate booked a hotel for us which was just beside the apartment that she shares with her roommate Sara, a local Chengdu-ite. It was nice knowing exactly where we were going once we arrived. The hotel is fine – simple, clean, and most importantly, cheap.
On our first day, David was not feeling too well, so after taking a quick nap (as we had to get up early in Tibet and travel all day), Ethan and I went out for a walk to check out the area. We are staying in a very ‘neighbourhoody’ section of town and so that was very refreshing. We went into a local restaurant, had a couple of beers and discussed what we might do for the remainder of our trip. We thought that we would go to Guilin and Yongshuo, but after investigation we found it to be too expensive (mainly to get to Thailand afterwards).
By the time we finished our beers, Kate called and we decided to meet up for an early dinner (she had a conference call at 9pm and we were all starving). We went to hot pot – it was great. It is where you have a big pot divided in two one side with chicken broth and the other with a spicy Sichuan broth. You then order a bunch of meats, vegetables etc and throw it all in, let it cook and then enjoy.
Once we had gorged on another inexpensive dinner, Kate went home for her call and we went back to the hotel for a nap as we had decided to go out that night. We met up with Kate at a bar right beside our hotel called “Carol’s”. It was a weird pub-type dance club. We sat, chatted, had a few ‘pops’ and then danced our pants off. Kate’s friends called and they were out at a different club, so at 1:30 we left David at the hotel as he was still fighting a little with Montezuma, and headed out. Our evening was great. We met a lot of new, interesting people and Ethan, Kate and our new friend Drew even ended up doing Karaoke in an empty bar run by a guy who looked like a 14 year old Chinese Harry Potter. It was a trip. Then off to McDonalds at 4am to combat the impending hangover. A great night.
The following day, we went to see the Panda Base on the outskirts of Chengdu. It was amazing. I did not think that I would like it so much, but the bears are pretty cool, and it is a breeding and research facility, so there were many young panda babies in incubators. Quite cool.
The park itself was quite the contrast from industrial, slightly dilapidated Chengdu. It was serene, quiet, full of lush vegetation, flowers and even a ‘swan lake’ replete with butterflies. It was great to get away from the big city and just wander amongst the bamboo-lined pathways. Perhaps I was just tired from the night before, but I did not feel much like talking that day, so I went off and explored for a bit on my own while David and Ethan did their own thing. It was just what the doctor ordered.
We got home, had a quick nap (I was loving the lazy, napping culture of Chengdu), and then went over to Kate’s place for a ‘dumpling party’. It was amazing. Kate’s roommate loves to cook and wanted to make of feast for friends that included homemade dumplings, chicken feet, a pork noodle dish and some rabbit. It was delicious (and the first home-cooked meal that I had had in five months). Yummy.
I think the best part of the entire evening was just that it felt like being home. Going to a friend’s place to eat, drink and just hang out. It made me feel normal. That is why Chengdu will have a place in my heart for a long time. Hanging out with Kate and her ex-pat friends has been so relaxing and just what I needed. Following the feast it was off to Moon/KTV for some Karaoke. I had not done real Karaoke in China. It is much different here.
Firstly, driving up, it looks as if you are visiting a swanky hotel. You go to reception to register and everything. Then you go to the ‘grocery store’ where you get a shopping cart and pick out you beverages, snacks and even a full rabbit on the Barbie if you want. You then go up the escalators and are led to your private Karaoke room. There, you have a wait staff that waits on you hand and foot while you sing to your hearts content. We had a blast (and quite a lot to drink). It was very surreal and an experience I am glad that I had. To top it off, it was only 500 yuan for 7 of us – meaning that it was just over $10 for each of us – and we had alcohol to spare when we left. Insane.
This morning I woke a little tired again, as we did not get home until after 3:30 and then, because I was hopped up on red bull and vodka, Ethan and I chatted about nothing and everything that had happened to us until almost 5am. Why do I keep doing this to myself? Once ready to face the day, it was back to Kate’s to do some laundry.
In a bizarre way, I love doing laundry in other countries (like the time in torino when my laundry took 48 hours because I could not read the Italian directions and somehow managed to lock my clothes in the washer)… Here was another experience. The washer had no lid, you had to fill it with water yourself and then drain it too. There are also no dryers and so I had to ring everything out and hang it outside on a line. An experience for sure. After laundry was done, Kate and I headed to Shamrocks, an Irish pub down the street that has an awesome brunch. Now everyone reading this knows my how much I love brunch (it verges on fetish really). I was in heaven, just sitting talking with a friend, enjoying brunch and not really having any plans for the day. I really felt like I was back home in Toronto. It was great.
David and Ethan eventually joined and had brunch themselves. While I was slaving over laundry, they had figured out the rest of our trip – we are now planned until I leave for home on the 22nd – a good feeling really. Because Guilin and Yongshuo were not the most economical of options, we have decided to leave our crap at Kate’s and head to Emei Shan – a monkey infested mountain that we are going to climb, staying in monasteries along the way. It is supposedly breathtaking. It will be a three day excursion, and on the way back we are planning to visit Leshan to see the biggest Buddha in the world. We are getting a good balance between cities and partying and communing with nature. We are all pretty stoked about our trip – we have to take a bus (so boats are the only mode of transport that we have not done yet)…
Following brunch, we headed to “the people’s park” and wandered around. The culture was much akin to the temple of heaven – there were tons of people taking dancing lessons, flying kites, singing in choirs and playing badminton. We got in on the action too – we bought a fisher price type of raquet game and played in the square – getting stared at because we were 1. Foreigners and 2. We were crap.
Then it was off to see a huge statue of Mao and then some shopping. We went out to dinner and headed back as we have to leave pretty early tomorrow morning.
So tomorrow we head off to hike for three days. We return to Chengdu to crash at Kate’s on Wednesday night and then catch a flight to Guangzhou to catch a connecting flight to Bangkok, Thailand. We are staying in Bankok for a couple of days, then it is off to Ko Samet (an island) to relax on the beach for five days to end our trip. I then fly back to Beijing on the 20th, meet up with dear old mom who happens to be working in Beijing then, and fly home on the 22nd.
We will not be taking our laptops on our 3 day trek, so it is here that I will say adieu and I will check back in as soon as I can. It is strange to think that I will be home in two weeks tomorrow. Where does the time go?
PS - pics to come on this post....
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Calishou Tibet!
Thursday, September 4, 2008 – 9:00pm
Well, my bags are packed…I’m ready to go. Time has come to say “Calishou”, or goodbye to Tibet. I have to say that David, Ethan and I did it up in style for our last day. The day began with us waking up pretty early in order to go down and have one last breakfast with Mirjam and Fran.
It was bitter sweet. All of us excited to move on from Tibet to new experiences, sad to say goodbye. We really got on well. We all feel that now is the perfect time to leave Tibet because everything has been so amazing. Go out on a high note – always a good call. We will all remember our time here as a special one. Fran and Mirjam were picked up at 8:30 to head to the airport. We said our goodbyes and went back to bed as we were not going to be picked up until 1pm for an afternoon tour.
I used the time to get up to date with my blogging… a big weight lifted for Chengdu. Ethan napped and watched a movie on HBO and David putzed on his computer. It was nice to have some downtime.
At 1pm we met Tse Tan and Tashi and were off to Norbulinka (meaning jewel park) – the summer palace of the Dalai Lama. Even today’s Dalai Lama (the 14th) took up residency there until he fled to India in 1959. It was actually from there that he made his escape.
The park was beautiful (of course), and full of people as the Yoghurt festival was still being celebrated. Many Tibetan families were there picnicking, eating, drinking and making merry. We toured the grounds and saw the respective summer dwellings of various Dalai Lamas, the highlight being that of the 14th Dalai Lama – the one alive today. David compared it to visiting the White House.
