The next day (Tuesday) we loaded up an hour earlier than usual and headed off to Shigatse, 330 km from Lhasa and separated by a 4,900m pass. It took nearly the whole day to reach Shigatse, as the speed limits are slow, our van was slow, and we stopped at the top of the pass to view the turquoise colored, scorpion shaped, Yamdroktso Lake, said to be a holy lake of the Buddhist religion. We also stopped at another monastery in Gyantse Dzong and Corin and I climbed to the top of a beautiful pagoda. This monastery had the most wood carvings I've seen yet, making it a nice change from the Palace and Temple, and it was surrounded by a wall built in 1904 to protect the monastery from the invading English. We stopped for lunch in a very poor town and were constantly approached by beggars while we ate. This time, it was both Corin and I's turn for our food to arrive late and although it turned out to be wrong, we didn't complain. We finally reached Shigatse at around 6:30 Tuesday evening and unloaded our bags into the beautiful rooms at the Mansarovar Hotel. We took advantage of the hotel's Happy Village Restaurant where Corin got an amazing cordon bleu, Barbara ordered a chicken chili dish like the one I'd had previously and Lars, Monica and I tried the tuna and chicken salads, respectively. Lars and Monika also ordered a prosciutto pizza, but it never arrived. Besides the often late or never arriving meals, the food in Tibet was actually quite good. The restaurants however are usually dirty and smoke filled. And toilets are a whole other story that I'll spare our gentle readers. Let's just say it's BYOTP and the darker the restroom, the better.
Wednesday morning saw us all up and eating breakfast by 6:30 in order to embark on the final leg of our journey to Everest. We were sad to leave our beautiful hotel but the thought of ending the day under Everest's shadow was an excellent motivator. During the day long drive, we picked up an elderly hitchhiker, whom Konchok called grandfather, and he rode with us for a good hour on his way home from Shigatse. During this drive we were able to get the biggest taste of life outside of the city. If one would remove the telephone poles, and the occasional pieced together motorbike, you wouldn't have known what century you were in. Scrawny little horses and shaggy black yaks pulled plows as the farmers prepared the ground for planting. Farmers sat for lunch at the edges of their fields while their tiny horses munched grain from the feed bag nearby. We stopped for lunch at a small local place and had various yak influenced dishes. From there, we continued on towards Everest. Upon reaching the pass that would lead to the foothills of Everest, our bus broke down. After 30 km of unpacked, half washed out road, the bolts had simply rattled loose. The repairs set us back an hour but we all clapped wholeheartedly when we hit the road again. Unfortunately, we stopped not five minutes later due to the rattling and eventually the driver had to tie the engine pieces together with the white welcome scarves we had received upon entering Tibet. The rigging worked and with the Himalayas in full view we were on our way, for reals this time. Everest had first come into sight at the top of the pass and it was bigger and more magnificent than I could have imagined. In the same way that the Grand Canyon's depth and length is nearly indescribable, the tallest mountain on earth is as tall and breathtaking. It went in and out of view for the next 60 km (still on teeth rattling, kidney bruising roads) until we were nearly at our destination. We arrived shortly after 7, completing our 12 hour journey just 4km from Base Camp with Everest in full glory. Our home for the night was a yak hair tent, cozy and tidy and heated by gathered wood and goat dung. We sat and acclimatized for an hour or so, drinking hot tea and fire roasted potatoes straight off the stove. We then ordered fried rice from our host/cook/hotel owner, consumed our meals and called it a night. The short trip to Base Camp would wait until morning.
Sleeping under the shadow of Everest is a mighty epic feeling but waking up to the first rays of sun hitting the highest peeks might be even better. Despite the freezing night temperatures, the valley warms quickly upon the sun's rising. The only chilling factor that remains is the wind, and goodness, it gives Wyoming a run for its money. After we had taken sunrise pictures to our hearts content, our host made pancakes (more like very sweet crepes) and I dug into my emergency oatmeal and peanut butter stash. We then caught the 9am bus to Everest Base Camp (EBC). Once there, we took yet more pictures, this time from the closest vantage point any non-climber can make. We were awed by the tents in the valley at the very base, no doubt full of climbers preparing and acclimatizing for their first accent. What a thing to be able to claim, that you've climbed Everest! An amazing, crazy thing. After a half hour of the freezing cold winds and awe-some views, we climbed back into the bus and hit the road back to Shigatse. This time, since our bus didn't break down and we didn't stop at every pass, the trip took a mere 10 hours.
Back in Shigatse we supped at the Happy Village Restaurant again and soon after bid everyone good night. Showers, heated rooms and an extra good night's sleep were high on everyone's list. All that remained of our adventure was the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the base of Buddhism's penchant-lhama, and a six or seven hour trip back to Lhasa. Our final full day saw us rising a little later, eating a full breakfast and heading over to the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. Here we saw an 8 meter tall (about 26ft) Buddha that caused the words "wow!" to escape my mouth as soon as we entered the door. Konchok had not told us it was going to be so big! We then toured three more buildings and the main assembly hall. As it goes while visiting cathedrals in Europe, monasteries in Tibet begin to look the same very quickly. This was true with the Tashi Lhunpo as well. The architecture, carvings, draperies and statues are all incredibly detailed but the monks at this monastery seemed most active, sweeping and smiling to the visitors and worshippers. Since we were so well versed in Tibetan monasteries by now, we were quickly through our tour of the buildings and got on the road to Lhasa. Around lunchtime we hit a bit of snow but it cleared as soon as we left the canyon we were traveling through.
Please click here for pictures of this part of our trip.
Our final night in Lhasa was spent doing last minute bartering, dining with our new found friends that we sadly might never see again and preparing for our flight back to Chengdu. This country has left an impression on my mind that can never fade. We have brought back pictures, stories and trinkets (those hard bargained for and those in which we probably paid too much) to share with others but the sensations experienced in Tibet will be the things that last the longest. The feel of a copper lotus flower, warn smooth by thousands of hands and foreheads being pressed to it will never leave my fingertips. The stairs worn smooth from so many pilgrims feet will forever stay with my footfalls. The smell of burning yak butter and incense and the sound of yet more butter being sprinkled into the bowls by old women with bright yarn tied into their braids. The sound of horses' hooves on the stone paved roads, the jingle of the bells that are tied 'round their neck and the blaring horns of passing cars. However, what I will remember most is the intense devotion the Tibetans show to their faith, a faith challenged by a "liberating army" and a clinging to of a culture in danger of slipping away forever. The older generation walks daily, always clockwise, around the temples, palaces, cities and monasteries continually spinning the prayer wheels held in their hands. The murmurings of whispered prayers can be heard under their breaths, prayer beads rolling through their fingers. The youngest generation imitates their parents and presses their foreheads to the door frames and walls and floors of the holy places,and yet I often wondered how long the traditions would continue to be passed down. Buddhism and Tibet used to be synonymous but Chinese and western influence can be seen throughout the bigger cities. From the monument to the Liberation Army that reaches for the sky directly across from the Potala, to the old woman with colorful braids talking on her cellphone, one has to wonder how long Tibet as it once was will continue. No matter though, as this adventure has opened my eyes to a simpler way of life and a stronger level of devotion to one's God, whoever or whatever that might be.
Click here for pictures of the final leg of our amazing trip.
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