Dream Land of Tibet

Bob sent a bunch of pix from a colorful market, this one I thought was best. Here is his description:

The Barkhor is the old Tibetan quarter in Lhasa, which is otherwise a modern Chinese city. Our guide said that most of the vendors are Chinese or Muslims from the northwest of China.

And for the below:

The Jokhan is the holiest temple in Tibetan Buddhism. It is located in the center of the Barkhor. What's inside is much grander than what you can see here. Large numbers of pilgrims from all over Tibet come here, circling the temple clockwise and chanting prayers.

More from Lhasa

Got another couple of photos iPhone'd to me from Tibet. Of the above, Bob says:

This is the Mongolian Budhist "college" at a big monastery complex just outside of Lhasa. Once it held 5,000 monks. Today, 750.

You may not be able to read the name of the place below in red neon without clicking for a larger version. It's the Cool Yak Hotel, where only the coolest of yaks stay. It's apparently all about the yaks there. Saw a facebook status from my dad (yes, we're facebook friends) about nan with yak butter being delicious. Another wacky sign spotting, sadly undocumented, was the Lovely Cowboy Happy Restaurant. I'll leave you with one more piece of Lhasa flair, seen on the wall of a restaurant:

24 hours in a day.
24 beers in a case.
Coincidence?
I think not.

Tibetan Dispatch

Hey there all you STLDP followers. This is Son O Strangetastes, dutifully following this order from the proprieter:

Hey if any of the iPhone pix are clear enough post them to the blog for me with a little explanation. No blogger here.

Ah the magic of technology crossed with politics and geography! This is the Potala Palace in Lhasa, apparently taken from mom and dad's view of it from their lunch table. Jealous! Looking forward to more.

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An old man at Chengu Narayam, a bit up the valley from Kathmandu. There is a great complex of Hindu temples there with few tourists. His earrings signify that he is at least 77 years and 77 days old.

We're about to board the plane for Lhasa. I won't be able to post again until we are back in Kathmandu on September 19. There will be loads of pictures. See ya later.

STL DPB On The Road: Kathmandu

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Sunday was a fascinating and exhausting day of touring major sites around the city. The frightening relief above is Seto Bhairab, a terrifying manifestation of Shiva in the central Durbar Square. It is kept closed off most of the year except for a festival now getting underway. Unfortunately, we will miss the main event Tuesday night, when potent rice wine flows out of the pipe and young men jockey for position to slup it up.

The man at the left is a sadhu, a wandering Hindu ascetic. In theory, they renounce earthly pleasures, except that some of them consume staggering amounts of marijuana. To enhance the spiritual process, of course. That always was the point, wasn't it?

STL DPB On The Road: Kathmandu

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There are many responsible people in Kathmandu. Too many.

It's been nine years since I was last here. It's different; everything changes. More fancy, Western-looking stores on Durbar Marg, a main shopping street. Crumbling streets and sidewalks, an infrastructure broken down during the years of the Maoist civil war. Now they are in charge, democratically elected, the monarchy abolished. Far more trash in the streets. Same throngs of the desperately poor, but now the occasional middle class family in their own car. Well, at least in this part of town. The restaurant our group dined at last night had Nepali dishes on the menu, but it also has penne arriabatta and sachertorte.

Tourist stuff tomorrow.
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Why Is This Man Smilimg?

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Another scene from the Festival of Nations.

Today we fly from Delhi to Kathmandu. The real adventure begins.
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