Following our tour, we then stopped, listened to and watched some traditional Tibetan Opera. It was more like a pantomime play with elaborate costumes, dancing and singing - very interesting to see. The three of us were pretty wiped out from 3 FULL days of touring, climbing mountains and other such enjoyable pursuits, so we asked Tse Dan where we could get a good, inexpensive Tibetan massage. He knew just the place. It was only 65 Yuan for a massage lasting over 1 hour and it was attached to an orphanage.
Tashi drove us all there and we invited Tse Tan and Tashi to come get a massage with us for all of their hard work, good driving and excellent hospitality while we were in Tibet. It was an experience. Ethan, Tse Tan and myself opted for the “foot reflexology massage” and were in one room, and David and Tashi opted for the full body massage and were somewhere else.
Now, if any of you come to Tibet or China, here is a piece of advice concerning massages. I always opt for the foot massage for three reasons: 1. My feet were always in need of some TLC due to how busy the Olympics were and how much walking and hiking we did on tours. 2. They are cheaper than full body massages. 3. When they give a foot massage, they also do your neck, back and shoulders… or so I thought. This place was different.
Tse Tan, Ethan and I all got our treatment in the same room. We entered the room and there were three reclining style chairs with footstools at the bottom. I picked mine and got comfortable. We were all in jeans and Tse Tan asked if we wanted ‘thin pants’ to make the massage better. We were up for it and said sure. “Thin pants,” as it turns out, were women’s pyjama bottoms. Mine were bright purple, Tse Tan had a nice pair of white ones with black polka dots, and Ethan (seeing as he is an absolute behemoth at 6’4, in a land that is built just for me) had yellow and orange striped ones that came just below his knees – culottes perhaps? It was quite funny. We stopped laughing, however, when they came in, picked up our shoes and ran out of the room with them. We had no idea what was going on, but later found out that they took them and cleaned them for us! My shoes were as good as new when all was said and done.
The treatment began and I was walking the line between pleasure and pain the whole time. It started with pleasure – them bringing us fresh apple slices and sweet flower petal tea. It then went to pain with my girl soaking my feet in the ABSOLUTE HOTTEST WATER I have ever felt. All that kept playing in my head was the public service announcement from when I was a kid: You know, the one with Sylvester and Tweety Bird saying “and remember, boiling water can burn in less than three seconds!”. Once my feet adjusted (after turning bright red), it was back to full on pleasure.
My masseuse then spent what seemed like forever working on each foot. Tse Tan kept asking if it was OK. Ethan had to tell his girl to be a bit more gentle, whereas I told Tse Tan to tell my girl that the harder the better. She loved this and went to town. She did reflexology on my feet, massaged my calves and my legs. Ethan and I were a little anxious because we really wanted to have our neck, back and shoulders worked on too – and from the massages we had in China, they always did that while our feet were soaking. Here it did not work that way. We asked Tse Tan if they would do our back and he said yes. We needed to relax and be patient.
I thought that my massage had ended, but then my masseuse kicked it into high gear. The foot portion was done, then it was onto the rest of the body. They did not just do neck, back and shoulders here, they did it all! Back to pleasure… but pain would soon come. The Masseuse then worked my legs from the front (I was laying on my back at this point) – She got into every knot and I was in heaven. My legs were then pulled and stretched every which way.
This massage was not for the shy, however. I had never had my pubic bone massaged (nothing dirty people) just heavy pressure applied in an acupressure sort of way right around the goods. It took a moment to adjust from the initial surprise (her hands just kept creeping up my leg, past the thigh…you get the picture), but then it actually was quite nice (in a non dirty way people! There was nothing sexual, her eyes averted the whole time… although she did tell Tse Dan that she thought I was handsome).
It was then time to flip and the neck, back, shoulders, back of my legs, and gluteus maximus were then fully massaged. Hot stones were used on my back and stomach - and I have the red heat blisters to prove it... I have never had my butt massaged before either… It was a day of firsts. I am sure it was quite therapeutic. See, all that for 65 yuan (less than 10 dollars) – and I didn’t even have to buy dinner first!
Following the massages (Tse Tan and Tashi were very thankful), we were starving. We asked Tse Tan to take us to a local joint… and that he did. We went to a restaurant that used to be a tavern and was literally a cave in the side of the hill beside Potala Palace. It only had enough space to have long narrow tables flanking both walls of the cave. The five of us could not even sit at the same table, we sat across the cave from each other and just yelled across when we talked. It really was a local place and I am not sure that there had been any westerners in there before. We were stared at, a novelty among locals. Tse Tan ordered food for us – Tibetan noodles, a rice/potato curry and yak momos in broth (of course!). It was delicious – and for the five of us it only cost 32 yuan – less than 1 dollar each. Once again, ridiculous. What was also ridiculous (and fun) was that for some reason they kept playing “My Humps” by the Black Eyed Peas – and seeing as it was a western song with English lyrics the three of us sang along – it is weird, no matter how wrong you know it is, you can’t help yourself. They got a kick out of that and I think that is why they kept playing it.
After dinner it was home to pack, watch some HBO and then write this blog. Tomorrow we are off to Chengdu in the middle of China. We are going to meet up with Kate there – a friend of a colleague of mine from Beijing that I met once at a pizza place. She has been living in Chengdu for over a year and speaks fluent mandarin – a winning combination in my books. Again, this is why I like travelling – travelers open their doors to one another. So, my readers – I leave you here, and will hopefully be able to continue to post regularly. Let the
Well, my bags are packed…I’m ready to go. Time has come to say “Calishou”, or goodbye to Tibet. I have to say that David, Ethan and I did it up in style for our last day. The day began with us waking up pretty early in order to go down and have one last breakfast with Mirjam and Fran.
It was bitter sweet. All of us excited to move on from Tibet to new experiences, sad to say goodbye. We really got on well. We all feel that now is the perfect time to leave Tibet because everything has been so amazing. Go out on a high note – always a good call. We will all remember our time here as a special one. Fran and Mirjam were picked up at 8:30 to head to the airport. We said our goodbyes and went back to bed as we were not going to be picked up until 1pm for an afternoon tour.
I used the time to get up to date with my blogging… a big weight lifted for Chengdu. Ethan napped and watched a movie on HBO and David putzed on his computer. It was nice to have some downtime.
At 1pm we met Tse Tan and Tashi and were off to Norbulinka (meaning jewel park) – the summer palace of the Dalai Lama. Even today’s Dalai Lama (the 14th) took up residency there until he fled to India in 1959. It was actually from there that he made his escape.
The park was beautiful (of course), and full of people as the Yoghurt festival was still being celebrated. Many Tibetan families were there picnicking, eating, drinking and making merry. We toured the grounds and saw the respective summer dwellings of various Dalai Lamas, the highlight being that of the 14th Dalai Lama – the one alive today. David compared it to visiting the White House.
Following our tour, we then stopped, listened to and watched some traditional Tibetan Opera. It was more like a pantomime play with elaborate costumes, dancing and singing - very interesting to see. The three of us were pretty wiped out from 3 FULL days of touring, climbing mountains and other such enjoyable pursuits, so we asked Tse Dan where we could get a good, inexpensive Tibetan massage. He knew just the place. It was only 65 Yuan for a massage lasting over 1 hour and it was attached to an orphanage.
Tashi drove us all there and we invited Tse Tan and Tashi to come get a massage with us for all of their hard work, good driving and excellent hospitality while we were in Tibet. It was an experience. Ethan, Tse Tan and myself opted for the “foot reflexology massage” and were in one room, and David and Tashi opted for the full body massage and were somewhere else.
Now, if any of you come to Tibet or China, here is a piece of advice concerning massages. I always opt for the foot massage for three reasons: 1. My feet were always in need of some TLC due to how busy the Olympics were and how much walking and hiking we did on tours. 2. They are cheaper than full body massages. 3. When they give a foot massage, they also do your neck, back and shoulders… or so I thought. This place was different.
