Tibet, China Travel Blogs

A week in Shigatse
Jun 6, 2007 (10 photos)

This was to prove an interesting week! Most traveller's spend the night in this town, which is the old capital of Tibet. Not a lot of people know that! There was actually a lot to see, and I was fortunate to have the companionship of Lopsang and ...

Wuhan to Tibet
Apr 18, 2005 (10 photos)

... cart. All along the route much construction was underway not least the major new rail line which will eventually link China directly with Tibet. The most surprising building site was what appeared to be a group of 'holiday chalets' which resembled bright ...

Everest base camp, 5200m, and on to Shigatse
Jul 12, 2005 (9 photos)

... 20 minutes and are always keen to see if they can get something for free. Next day we head to Shigatse, the second city of Tibet. Its a longs slow drive at first due to the roadworks and diversions, and it takes over 12hrs in total. Helen, one of our UK ...

Stuck at the Chinese Border
Jul 7, 2005 (3 photos)

... takes us about 4hrs to do the 25km drive. At the border we park on Friendship Bridge built over the River and seperating China from Nepal. Our Chinese guide has not arrived and the Chinese authorities dont want to let us in without our Tibetan Permit which ...

Padmasambhava Battles Black Flayed Hide
Jun 21, 2006 (8 photos)

... ago, at the invitation of Tibetan King Trisong Detsen, a tantric meditator from India, Padmasambhava, traveled throughout Tibet, removing forces hostile to Buddhism and establishing texts, monasteries, and traditions for the Tibetan People. Today, he is ...

Road to Lhasa
Nov 17, 2004 (13 photos)

... got along well, and wanted to see the same things, so it has not been a real problem so far. Mainland China is different than Tibet, so traveling there alone isn't forbidden. After the border crossing into Tibet, we stayed in a small town and enjoyed some ...

Everest Base Camp!
Sep 22, 2006

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The Heart of the Supine Ogress
Jul 1, 2006 (26 photos)

... length of Tibet with a couple of horses. Everyone has their own style and way of getting around and manner of approaching Tibet. Tonight, Germany plays Argentina at 11 pm. My first stop was the Jokhang Temple, the geomantic center of Tibet, completed ...

Revenge is a sweet thing!!!!
May 4, 2004

... , not my best ever life experience. I won't recall those stories now as they're already documented in my entry titled 'Tibet Tibet Tibet' However, sat infront of me for the entire 5 day journey were 2 Isralie lads in their early 20's who were typical of ...

The road to Lhasa
Apr 30, 2004 (6 photos)

... , which was quite a culinary treat to go along with our 2 chunks of pineapple. Apparently, we ordered the "dieter's breakfast" from China Air. Lhasa is very different from what I expected. It's about 70% Chinese, although there is a constant stream of ...

Old Historic Tibet with Kevin and Nate
Jul 30, 2006 (16 photos)

... , we couldn't help but search night town for some popsicle treat. The next day, we visited the oldest monastery in Tibet--Samye, the Glorious Inconceivable Temple of Unchanging Spontaneous Presence. The temple was designed as a mandala replica of Mt. ...

One Week in the Himalayas
May 8, 2005 (11 photos)

... the railroad is completed and the ubiquitous white-tiled concrete boxes go up across the breadth of this land, the very essence of Tibet will have changed beyond recognition. My advice for you all: if you can get there, go soon. I felt very connected ...

Unhospitable punctures in the middle of nowhere
Jun 5, 2007 (3 photos)

After I left the monestary early I cycled through a heavy rain storm for about an hour. Then carried on West. I had about 80km to get to Shigatse, where a pre-booked 3 star hotel room awaited me. The only thing I didn't count on was bicycle problems ...

Shigatse
Jun 7, 2007 (4 photos)

There was lot to see!

New PR offensive on Tibet
Dec 2, 2008

... "Shangri-La" Special Report: Focus on Tibet BEIJING, Dec. 2 -- Quite a lot of people care about China's "Tibet issues", there is always a "Shangri-La" with oriental mystery, shadowiness and idealism flashing in their minds. Tibet ...

