Can't Even Begin....

Monday, September 1, 2008 - 10:10 pm
Lhasa, Tibet

I am on sensory overload right now and I honestly have no idea where to begin. My last 26 hours in Lhasa, Tibet have been indescribable. Lhasa literally means “place of the gods” and I am wont to believe it. I am awash with thoughts and emotions, grasping in a vain attempt to hold on to every last shred of my experiences and impressions, desperate to communicate them in a way that will not only serve as a log for myself, but will convey, even by the smallest of degrees the feeling I have been imbued with since setting foot in this mystical land. Life presents you with experiences that you never imagine possible, and I defy anyone to not come away from this place a changed person in one respect or another. I am feeling this way and I have only been here for just over a day. I can’t wait to see what the next five days have in store.

Stepping off the train in Lhasa, David, Ethan and I knew instantly that we weren’t in Beijing anymore… and what a relief! There was space! We were not being jostled or yelled at, and had a moment to collect ourselves. More than that, the air was fresh and clear, the sky was blue and went on for miles as the sun was just beginning to set beneath the picturesque mountains, which encircle Tibet. The three of us were more dumbfounded and awestruck at this train station than the frenetic monstrosity that was Beijing West – for its sheer, raw beauty. I am not sure any of us were prepared for it. Perhaps I am just painting a memory here, and waxing slightly poetic, but I could swear that we could smell incense permeating the air we were breathing, acting as a soothing balm, putting us in a calm and relaxed state. One does not rush anywhere in Tibet. It is a place that one cannot help but slowly drink in and experience.



Tse Tan, our local Tibetan guide that will be with us for the duration of our trip, met us at the station. He each gave us a traditional Kada – or white silk scarf, which is a Tibetan symbol of welcome. His name translates to John in English – I knew instantly that we would get along just fine. The tour situation for guides in Tibet has been nothing less than dire in recent months as the borders have just been open to tourists. On the way to our hotel, Tse Tan told us about the area, what we would be doing over the coming days and how to combat altitude sickness. The latter is of utmost importance if you are going to visit Tibet. Tibet occupies the Tibetan Plateau, which lies at China’s southwest corner just a little below 12,000 feet or just over 4,000 metres. The key is water, water and more water. We were instructed that we should refrain from drinking alcohol at least one day. Sad for us, but we were good boys and followed the rules. Trust me… we were glad we did the following day. The rest of the ride I just sat back, mouth agape letting the stark and breathtaking scenery wash over me, drinking in all I could.

We arrived at our hotel, the Brahmaputra Grand, Tibet’s only 4 star hotel (but due to the lack of tourism, we are getting an ‘econolodge’ deal). It is quite grand, and our room well appointed. We even have free internet (hence being able to post blogs!). The three of us all type up our blogs in word and then take turns on the internet to post. It is actually making my blog entries much more detailed (as you can see), because I am not fighting to beat the internet before it konks out.

As soon as we arrived, we knocked on the door of our friends Mirjam (from Slovenia) and Fran (from Italy) who are joining us on our Tibet leg. We said our hellos and made plans to go for dinner….not before we showered, however! 36 hours on a Chinese train breeds all kind of stank on one’s person. Following a quick clean up, we all met in the lobby. We did not care where we were going to go, we just loved being outside in fresh, crisp air. The weather here is reminding me of Canadian late autumn. It is gorgeous and warm during the day, but as soon as the sun drops behind the mountains, a sweater and/or jacket is in order. We were all tired and had a full day of touring ahead of us so we wanted to stay close.
We wandered down the street and saw a hotel that looked like it may have a restaurant. David went in and spoke with the receptionist, who immediately ran out of the hotel. I thought he may have offended her but as it turned out, she was running next door because the local Tibetan man who ran the adjoining teahouse spoke English. His name was Nam Han and he immediately ushered us in. We were convinced the place was closed. The lights were off and there was not a person to be seen. All of a sudden the lights went on and we were asked to pick our table.

We all sat down and Nam Han joined us. We asked him to share our meal with us, but he had already eaten. The Italian in me knew that this group of random people thrown together because of the Olympics would get along just fine. How did I know? The first words out of everyone’s mouth was let’s order a bunch of dishes and share. Awesome. David and Ethan took up the mantle of ordering while Mirjam, Fran and myself sat and listened to Nam Han as he regaled us with stories of his life, the changes going on in Tibet, and his personal situation. Nam Han used to be a tour guide in Tibet who left to India (and had the Indian accent when he spoke English to prove it), when unrest came into Tibet. He lived in India for 10 years and was now back in Tibet. He is an out of work tour guide – the tourists are just not coming. I first thought that he was trying to get us to give him sympathy in the form of money, but was soon proven wrong. He told us all about Tibet and what to do and see in Lhasa, as well as all about the Yoghurt Festival that had started the day previous. (And I have to say the Yak Yoghurt is awesome! All in all, we are all fans of the Yak!).

David and Ethan ordered a plethora of dishes, ranging from Yak meat dumplings called momos, cucumbers, pork spare ribs, potato curry, and some sort of potato momos which were delicious. We gorged ourselves. When we asked for the bill we were informed that it would be 80 Yuan… we immediately said: “each?” – thinking we had been taken advantage of seeing as it was a hotel. “Oh no, they replied – 80 total”. So for 5 people dinner was 80 yuan which works out to about 2 dollars per person. Good lord. It blows my mind every time. We also learned our first Tibetan word – Tutichi – meaning thank you.




Bellies full, hearts content, legs slightly wobbly from the altitude, our new group of fast friends meandered home talking of what we might encounter the following day – our first full day in Tibet.

Well, loyal reader – if you have forged your way through my entire entry – you deserve a break. It was great to relive it, but I have to leave it here. I need more time to process my day today. A break is in order for both you and I. I will leave you with this:

Today was by far one of the greatest, most eye-opening, wondrous, joyous, sad, awe inspiring and visually stunning days I have experienced in a very long time…perhaps even longer than I can remember. Like it’s neighbour China, Tibet is a land of dualities. It is a world all its own and unlike anywhere I have ever known. The Tibetan people are by far one of the most beautiful and captivating peoples I have ever seen. Their eyes are deeper than any ocean and the lines on their weathered faces tell stories older than any tree. They captivate. They inspire. I count myself honoured and humbled to have this opportunity. My blessings immeasurable. I know I have gone on and on, but the blue sky, the gleaming sun, the warm people and stunningly rugged terrain – amazing. I may have glimpsed heaven, and never have been closer to god… whoever that might be.