Tse Tan, Ethan and I all got our treatment in the same room. We entered the room and there were three reclining style chairs with footstools at the bottom. I picked mine and got comfortable. We were all in jeans and Tse Tan asked if we wanted ‘thin pants’ to make the massage better. We were up for it and said sure. “Thin pants,” as it turns out, were women’s pyjama bottoms. Mine were bright purple, Tse Tan had a nice pair of white ones with black polka dots, and Ethan (seeing as he is an absolute behemoth at 6’4, in a land that is built just for me) had yellow and orange striped ones that came just below his knees – culottes perhaps? It was quite funny. We stopped laughing, however, when they came in, picked up our shoes and ran out of the room with them. We had no idea what was going on, but later found out that they took them and cleaned them for us! My shoes were as good as new when all was said and done.
The treatment began and I was walking the line between pleasure and pain the whole time. It started with pleasure – them bringing us fresh apple slices and sweet flower petal tea. It then went to pain with my girl soaking my feet in the ABSOLUTE HOTTEST WATER I have ever felt. All that kept playing in my head was the public service announcement from when I was a kid: You know, the one with Sylvester and Tweety Bird saying “and remember, boiling water can burn in less than three seconds!”. Once my feet adjusted (after turning bright red), it was back to full on pleasure.
My masseuse then spent what seemed like forever working on each foot. Tse Tan kept asking if it was OK. Ethan had to tell his girl to be a bit more gentle, whereas I told Tse Tan to tell my girl that the harder the better. She loved this and went to town. She did reflexology on my feet, massaged my calves and my legs. Ethan and I were a little anxious because we really wanted to have our neck, back and shoulders worked on too – and from the massages we had in China, they always did that while our feet were soaking. Here it did not work that way. We asked Tse Tan if they would do our back and he said yes. We needed to relax and be patient.
I thought that my massage had ended, but then my masseuse kicked it into high gear. The foot portion was done, then it was onto the rest of the body. They did not just do neck, back and shoulders here, they did it all! Back to pleasure… but pain would soon come. The Masseuse then worked my legs from the front (I was laying on my back at this point) – She got into every knot and I was in heaven. My legs were then pulled and stretched every which way.
This massage was not for the shy, however. I had never had my pubic bone massaged (nothing dirty people) just heavy pressure applied in an acupressure sort of way right around the goods. It took a moment to adjust from the initial surprise (her hands just kept creeping up my leg, past the thigh…you get the picture), but then it actually was quite nice (in a non dirty way people! There was nothing sexual, her eyes averted the whole time… although she did tell Tse Dan that she thought I was handsome).
It was then time to flip and the neck, back, shoulders, back of my legs, and gluteus maximus were then fully massaged. Hot stones were used on my back and stomach - and I have the red heat blisters to prove it... I have never had my butt massaged before either… It was a day of firsts. I am sure it was quite therapeutic. See, all that for 65 yuan (less than 10 dollars) – and I didn’t even have to buy dinner first!
Following the massages (Tse Tan and Tashi were very thankful), we were starving. We asked Tse Tan to take us to a local joint… and that he did. We went to a restaurant that used to be a tavern and was literally a cave in the side of the hill beside Potala Palace. It only had enough space to have long narrow tables flanking both walls of the cave. The five of us could not even sit at the same table, we sat across the cave from each other and just yelled across when we talked. It really was a local place and I am not sure that there had been any westerners in there before. We were stared at, a novelty among locals. Tse Tan ordered food for us – Tibetan noodles, a rice/potato curry and yak momos in broth (of course!). It was delicious – and for the five of us it only cost 32 yuan – less than 1 dollar each. Once again, ridiculous. What was also ridiculous (and fun) was that for some reason they kept playing “My Humps” by the Black Eyed Peas – and seeing as it was a western song with English lyrics the three of us sang along – it is weird, no matter how wrong you know it is, you can’t help yourself. They got a kick out of that and I think that is why they kept playing it.
After dinner it was home to pack, watch some HBO and then write this blog. Tomorrow we are off to Chengdu in the middle of China. We are going to meet up with Kate there – a friend of a colleague of mine from Beijing that I met once at a pizza place. She has been living in Chengdu for over a year and speaks fluent mandarin – a winning combination in my books. Again, this is why I like travelling – travelers open their doors to one another. So, my readers – I leave you here, and will hopefully be able to continue to post regularly. Let the
Another great day
Wednesday, September 3, 2008 – Lhasa Tibet – 10:00 pm
Today was a good day (surprise, surprise). It was more relaxed and slightly less overwhelming (I only took 100 photos instead of my usual 350-400). It started out with our morning breakfast – and us lamenting the fact that Fran and Mirjam would be leaving our now, close-knit group for their own new adventures the following morning. It was our last full day together!
Tse Tan picked us up once again at 9:00am and we set out for the day. Today it was off to Yam Drok Lake, which is located very high in the mountains - no less than 5,000 metres above sea level. It is one of Tibet’s three holy lakes. It supposedly started out as a very small lake and then Dalai Lama #5 threw his walking stick in the lake and it became quite large. Once again, Ethan put on his iPod as we made the steep ascent into the mountains as the rest of us drank in the beautiful scenery. I have to say that we have been very lucky in Tibet. It was raining at our hotel in the morning when we left, but we chased the sun and caught it. No matter where we have been in this country, the sun has followed us.
It was definitely worth the hour drive to the lake and the sharp rise in altitude that caused all of our ears to pop (this was actually the worst my ears have felt since being here). We got out of the van and surveyed the scene. It was breathtaking. The lake actually reminded me of Lake Moraine in BC. It was a brilliant turquoise colour due to the fact that it was a salt lake. There was also a huge prayer flag pyramid (amazing). Due to the long car ride, however (and the copious amounts of coffee I consumed at breakfast), first stop for me was the “boilet” – you never know what you are going to get – but it will usually end in a smile or quizzical nod at least. Upon exiting the bathroom, we were all immediately pounced upon by locals peddling their wares and tugging on yaks that they wanted to have us take pictures with for money. This was the one thing that was starting to get on our nerves a little in our idyllic paradise. You see, with the dearth of tourists, the locals clamor for business and are EXTREMELY PERSISTENT. It was because of their persistence, however, that David Ethan and I discovered something even more breathtaking.
Not wanting to be hassled on our last day together, the five of us noticed a large hill that lead to a summit – so we just started climbing in hopes that we would not be followed. The ascent was brutal – a workout. Mirjam and Fran only went part way, but David, Ethan and I were determined to make it to the top… no matter our lung capacity when we reached it! What a payoff! From the summit we got a 360 degree view of the lake and could even see snow capped mountains in the distance. We were breathless… and not just because of the altitude and strenuous climb. The three of us stayed up there for a while and then decided to return to where our van was parked. On the way back down my cell phone rang (a very strange and surreal thing when on the top of a mountain in Tibet). It was Dan, of Dan and Susie 36 hour train to Lhasa fame. We made plans to meet for dinner at 7pm at the Lhasa kitchen. Following some more group photo ops is was time to head home.
On our way back to Lhasa we had the amazing good fortune to stop in a small village and enter the home of a Tibetan “middle class” family. A kind woman allowed us into her home. In exchange, we gave her a few yuan and some Olympic pins, which made her weathered face light up in a brilliant smile. I have to admit that the home was a bit of a culture shock for me. Middle class in Tibet is not middle class in Canada by any means. It was compound style – walled with a main entry. I will let the photos speak for themselves.
It was a humble home, but full of love, a kitten and a crazy evil dog… but just doing his job protecting the family I guess. He did not stop growling and barring his teeth the whole time we were there. I sure was glad he was chained up. The wall paintings that adorned the exterior and interior of the home were spectacular and the woman very welcoming.
The highlight, however was the children we met outside the home. They were very curious to see Westerners and hung around our van and stared at us. We gave them some candy that we had in the van and their faces lit up and personalities came out. They were quite the characters. I have said it before, and I will say it again: Kids are kids anywhere in the world and it is great to see. We played with them, took photos of them (which they loved seeing again in our digital cameras) and then said our goodbyes – “Calishou”. It was a moving experience, very different from our experience picnicking with the locals, but one I will always remember nonetheless.