Samie Mnstr
Nov 19, 2007 (23 photos)

... . I never figured out what was their association despite my numerous attempts. It is very difficult to find an English speaker in Tibet. I think the lady was no wife of any of them, although they all were helping her with the baby. The guys sang almost ...

Catholic church in Tibet
Nov 28, 2009

... is the only religious belief held by the people in Tibet. But in Upper Yanjing Village, Mangkang County, Chamdo Prefecture, eastern Tibet, it is not Sakyamuni who is worshipped, it is Jesus Christ. The Yanjing Catholic Church, built in 1865 by French ...

Tibet quest
Feb 1, 2009 (1 photos)

... haste he disappeared, leaving abaft an unsolved mystery. Now, following the clues in her father`s journal, Jane travels to Tibet in search of answers. Guide Jane`s journey, carving her track through the treacherous mountain landscape with fast-paced Match ...

Train not going anywhere yet
Sep 1, 2008

... company isn't ready to offer that service, despite it saying the service would commmence in September 2008. This is from China Daily: 'Five-star' train's launch hits the buffers (China Daily) XINING: The launch of a "five-star" tourist train ...

Artists for independence
Jul 26, 2008

... for others, including the very people they are supposedly trying to help. Or free. China tightens rules on performers Bjork's Tibet protest causes crackdown By CLIFFORD COONAN Icelandic warbler Bjork's call for Tibetan independence activists to ...

Lhasa, on the roof of the world
Jul 17, 2005 (11 photos)

... we visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, home of the Panchen Lama, and built in 1447. Panchen lama is traditionally number 2 in Tibet after the Dalai Lama. Tashilhunpo is a very impressive and old monastery with many individual temples and lots of monks. We ...

The Enchanted Lands of Old Tibet
Oct 28, 2006 (80 photos)

... to this lovely out of the way town, we passed through the gate of what used to be the border between Tibet and China, and crossed into the beautiful Tibetan grasslands.Fantastic mountain scenery with yaks, horses and sheep grazing serenely on the golden, ...

Another apologist for China's Tibetan policies
Sep 3, 2008

... only in the West's imagination By Kevin Deluca With the Olympics over, I hope the Western sport of bashing China over Tibet might stop. Working in Beijing during the Tibet riots and the preparations for the Olympics gave me a unique perspective ...

Tibet - Yakity Yak!
Oct 8, 2004 (6 photos)

... Had a brush with the law, met some great people and G was on local TV. Travelled on westward through Kham (eastern Tibet) which was surprisingly verdant and fertile, visited two picturesque lakes, schools, monestries, 5000m passes and met lots of friendly ...

We'll meet again, dont know where etc etc
May 2, 2004 (14 photos)

Ok, firstly a quick fact which i find quite extraordinary.... China only has one time zone!!! Crazy huh?! Having been in Lhasa now for 4 days, I do believe an update is due. firstly, as mentioned in my last entry, Gary Helen and I had a day out whilst ...

A Young Guide With An Old Soul
Nov 13, 2006 (24 photos)

... any water in this town. The hotel while built directly in front of the river, forgot to buy rights to the river (or forgot to pay) and had faucets but no water. We are used to this by now, and continue on our rugged journey through the wild lands of Tibet.

Temples and Tempests
Nov 5, 2006 (33 photos)

... Lama, and wonder if he will ever be permitted to come back to his beloved homeland and his people. We learn that currently in Tibet it is illegal to possess a photograph of the Dalai Lama. If one is caught, there are severe penalties. It is also illegal ...

On the Road
Jun 15, 2007

After the taxi driver sropped me off, I carried on cycling,  to the east of Lhasa airport. the following few weeks were to prove to be interesting, and challenging. After a day in the saddle I simply stopped by a river, pitched a tent, ...

Sometimes The Truth Is Ugly
Nov 12, 2006 (15 photos)

... it. However, this is a place where I do not want to go to prison, never to be seen again. According to Amnesty International, China holds more than 500,000 people without charge or trial, and several Tibetans go to jail for life for little reason - an NGO ...

Sleeping with Monks
Nov 9, 2006 (25 photos)

... of which is recognized by China as being the western part of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, though China still considers the area as South Tibet. I've learned that border areas in this part of the world are very political, though with the terrain ...