The Traveling Duo

Qinghai to Lhasa

Traveling to Tibet, we decided to take China’s newest, engineering-wonder yet controversial train from Xining to Lhasa. It was a 26 hour journey, most of which was at an altitude above 4500 meters. Yet again the countryside was breathtaking. Sarah probably took over 40 photos along the way, mostly of the various herds we saw. Fortunately for you, we edited our collection and are giving you our finest. Of course, the camera never captures the true beauty.

Arriving into Lhasa, we have been taking it a little slower. Walking the famous Barkhor Circuit has been surreal, as we rub shoulders with fierce-looking Tibetan nomads and chanting pilgrims, prostrating themselves on the ground every few steps. The pungent odor of yak butter intermingles with the harsh scent of cigarette smoke and every now and then you catch a whiff of steaming momo’s or fried potatoes.

Lhasa stimulates your every sense, and it is hard to really grasp the experience. The history and devoutness of the Tibetan land and people are inspiring. People will spend hours on a kora (walking around clockwise) around the Jokhang Temple. Inside the temple, people are chanting, praying, rubbing prayer beads along the walls, donating money and yak butter. As Daniel pointed out, it makes you wonder what they are praying so hard for.

In the US, Tibetan culture is glamorized and the plea for a free Tibet can be found everywhere. Of course, atrocities occur everywhere in the globe. But being here, there is something unique about the Tibetan culture. Despite globalization and conquests, a vast number of Tibetan people hold onto their traditional lifestyles. Traditional garments are worn over Gore-Tex jackets and even those with the latest designer jeans still proudly display their nomadic heritage in their weathered, sun-beaten faces.