We had our driver Tashi drop us at Barkhor street (the market) as Fran and Mirjam wanted to pick up some souvenirs before heading out the next morning (as did David, Ethan and I). We did great in the market, mainly because it was raining a little and the lack of tourists. After wandering and shopping for an hour, it was time to stop at our favourite Tibetan terrace, Gangki Restaurant for some beer and a midday momo.
After drinks were ordered, the gang settled in to write postcards home (sorry kids, I am not the postcard type). We were all somewhat distracted, however, because the music they were playing was all English music from the 70’s to the 90’s – very “easy rock”. All of us, just glad to hear music we knew, sang along to every song – from the Eagles Hotel California, to Lionel Ritchie, the Carpenters, to Celine Dion (I definitely drew the line here! Good lord, there is no escape!). The wait staff really got a kick out of us and just sat and stared and giggled, watching our every move. At one point, a particularly cheesy slow song from the late 70’s came on and so I had to ask Mirjam to dance… and dance we did. We slow danced right on top of that terrace, overlooking Jokhang Monestary in the middle of Lhasa, Tibet. Such a great group. Such good fun.
By this point it was 5:30 – so time for some last minute shopping in the market as we were not meeting Susie and Dan until 7:00. I got some souvenirs as did David and Ethan… now the big question: “How the heck are we going to lug it all around with us on the rest of our escapades???” Oh well, we will figure it out.
We met Dan and Susie at 7 and went to the Lhasa Kitchen for dinner. All of us got on famously. We regaled each other with tales of what we had been up to in Tibet, and what we were going to do with the rest of our time travelling. Mirjam and Fran have an organized tour all through southern China and Dan and Suzie are biking from Lhasa to Nepal. After our experiences yesterday with the roads up to Drak Yerpa and today’s trek to Yam Drok, all I can say to them is “good luck! I can’t wait to keep up with their adventures on their blog (you can click on the link at the side of this page to follow along too!)
Today, it truly felt like the last supper for me. Looking around the table, I realized that this may be the last time in a long time that I would see these people. I mean, this is what astounds me about travelling – how you can make such instant, deep connections with people that you only spend 5 days with. I will miss Fran’s sense of humour and penguin, and without Mirjam, who am I going to slow dance with to bad elevator music on terraces with??? The five of us are in the process of making a yearly travel group. Fran wants to go throw cheese at people in Italy, whereas Ethan wants to witness the running of the bulls in Spain. We will see, but we all really want to keep our connection – so I hope the David Daldwin Tour Company will not only live on, but thrive!
Following dinner, it was back to our favourite Yak yoghurt store to talk to our new friends, the shop owners as well as pick up a few last souvenirs. Ethan was in for a surprise when he entered the shop because his concoction from the night before (chocolate/strawberry yoghurt) was now proudly being displayed on the counter! We talked, we laughed, we drank yoghurt together. It was a fitting end.
Tomorrow morning we are waking up early to have one last breakfast with Mirjam and Fran and to see them off to the airport. It will be with a heavy heart that I say goodbye because I just can’t imagine not having them in our group for the rest of our adventures. We truly have become a family (getting hammered on fire water and yak butter tea at the top of a mountain in Tibet will do that to you). One good thing about them going to the airport, however, is that our guide Tse Tan and driver Tashi have to take them, which means the boys get to sleep in in the morning! We are not leaving to tour for the afternoon until 1pm. I am hoping that I can use that time to catch up on my blogging and photos.
Well, that’s all for this post. Until tomorrow, my last full day
Today was a good day (surprise, surprise). It was more relaxed and slightly less overwhelming (I only took 100 photos instead of my usual 350-400). It started out with our morning breakfast – and us lamenting the fact that Fran and Mirjam would be leaving our now, close-knit group for their own new adventures the following morning. It was our last full day together!
Tse Tan picked us up once again at 9:00am and we set out for the day. Today it was off to Yam Drok Lake, which is located very high in the mountains - no less than 5,000 metres above sea level. It is one of Tibet’s three holy lakes. It supposedly started out as a very small lake and then Dalai Lama #5 threw his walking stick in the lake and it became quite large. Once again, Ethan put on his iPod as we made the steep ascent into the mountains as the rest of us drank in the beautiful scenery. I have to say that we have been very lucky in Tibet. It was raining at our hotel in the morning when we left, but we chased the sun and caught it. No matter where we have been in this country, the sun has followed us.
It was definitely worth the hour drive to the lake and the sharp rise in altitude that caused all of our ears to pop (this was actually the worst my ears have felt since being here). We got out of the van and surveyed the scene. It was breathtaking. The lake actually reminded me of Lake Moraine in BC. It was a brilliant turquoise colour due to the fact that it was a salt lake. There was also a huge prayer flag pyramid (amazing). Due to the long car ride, however (and the copious amounts of coffee I consumed at breakfast), first stop for me was the “boilet” – you never know what you are going to get – but it will usually end in a smile or quizzical nod at least. Upon exiting the bathroom, we were all immediately pounced upon by locals peddling their wares and tugging on yaks that they wanted to have us take pictures with for money. This was the one thing that was starting to get on our nerves a little in our idyllic paradise. You see, with the dearth of tourists, the locals clamor for business and are EXTREMELY PERSISTENT. It was because of their persistence, however, that David Ethan and I discovered something even more breathtaking.
Love the signs
Yom Drak lake
David and Ethan climb to the top
Prayer flag tower and a yak.
It was a humble home, but full of love, a kitten and a crazy evil dog… but just doing his job protecting the family I guess. He did not stop growling and barring his teeth the whole time we were there. I sure was glad he was chained up. The wall paintings that adorned the exterior and interior of the home were spectacular and the woman very welcoming.
The highlight, however was the children we met outside the home. They were very curious to see Westerners and hung around our van and stared at us. We gave them some candy that we had in the van and their faces lit up and personalities came out. They were quite the characters. I have said it before, and I will say it again: Kids are kids anywhere in the world and it is great to see. We played with them, took photos of them (which they loved seeing again in our digital cameras) and then said our goodbyes – “Calishou”. It was a moving experience, very different from our experience picnicking with the locals, but one I will always remember nonetheless.
We had our driver Tashi drop us at Barkhor street (the market) as Fran and Mirjam wanted to pick up some souvenirs before heading out the next morning (as did David, Ethan and I). We did great in the market, mainly because it was raining a little and the lack of tourists. After wandering and shopping for an hour, it was time to stop at our favourite Tibetan terrace, Gangki Restaurant for some beer and a midday momo.
After drinks were ordered, the gang settled in to write postcards home (sorry kids, I am not the postcard type). We were all somewhat distracted, however, because the music they were playing was all English music from the 70’s to the 90’s – very “easy rock”. All of us, just glad to hear music we knew, sang along to every song – from the Eagles Hotel California, to Lionel Ritchie, the Carpenters, to Celine Dion (I definitely drew the line here! Good lord, there is no escape!). The wait staff really got a kick out of us and just sat and stared and giggled, watching our every move. At one point, a particularly cheesy slow song from the late 70’s came on and so I had to ask Mirjam to dance… and dance we did. We slow danced right on top of that terrace, overlooking Jokhang Monestary in the middle of Lhasa, Tibet. Such a great group. Such good fun.
The Postcard Club
By this point it was 5:30 – so time for some last minute shopping in the market as we were not meeting Susie and Dan until 7:00. I got some souvenirs as did David and Ethan… now the big question: “How the heck are we going to lug it all around with us on the rest of our escapades???” Oh well, we will figure it out.
We met Dan and Susie at 7 and went to the Lhasa Kitchen for dinner. All of us got on famously. We regaled each other with tales of what we had been up to in Tibet, and what we were going to do with the rest of our time travelling. Mirjam and Fran have an organized tour all through southern China and Dan and Suzie are biking from Lhasa to Nepal. After our experiences yesterday with the roads up to Drak Yerpa and today’s trek to Yam Drok, all I can say to them is “good luck! I can’t wait to keep up with their adventures on their blog (you can click on the link at the side of this page to follow along too!)
