TIBET - Part 4: Lhasa to Shigatse

The car was packed tight with our bags, flags, and snacks and our journey to Mt. Everest began! 
We headed towards the town of Shigatse (about a 9hr drive) where we would spend one night before reaching our destination.  Along the way there were several checkpoints - those for permits but also speed checkpoints.  A new law was instated to help regulate traffic and speeding or so it seemed.  Rules could not be clearly explained to us.  Tenzin said if he couldn't tell us, he would say 'I don't know' - we got a lot of that.  Our driver would pull over at a check point and grab a piece of paper stating when he could pass the next checkpoint.  If arrived too early, a ticket would be issued.

We drove through the countryside and villages before beginning to climb altitude over some mountains to reach Yamdrok lake.

At Yamdrok lake we pulled over to stretch our legs and take in the spectacular view of the lake.  It is a freshwater lake and one of three sacred lakes in Tibet - no fishing here!  Everyone from the Dalai Lama and local villagers make pilgrimages to his location.

We stopped at another area of the lake for a bathroom break and another stretch before getting back on the road to Shigatse.  There are usually peddlers in areas like this selling merchandise but here you could pay to hug a mastiff and ride a yak - so we did!  Tenzin also brought along cappuccinos for everyone; I gave mine to B ;)

A little further down the road we took another quick rest at a glacier - nothing but views in Tibet!

Our driver, Kaison.

 

Along the road you would see pyramids built out of rocks for luck.

B decided to build us one for luck on our journey to see Everest!

Ready for more driving!  

Another 4hrs or so from here!

By evening we were in Shigatse, had dinner (more yak!), and ready to tackle another 9hr drive to reach the top of the world.

TIBET - Part 5:  Mt. Everest

TIBET - Part 3: Prayer Flags & Monastery

We had one more day to acclimate to the altitude around Lhasa before heading onwards and upwards towards Mt. Everest.  Since everyone was doing well with the adjustment, Tenzin took us on a drive into the nearby mountains to visit Drak Yerpa monastery.  This would be our first outing outside of Lhasa and first glimpse of true Tibetan culture and living situations.

We weren't on the road long before we were stopped due to a landslide on the mountain.  We took in views while waiting for a truck to clear the debris along with the other locals :)

We were one our way once the road was cleared.  Little did we know up ahead would be what would become one of the most memorable experiences of the trip.  When one hears about Tibetan prayer flags, one typically thinks they are hung for luck of the family and carrying wishes to the gods, but they are so much more.  The five colored cloths represent the five elements in a specific order:  blue, white, red, green, and yellow.  Blue symbolizes sky and space, white symbolizes the air and wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth.  A balance of these elements produces harmony.  Tenzin explained that yes, the flags are hung for luck and prosperity of the family but they also represent well wishes for all other beings.  Hanging the flags from the tallest point helps the prayers and mantras be blown by the wind to spread goodwill, peace, and compassion into all pervading space.  A beautiful sentiment to be blown into the world!

The guys were asked to help hang flags that Tenzin brought with him.  I was yelled at for climbing too high by some of the locals; apparently climbing to high ground to hang flags isn't a girls job...

We jumped back in the car and headed towards the monastery driving through the countryside...

Prayer flags over the terrain!

The white and gold structure is called a 'stupa' and used by Buddhists as a place of meditation.

As buddhists believe in reincarnation, Tenzin instructed us to walk around the stupa clockwise four times to ensure we wouldn't come back to earth as a scorpion.  We eagerly obliged!

We arrived at the Drak Yerpa a few minutes later in the mountains.  The monastery used to house 300 monks but today about 12 remain to care for the temples and hermitages some of which are the earliest known meditation sites in Tibet dating pre-Buddhist times.

In one of the small temples were two Tibetan monks who eagerly wanted to hear where we were from and how we lived.  Tenzin explained that very few Westerners come to this monastery so they could probably count on their hand how many the monks had ever seen.  They offered us seats and blessed the prayer beads I brought with me.  To live so simply and peacefully is something all could aspire to.

On the way down, a monk asked B (through Tenzin, of course) to help change the window curtain.  He was so thankful!  A good deed for the day :)

On the way back to Lhasa we even spotted our first Yaks!

After dinner, we went with Tenzin to purchase more prayer flags for the journey to Everest.

We took us where the locals purchase - good prices for good quality!

TIBET - Part 4:  Lhasa to Shigatse