MOTHER & DAUGHTER JOURNEY: Tibet: Dalai Me Up!

The Potala Palace is the landmark of Lhasa and draws your every look. This Palace was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala, India, after an invasion.

The original construction dates from the 7th century AD. But the main parts (Red Palace and White Palace) are 17th century additions. The building measured 400 meters east-west and 350 meters north-south. The base sloped an average of 3 meters to 5 meters thick. 13 stories of buildings contained over 1000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and 200,000 statues. Potala Palace sat 117 meters on top of Marpo Ri rising more than 1000 feet.

The people don't look very happy here :(

It is obvious they are heart broken. Their culture and heritage has been striped from them; not to mention their leader the Dalai Lama forced to flee their land, once known as the Country of Tibet.

I wonder how they feel about that?

Although we had fun buying and selling prayer flags with each other, the sorrow within this lady was real.
Her son is a monk. This young man dreams of giving/sharing his life to honoring the Dalai Lama's beliefs.

Prospective students are required to complete a screening process to assure the Chinese government that they will up hold the new beliefs of China, not beliefs of the Dalai Lama.
If you or your family have noted political views, you are denied entry to study as a monk.

Sera Monastery Print Shop

Mom relaxing listening to the Monks pray

This March will mark the 50Th anniversary of the Uprising of Tibet.

This is at the Top of the Palace, entrance to the Tombs of past Dalai Lamas.
I was curious if the current, the 14th Dalai Lama, would be entombed and worshiped here upon his death.
The timid young man, looked around before he answered me and stated "NO, he will never be welcomed here by China."

World Heritage Site Monument

Missing Squeek

Waitress at our favorite restaurant

All of us getting around Tibet. Monks :)

Day 1

We arrived at the Lhasa station with smiles on our faces.

We checked into the home of "lady hat giver" and climbed 3 flights of stairs at 12,000 feet with several bags of crap from SHOPPING!

We tried and tried to mail/ship anything just get "it" home and out if our hair;
Desperate maneuvers like FedEx :(
We won't mention the price or rhetoric involved but we are still walking funny and its not just the luggage!

As days and weeks go by we only add to the "addict" pile. But, we look at the bright side. We are doing what we love morning, noon, and night and nobody is here to Bitch about it!!

Our endurance is increasing and we are a few pounds down!
But we can still see the rolls of poundage that needs to be left behind. Now that would be a bag to lose :)
But every meal is still treated as if it were our last.

We try to make reservations for the Potala Palace and the Opera. But are told to wait for our connection guide. (Tip-Don't wait, just do it yourself!)

Day 2

Summer Palace tour and more food. Yummy-Kathay Style Yak Momos

We met the nice couple Jane added to our private tour.

More itineraries of things are now involved and mom will be neglected and left behind.

Our poor English speaking guide and Jane's for not understanding our number one issue, slow going, at our own pace, so mom can enjoy. (after all she has only been out of the hospital for a few days.)

It's not worth the 200 savings when you have to be dragged around for a week to appease the guide. We opted out of many things to save energy and time but the guide clearly lacked compassion and stated he didn't even want to be a guide.
Why is he here? Refund sounds good! Stop payment on the visa sounds even better!
But the Internet will pay the price with negativity
DON'T USE "CHINA YAK" tour company FOR ANYTHING!!!

Day 3

Potala Palace -Mandatory on Mom's Bucket List
And so the story goes... Long... story short. The reason we were here, in Tibet...the only place on the entire trip mom asked to see was the home of the Dalai Lama.... well, this was it and
"USELESS", FFFFFF'd it up!!!!!

The guide, a.k.a. "USELESS", left us behind at the hotel and took the couple temple touring and to tea.
We all knew it would take an hour to 1 1/2 hours to climb hundreds of stairs at 3,700 meters to reach the entrance to the Potala Palace. The guide left us 15 minutes to get to the top. He said that he had older people the week prior who could climb faster and so should we.
"Too bad" and he went on his merry way.

Taking a break from running up the stairs to the entrance of The Polata Palace, I wave "Hello" to Mom.

I should have, would have, could have left early this morning and took mom myself. But an appointment was necessary to get in and it was made as a GROUP :(

Mom was really understanding and spent her time shopping and conversing with the real Tibetans, the Pilgrims circulating the grounds. She was so excited to experience the Potala's breathtaking view and enhale the spiritual aura left behind from her mentor, the Dalai Lama.

Mom and her new Potala Palace Book! And of course more Yak Momo's

We were driving around with the group and we said "STOP" asked to be dropped off "HERE" so we can do our own thing. The separation did us good! And in no time we were "window" shopping for goodies in the open markets and feasting at our favorite restaurant. If only we could have had "a local beer", it would have been perfect.
But I banned all alcohol from our trip while we were traveling at high altitudes for safety!

"Useless" was scheduled to pick us up at 6:30 to take us to the opera. Tonight was the last chance to redeem himself as we had been asking him to take us for three days.
We showered up. Something we don't get to do very often. Put on our nice clothes and waited in the lobby for the guide.

6:30
He arrived. We smiled at each other and just knew, he couldn't be all that bad.

6:35
He explained that the Opera was at the other end of town and there was no time ( it started at 8pm, 20 minutes away). I didn't understand. "You wont like it anyways" he explained. He picked up our package that needed to be mailed and we all walked out the door for China Post.

6:45
After another failed China Post attempt, our package was thrown on a Rickshaw, and we were told to go home and get some sleep. Apparently, our overland trip to Mount Everest was scheduled to leave at 6 am.

6:46
He walked off with his girlfriend arm and arm. Smiling and laughing.

6:48
I told mom. "I'm going to buy you a mustache and we are going from "lesbian lovers" (most people seem to think so) to a nice normal (man and women) couple who will be respected." And That's That!

7:02
We returned to the guest house with our package. We made a few changes to our attire (mustache)
and jumped back on the rickshaw for the date of our lives.

Late in the evening when the sky was dark, Claud and I snuggled in a blanket as the the rickshaw man pedaled past the Potala Palace lit by spotlights. Opposite the Palace was a huge square that had a set of color-lit fountains. Music of classic evergreens such as the "Blue Danube Waltz" or the "Hungarian Rhapsody" played.

Though I found it beautiful, It was a bit bizarre. Someone said "This could be a spin-off of A Potala Hotel in Vegas." Another said "Don't worry, even "this" wouldn't take away the Potalas dignity!"

It is unfortunate that this is one of the worlds classic sites where despite the history, the piety and the mystery, the conflicts of modern politics are always present.
The mere act of visiting Tibet brings forth a political dimension one just can't avoid.