Our gang - Ethan, David, Mirjam, Fran, Susie, Dan
Today, it truly felt like the last supper for me. Looking around the table, I realized that this may be the last time in a long time that I would see these people. I mean, this is what astounds me about travelling – how you can make such instant, deep connections with people that you only spend 5 days with. I will miss Fran’s sense of humour and penguin, and without Mirjam, who am I going to slow dance with to bad elevator music on terraces with??? The five of us are in the process of making a yearly travel group. Fran wants to go throw cheese at people in Italy, whereas Ethan wants to witness the running of the bulls in Spain. We will see, but we all really want to keep our connection – so I hope the David Daldwin Tour Company will not only live on, but thrive!
Following dinner, it was back to our favourite Yak yoghurt store to talk to our new friends, the shop owners as well as pick up a few last souvenirs. Ethan was in for a surprise when he entered the shop because his concoction from the night before (chocolate/strawberry yoghurt) was now proudly being displayed on the counter! We talked, we laughed, we drank yoghurt together. It was a fitting end.
Tomorrow morning we are waking up early to have one last breakfast with Mirjam and Fran and to see them off to the airport. It will be with a heavy heart that I say goodbye because I just can’t imagine not having them in our group for the rest of our adventures. We truly have become a family (getting hammered on fire water and yak butter tea at the top of a mountain in Tibet will do that to you). One good thing about them going to the airport, however, is that our guide Tse Tan and driver Tashi have to take them, which means the boys get to sleep in in the morning! We are not leaving to tour for the afternoon until 1pm. I am hoping that I can use that time to catch up on my blogging and photos.
Well, that’s all for this post. Until tomorrow, my last full day
A library, a mountain, a goat and a pic nic...
Tuesday, September 3, 2008 – Lhasa, Tibet
Reeling from the day before, I woke up exited once again for what the day would have in store for us. On the schedule for today was the Sera Monastery and Drak Yerpa – an ancient monastery built into the side of a mountain in caves. I wouldn’t think it possible to outdo the day before… but it happened!
We loaded up with snacks and water for the road. Arriving at Sera, I knew immediately that it would be a completely different experience from Jokhang and Potala. As you entered, you walked up a tree-lined walkway that went on seemingly forever. It was flanked with monk dormitories and exuded an aura of introspection, meditation and learning. There was a feeling of sadness that loomed in the air as well. Sera used to be a place where the monks studied and debated in the open courtyard. Due to recent events, however, this practice has been suspended for the time being. The number of monks in the monastery has also dramatically dropped in the last years.
I was in heaven in Sera – My inner book geek was ecstatic! We entered a room and it was floor to ceiling bookshelves that housed religious scriptures. Sitting in the corner was a man that was using printing blocks to create copies of the scriptures. The sun was shining into the room, imbuing the room with an otherworldly feeling – AGAIN. We each bought printings to take home. Exploring the Monastery was as amazing as the day before. So many treasures, so much to take in.
We went into the temple part and yet again, it was another moving experience. We once again, said hello to many in line, shaking hands with the children, saying Tashi deleck. We bought Kada - the white scarf -for an offering. We wound our way though the rooms and got to the horse head buddha that was looked after by two monks accepting and blessing the kadas people were giving as offerings. In return for my offering, the monk blessed me and then I was adorned with a old Kada that had been blessed and housed in the temple for some time. I was honoured and speechless.
On the walk back to the van, the street was lined with many local vendors…. And a random cow. We checked everything out and went on our way… to what would be one of the most amazing experiences I have had in a very long time. We were off to Drak Yerpa.
Nestled amongst the mountains, 4,500 metres above sea level, lies a quiet and austere Monastery called Drak Yerpa. The drive up to Drak Yerpa was a bit hairy to say the least. We zigged and zagged up the mountainside on an impossibly small dirt road, with no guardrails. Ethan, who does not enjoy heights so much, put on his iPod and tuned us all out… his own personal meditation before reaching the summit I suppose. The vistas were remarkable. What seemed like millions of prayer flags blanketed the side of the mountain – bathing it in colour.
We were immediately met by a group of Tibetans selling prayer flags. All of us bought one set of prayer flags, put all of our names on it in Tibetan, dated it and offered it to the heavens for good fortune and long life. Wanting to cover all of my bases, I bought one myself and put my name on it. Once local then took them and strung them up on the mountain peaks yelling to us as he was doing it to show us where our flags went.
Drak Yerpa was like nothing I had experienced. It was hallowed and quiet – no tourists to be seen. The cliffs were dotted with little temples built into their walls, each one guarded by a Tibetan monk. We wound our way up the mountainside, exploring all of the temples, meeting the local monks. Here you were allowed to take pictures and I am glad to share them with you. Once again, the smell of yak butter candles permiated the air. I met a monk in one temple that let me take a photo of him and with him. He laughed and smiled when I showed him the picture on my camera. His smile warmed my soul.
We took the ascent slowly, none of us wanting to forget a single detail, wanting to remember every moment. Tse Tan had given me a piece of hard yak cheese that I was to suck on. It was to combat the altitude. It tasted different, but it worked. The Tibetan Buckley’ so to speak. Once we reached the top, having visited all of the tiny temples, we lost David. Where had David Daldwin, programme manager extraordinaire gone? We soon found him. With a goat. He had made a new fuzzy friend. The goat delighted in the through scratching behind his ears that David was administering. David communed with the goat (who, we discovered was a pet of the monks), as we all took photos.
I thought the monastery was amazing… that was just the beginning. The day was glorious and many local Tibetans were taking advantage. Several people were picnicking on the mountainside. We walked over into the groupings of people just for a wander, but we were soon being offered food and candy from a group of family and friends that were out to enjoy the day. At first we politely refused, but they would have none of it! Soon, we found ourselves sitting amongst them sharing food, trying to communicate with one another laughing and soaking up the sun.
I sat down beside an older gentleman, bedecked in a jaunty fedora and sunglasses. Little did I know what I was in for. He soon found out that I was from Janada (Canada). It was over for me. As it turned out, he has a friend living in Canada. For the rest of the afternoon, I was forced to take shot after shot of baijio (Chinese fire water) and I was forced to smoke cigarette after cigarette! Now all of you know I am anti smoking, but it was one of my cultural exceptions. There was no denying this man. He was literally throwing cigarettes at me on the mountaintop while plying me with fire water. Let me tell you, I have never had a buzz faster than when downing shots and smoking at almost 5,000 metres! We learned a new word that day: SHAPTA! Cheers. We were all yelling it out to the amusement of our local friends who were laughing and clapping uproariously. Such a great time, and authentic and heartwarming experience…with such hardship, it is amazing how happy, warm and kind these people are. They do not have much to give, but they give it willingly.
Wanting a reprieve from the smoking and drinking, Ethan, David and I decided the best thing to do (and not the smartest) was to climb to the top of the mountain to look at the scenery and yaks. I am surprised that we came back unharmed and did not fall off the mountain – (I remind you of the lack of guardrails in Tibet). Before we reached the top, we ran into a group with a yak adorned in traditional garb. After may shots and cigarettes, David and Ethan thought it best to pay 5 yuan to have their photo taken atop said yak.
We reached the summit of our climb (against Tse Tan’s wishes, who thought us too inebriated to go on a hike). It was gorgeous. Then we went back to our new friends. We passed out Olympics pins to everyone and they were appreciative. It was great to be able to offer them something in return for their hospitality. Pictures were taken, more shaptas were said. They also offered us homemade yak butter tea. We had been warned by our guidebook about this experience. It is a must in Tibet, but everyone said it was terrible. It is a concoction of melted yak butter, hot water, tea leaves and salt. It is supposedly great to get you through the winters and acts as a natural chapstick. The first gulp was a little much, but I have to say I got used to it. It is like drinking hot, salty, liquid butter… with a somewhat odd taste. Perhaps it was our surroundings and our amazing day and experience, but I was honoured to be drinking my yak butter tea at the top of the world.
On the way down, we all blessed ourselves at a holy spring. The cold water, helped to sober me up to be honest and combat the altitude.
We were all quiet on the ride home, just reflecting on our day. It was back to the hotel for a nap and then back to Barkhor for a great dinner with friends and food – all for under 4$. If someone told me right then that I had to go home. It would have all been worth it….. a thousand times over.
Reeling from the day before, I woke up exited once again for what the day would have in store for us. On the schedule for today was the Sera Monastery and Drak Yerpa – an ancient monastery built into the side of a mountain in caves. I wouldn’t think it possible to outdo the day before… but it happened!
We loaded up with snacks and water for the road. Arriving at Sera, I knew immediately that it would be a completely different experience from Jokhang and Potala. As you entered, you walked up a tree-lined walkway that went on seemingly forever. It was flanked with monk dormitories and exuded an aura of introspection, meditation and learning. There was a feeling of sadness that loomed in the air as well. Sera used to be a place where the monks studied and debated in the open courtyard. Due to recent events, however, this practice has been suspended for the time being. The number of monks in the monastery has also dramatically dropped in the last years.
I was in heaven in Sera – My inner book geek was ecstatic! We entered a room and it was floor to ceiling bookshelves that housed religious scriptures. Sitting in the corner was a man that was using printing blocks to create copies of the scriptures. The sun was shining into the room, imbuing the room with an otherworldly feeling – AGAIN. We each bought printings to take home. Exploring the Monastery was as amazing as the day before. So many treasures, so much to take in.
We went into the temple part and yet again, it was another moving experience. We once again, said hello to many in line, shaking hands with the children, saying Tashi deleck. We bought Kada - the white scarf -for an offering. We wound our way though the rooms and got to the horse head buddha that was looked after by two monks accepting and blessing the kadas people were giving as offerings. In return for my offering, the monk blessed me and then I was adorned with a old Kada that had been blessed and housed in the temple for some time. I was honoured and speechless.
us with our blessed Kada
Nestled amongst the mountains, 4,500 metres above sea level, lies a quiet and austere Monastery called Drak Yerpa. The drive up to Drak Yerpa was a bit hairy to say the least. We zigged and zagged up the mountainside on an impossibly small dirt road, with no guardrails. Ethan, who does not enjoy heights so much, put on his iPod and tuned us all out… his own personal meditation before reaching the summit I suppose. The vistas were remarkable. What seemed like millions of prayer flags blanketed the side of the mountain – bathing it in colour.
We were immediately met by a group of Tibetans selling prayer flags. All of us bought one set of prayer flags, put all of our names on it in Tibetan, dated it and offered it to the heavens for good fortune and long life. Wanting to cover all of my bases, I bought one myself and put my name on it. Once local then took them and strung them up on the mountain peaks yelling to us as he was doing it to show us where our flags went.
My name in Tibetan
Drak Yerpa was like nothing I had experienced. It was hallowed and quiet – no tourists to be seen. The cliffs were dotted with little temples built into their walls, each one guarded by a Tibetan monk. We wound our way up the mountainside, exploring all of the temples, meeting the local monks. Here you were allowed to take pictures and I am glad to share them with you. Once again, the smell of yak butter candles permiated the air. I met a monk in one temple that let me take a photo of him and with him. He laughed and smiled when I showed him the picture on my camera. His smile warmed my soul.
yak butter candles
We took the ascent slowly, none of us wanting to forget a single detail, wanting to remember every moment. Tse Tan had given me a piece of hard yak cheese that I was to suck on. It was to combat the altitude. It tasted different, but it worked. The Tibetan Buckley’ so to speak. Once we reached the top, having visited all of the tiny temples, we lost David. Where had David Daldwin, programme manager extraordinaire gone? We soon found him. With a goat. He had made a new fuzzy friend. The goat delighted in the through scratching behind his ears that David was administering. David communed with the goat (who, we discovered was a pet of the monks), as we all took photos.
I thought the monastery was amazing… that was just the beginning. The day was glorious and many local Tibetans were taking advantage. Several people were picnicking on the mountainside. We walked over into the groupings of people just for a wander, but we were soon being offered food and candy from a group of family and friends that were out to enjoy the day. At first we politely refused, but they would have none of it! Soon, we found ourselves sitting amongst them sharing food, trying to communicate with one another laughing and soaking up the sun.
I sat down beside an older gentleman, bedecked in a jaunty fedora and sunglasses. Little did I know what I was in for. He soon found out that I was from Janada (Canada). It was over for me. As it turned out, he has a friend living in Canada. For the rest of the afternoon, I was forced to take shot after shot of baijio (Chinese fire water) and I was forced to smoke cigarette after cigarette! Now all of you know I am anti smoking, but it was one of my cultural exceptions. There was no denying this man. He was literally throwing cigarettes at me on the mountaintop while plying me with fire water. Let me tell you, I have never had a buzz faster than when downing shots and smoking at almost 5,000 metres! We learned a new word that day: SHAPTA! Cheers. We were all yelling it out to the amusement of our local friends who were laughing and clapping uproariously. Such a great time, and authentic and heartwarming experience…with such hardship, it is amazing how happy, warm and kind these people are. They do not have much to give, but they give it willingly.
Wanting a reprieve from the smoking and drinking, Ethan, David and I decided the best thing to do (and not the smartest) was to climb to the top of the mountain to look at the scenery and yaks. I am surprised that we came back unharmed and did not fall off the mountain – (I remind you of the lack of guardrails in Tibet). Before we reached the top, we ran into a group with a yak adorned in traditional garb. After may shots and cigarettes, David and Ethan thought it best to pay 5 yuan to have their photo taken atop said yak.
We reached the summit of our climb (against Tse Tan’s wishes, who thought us too inebriated to go on a hike). It was gorgeous. Then we went back to our new friends. We passed out Olympics pins to everyone and they were appreciative. It was great to be able to offer them something in return for their hospitality. Pictures were taken, more shaptas were said. They also offered us homemade yak butter tea. We had been warned by our guidebook about this experience. It is a must in Tibet, but everyone said it was terrible. It is a concoction of melted yak butter, hot water, tea leaves and salt. It is supposedly great to get you through the winters and acts as a natural chapstick. The first gulp was a little much, but I have to say I got used to it. It is like drinking hot, salty, liquid butter… with a somewhat odd taste. Perhaps it was our surroundings and our amazing day and experience, but I was honoured to be drinking my yak butter tea at the top of the world.
yak butter tea
On the way down, we all blessed ourselves at a holy spring. The cold water, helped to sober me up to be honest and combat the altitude.
We were all quiet on the ride home, just reflecting on our day. It was back to the hotel for a nap and then back to Barkhor for a great dinner with friends and food – all for under 4$. If someone told me right then that I had to go home. It would have all been worth it….. a thousand times over.
Tashi Delek Lhasa, Tibet!
Tashi Deleck - Hello Tibet!
Monday, September 1, 2008 - Lhasa, Tibet
The following morning David, Ethan and I woke up, showered and met Mirjam and Fran for breakfast. It is nice having our breakfast included in our hotel rate. We were all still abuzz, recounting our adventures from the night before and wondering what our day would have in store for us. The sun was shining, the air was crisp and we were eager to set out.
Tse Tan picked us up promptly at 9:00 am and our first stop was the Jokhang Temple, located in the heart of old Lhasa. The temple was built over 1000 years ago, and many Tibetans still flock to it each morning with their yak butter, barley grains or monetary notes to make offerings to Buddha for longevity and good fortune. The group of us stepped out of our van, and I am not sure that any of us were prepared for what we were met with, or what we were about to experience.
Immediately, we were struck with the smell of burning juniper leaves, yak butter and barley. A strange combination, but I associate that smell with a Tibetan home for some reason (even though I have never visited one). It is both comforting and pure - the smoke, intoxicating. Now, as most of you know, I am not a fan of the incense at home. But here, for some reason, I love it. I guess it is akin to those large pink houses in Miami… there, they work; put one in Toronto and you would think the person was coo coo for coco puffs. I love waking up in the morning and smelling burning incense on the wind. It is like a Tibetan campfire. That, coupled with the weather here, really reminds me of home in the fall during camping season. Perhaps that is why I am loving Tibet so much.
Two large urn like furnaces flank the main entrance into Johang which is adorned with a golden statue of a unicorn and deer between a wheel. These urns are where the locals make their offerings. A large pole covered in prayer flags also stands beside one of the urns at the front of the Temple. Tibetan prayer flags are brightly coloured pieces of cloth (red=fire, blue=space, green=water, yellow=earth, white=the clouds/wind – representing the five sacred elements). Upon the pieces of cloth are printed prayers, offerings to the gods. Those that put up prayer flags ask for a long and healthy life as well as blessings. They stay up until they disintegrate and the prayers are carried up to the heavens on the wind. For more information, visit www.prayerflags.com.
The temple at 9:30am is full of activity. A large number of Buddhists were walking in circles, clockwise around the temple as a form of meditation and prayer. Many were holding prayer beads or prayer wheels, which they also turn clockwise. They can walk around the temple as many times as they wish (some even hundreds), but it is always done in an odd number. As they would pass the prayer flags, many would stop in a moment of prayer, touching their foreheads to the flags.
We all stood there for a moment, drinking it all in as Tse Tan, a practicing Buddhist, told us all about the history, what was happening around us, as well as personal stories relating to the temple. We then walked to the front entrance of the temple (which was a little hidden to the side). As we walked around the corner, once again, I was not totally prepared for what I was about to encounter. Many locals were prostrating themselves in front of the temple in prayer and meditation. Tse Tan had told us that this is what people did each morning, but to see it in action was humbling. Chanting echoed in my ears as the people would stand, salute the temple then go down own their knees, lower themselves fully to the ground on their stomachs and then come back up to standing position. I was moved by people actually living their religion, embodying what they believed. That does not happen very often in North America. After watching the prostrations for a few minutes, it was time to enter the temple proper. No photos were allowed inside the temple (or any temples for that matter), so you will have to rely on my descriptions.
I have to admit that my conscience was being tested and I was feeling pangs of guilt as we entered the Temple. As Westerners, all eyes were on us as we passed everyone in line waiting to enter the temple. Several “hellos” were being called out and the younger Tibetans giggled and laughed while we responded “Tashi Delek” – or greetings. I asked Tse Tan if it was OK that we were bypassing the line and if they would get mad. He responded no, because they were waiting to make offerings and pray to Buddha whereas we were just here to visit the temple and learn about the history. Seeing as Tse Tan was a practicing Buddhist and he was the one who said it was fine I felt a little better, but pangs of guilt did stay with me as I went through the temple. Were we just tourists trying to appropriate another culture, capitalizing on an opportunity? I just hope that they did not think that I was disrespectful in any way and truly interested in learning about their culture. It is something that I have had to deal with my entire time here in Tibet.
A modest exterior belies the grandeur that is housed within Jokhang’s walls. A warm, dim glow greeted us, created by the burning of Yak butter candles. The brilliant colours of the hand painted murals, door jams, and statues of Buddha guilded in gold were staggering. The history of this place amazed me. Tse Tan had a story about everything. It was crazy. The history, the aura, the sheer splendor housed in the temple. As we went through the temple we watched and learned as people made their offerings to different buddhas depending on what they needed blessings for. Some prostrated, some touched their foreheads to relics, some simply donated a few yuan. Room after room was filled with treasures and stories the next more amazing that the one that preceded it. The sounds of deep guttural chanting, the smells of yak butter candles, the sight of the countless treasures… it was so much to process. We walked through the temple and then went up to the roof to a gorgeous courtyard. All of old Lhasa was at our feet. The sun was shining an the vista impressive. We just let the scene wash over us, took lots of photos, breathed in the fresh air and enjoyed the moment. Then it was back for some final touring of the Temple.
We emerged from the warm glow of the temple into the bright sunshine. Tse Tan gave us one hour to explore the local market on Barkhor street. It was fun to explore as the wares were different than those in China and it was also much cheaper (if you can even believe it). The five of us wandered, laughed and joked with each other while we haggled with the local vendors. Our group was gelling amazingly well, and to be honest, I was quite surprised as we all have very different personalities.
We wound our way through Barkhor street and ended up at the Lhasa Kitchen for lunch. The five of us sat down with Tse Tan our guide and Tashi our driver for a sumptuous meal. We ordered samplings of many different things on the menu and shared it all family style. I love it that this is what we do. We had yak momos (like a dumpling), vegetable momos, masala, shabaleb (fried bread with yak meat – tastes similar to a samosa), rice, and countless other dishes, all delicious. Once again, it was almost a joke when the bill came. For five of us it was about $3.50 each. Amazing.
We needed the fuel because it was off to the Potala Palace. Started in the 7th Century as two rooms, until the 17th century when the 5th Dalai Lama expanded it to its present grandeur of over 1000 rooms and 13 floors. It is divided into two different sections, the white section (or political section), housing all administrative and social buildings and the red section (or religious section), housing all of the private rooms of the respective Dalai Lamas and monks – meditation rooms, sleeping chambers etc.
We were all a little suspect as to how our bodies would react to attempting to climb the 263 steps at the palace… we think there were more. Guide books had warned us that the Potala Palace should not be attempted on the first couple of days you arrive in Tibet due to your body attempting to acclimate to the altitude. Well, it was our first full day and we were going to give it a go.
Here is a helpful hint: When attempting to climb the numerous steps of the Potala, do not walk beside David. When we started the climb, as soon as his foot hit the first step, he said “one” and then proceeded to count all the way up. By step 13 or so, I had to politely tell him that, if he continued, I may have to push him over the side of the palace wall. He stopped (counting out loud anyway). I have to say, the climb, due to the altitude, was much more rigorous than climbing the great wall.
We finally reached the top and once again, it was sensory overload. The Palace was amazing. To think these relics have stood for centuries. I am not going into detail because it was just crazy. Too much to explain. The palace housed many tombs of past dalai lamas encrusted with jewels, gold and other precious metals. The large assembly hall was equally impressive. The architecture was also quite ingenious, as the Tibetan craftsmen put beautiful skylights in all over the temple to provide light. Sunshine streamed through the palace, creating quite a transcendental feeling in the air.
Following Potala, we were all pretty wiped, both physically and emotionally, so it was back to the hotel for a quick nap before heading out to dinner. We all went back to Barkhor street, also joined by Amy, my boss from Beijing who had arrived in Tibet a few days prior. We gorged once again, and once again, each paid maybe $4 for dinner – alcohol included (we had passed our alcohol abstinence period finally!).
After a dinner full of laughs, great conversation and good times, we walked down barkhor to catch a cab home. On the way, we came across a little shop that sold Tibetan flavoured yoghurt. The ladies in the shop took a liking to all of us, so we all got yoghurt. Fran got orange, Mirjam and David got apple, and I got taro (it was purple and I was feeling adventurous). Ethan tried mine – and did not like it at all, so he made his own flavour – chocolate strawberry. He was finally happy. The girls who owned the shop had never tried it, so they did and gave it the thumbs up!
With full bellies and happy hearts, once again – we headed for home to meditate on what we experienced that day as well as for a well earned sleep.
Monday, September 1, 2008 - Lhasa, Tibet
The following morning David, Ethan and I woke up, showered and met Mirjam and Fran for breakfast. It is nice having our breakfast included in our hotel rate. We were all still abuzz, recounting our adventures from the night before and wondering what our day would have in store for us. The sun was shining, the air was crisp and we were eager to set out.
Tse Tan picked us up promptly at 9:00 am and our first stop was the Jokhang Temple, located in the heart of old Lhasa. The temple was built over 1000 years ago, and many Tibetans still flock to it each morning with their yak butter, barley grains or monetary notes to make offerings to Buddha for longevity and good fortune. The group of us stepped out of our van, and I am not sure that any of us were prepared for what we were met with, or what we were about to experience.
Jokhang Temple
Immediately, we were struck with the smell of burning juniper leaves, yak butter and barley. A strange combination, but I associate that smell with a Tibetan home for some reason (even though I have never visited one). It is both comforting and pure - the smoke, intoxicating. Now, as most of you know, I am not a fan of the incense at home. But here, for some reason, I love it. I guess it is akin to those large pink houses in Miami… there, they work; put one in Toronto and you would think the person was coo coo for coco puffs. I love waking up in the morning and smelling burning incense on the wind. It is like a Tibetan campfire. That, coupled with the weather here, really reminds me of home in the fall during camping season. Perhaps that is why I am loving Tibet so much.
Two large urn like furnaces flank the main entrance into Johang which is adorned with a golden statue of a unicorn and deer between a wheel. These urns are where the locals make their offerings. A large pole covered in prayer flags also stands beside one of the urns at the front of the Temple. Tibetan prayer flags are brightly coloured pieces of cloth (red=fire, blue=space, green=water, yellow=earth, white=the clouds/wind – representing the five sacred elements). Upon the pieces of cloth are printed prayers, offerings to the gods. Those that put up prayer flags ask for a long and healthy life as well as blessings. They stay up until they disintegrate and the prayers are carried up to the heavens on the wind. For more information, visit www.prayerflags.com.
The temple at 9:30am is full of activity. A large number of Buddhists were walking in circles, clockwise around the temple as a form of meditation and prayer. Many were holding prayer beads or prayer wheels, which they also turn clockwise. They can walk around the temple as many times as they wish (some even hundreds), but it is always done in an odd number. As they would pass the prayer flags, many would stop in a moment of prayer, touching their foreheads to the flags.
We all stood there for a moment, drinking it all in as Tse Tan, a practicing Buddhist, told us all about the history, what was happening around us, as well as personal stories relating to the temple. We then walked to the front entrance of the temple (which was a little hidden to the side). As we walked around the corner, once again, I was not totally prepared for what I was about to encounter. Many locals were prostrating themselves in front of the temple in prayer and meditation. Tse Tan had told us that this is what people did each morning, but to see it in action was humbling. Chanting echoed in my ears as the people would stand, salute the temple then go down own their knees, lower themselves fully to the ground on their stomachs and then come back up to standing position. I was moved by people actually living their religion, embodying what they believed. That does not happen very often in North America. After watching the prostrations for a few minutes, it was time to enter the temple proper. No photos were allowed inside the temple (or any temples for that matter), so you will have to rely on my descriptions.
I have to admit that my conscience was being tested and I was feeling pangs of guilt as we entered the Temple. As Westerners, all eyes were on us as we passed everyone in line waiting to enter the temple. Several “hellos” were being called out and the younger Tibetans giggled and laughed while we responded “Tashi Delek” – or greetings. I asked Tse Tan if it was OK that we were bypassing the line and if they would get mad. He responded no, because they were waiting to make offerings and pray to Buddha whereas we were just here to visit the temple and learn about the history. Seeing as Tse Tan was a practicing Buddhist and he was the one who said it was fine I felt a little better, but pangs of guilt did stay with me as I went through the temple. Were we just tourists trying to appropriate another culture, capitalizing on an opportunity? I just hope that they did not think that I was disrespectful in any way and truly interested in learning about their culture. It is something that I have had to deal with my entire time here in Tibet.
A modest exterior belies the grandeur that is housed within Jokhang’s walls. A warm, dim glow greeted us, created by the burning of Yak butter candles. The brilliant colours of the hand painted murals, door jams, and statues of Buddha guilded in gold were staggering. The history of this place amazed me. Tse Tan had a story about everything. It was crazy. The history, the aura, the sheer splendor housed in the temple. As we went through the temple we watched and learned as people made their offerings to different buddhas depending on what they needed blessings for. Some prostrated, some touched their foreheads to relics, some simply donated a few yuan. Room after room was filled with treasures and stories the next more amazing that the one that preceded it. The sounds of deep guttural chanting, the smells of yak butter candles, the sight of the countless treasures… it was so much to process. We walked through the temple and then went up to the roof to a gorgeous courtyard. All of old Lhasa was at our feet. The sun was shining an the vista impressive. We just let the scene wash over us, took lots of photos, breathed in the fresh air and enjoyed the moment. Then it was back for some final touring of the Temple.
The gang on the rooftop courtyard - Jokhang, temple
roof adornments
We emerged from the warm glow of the temple into the bright sunshine. Tse Tan gave us one hour to explore the local market on Barkhor street. It was fun to explore as the wares were different than those in China and it was also much cheaper (if you can even believe it). The five of us wandered, laughed and joked with each other while we haggled with the local vendors. Our group was gelling amazingly well, and to be honest, I was quite surprised as we all have very different personalities.
We wound our way through Barkhor street and ended up at the Lhasa Kitchen for lunch. The five of us sat down with Tse Tan our guide and Tashi our driver for a sumptuous meal. We ordered samplings of many different things on the menu and shared it all family style. I love it that this is what we do. We had yak momos (like a dumpling), vegetable momos, masala, shabaleb (fried bread with yak meat – tastes similar to a samosa), rice, and countless other dishes, all delicious. Once again, it was almost a joke when the bill came. For five of us it was about $3.50 each. Amazing.
We needed the fuel because it was off to the Potala Palace. Started in the 7th Century as two rooms, until the 17th century when the 5th Dalai Lama expanded it to its present grandeur of over 1000 rooms and 13 floors. It is divided into two different sections, the white section (or political section), housing all administrative and social buildings and the red section (or religious section), housing all of the private rooms of the respective Dalai Lamas and monks – meditation rooms, sleeping chambers etc.
Potala Palace
The Gang before the climb
Here is a helpful hint: When attempting to climb the numerous steps of the Potala, do not walk beside David. When we started the climb, as soon as his foot hit the first step, he said “one” and then proceeded to count all the way up. By step 13 or so, I had to politely tell him that, if he continued, I may have to push him over the side of the palace wall. He stopped (counting out loud anyway). I have to say, the climb, due to the altitude, was much more rigorous than climbing the great wall.
We finally reached the top and once again, it was sensory overload. The Palace was amazing. To think these relics have stood for centuries. I am not going into detail because it was just crazy. Too much to explain. The palace housed many tombs of past dalai lamas encrusted with jewels, gold and other precious metals. The large assembly hall was equally impressive. The architecture was also quite ingenious, as the Tibetan craftsmen put beautiful skylights in all over the temple to provide light. Sunshine streamed through the palace, creating quite a transcendental feeling in the air.
The Gang reaches the top... the wall was holding us up!
Following Potala, we were all pretty wiped, both physically and emotionally, so it was back to the hotel for a quick nap before heading out to dinner. We all went back to Barkhor street, also joined by Amy, my boss from Beijing who had arrived in Tibet a few days prior. We gorged once again, and once again, each paid maybe $4 for dinner – alcohol included (we had passed our alcohol abstinence period finally!).
After a dinner full of laughs, great conversation and good times, we walked down barkhor to catch a cab home. On the way, we came across a little shop that sold Tibetan flavoured yoghurt. The ladies in the shop took a liking to all of us, so we all got yoghurt. Fran got orange, Mirjam and David got apple, and I got taro (it was purple and I was feeling adventurous). Ethan tried mine – and did not like it at all, so he made his own flavour – chocolate strawberry. He was finally happy. The girls who owned the shop had never tried it, so they did and gave it the thumbs up!
Ethan does not like Taro...
Chocolate strawberry... good!
The ladies agree.
With full bellies and happy hearts, once again – we headed for home to meditate on what we experienced that day as well as for a well earned sleep.
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