In Shigaste
Trip Start
Aug 27, 2006
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12
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Trip End
Sep 16, 2006
Shigatse, Tibet, China
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
We started the day early and left the Yak Hotel in Lhasa at 8:15, on our way to our next destination, Shigatse. We took a slight detour to view the grand Turquoise Lake from the highest point along the Friendship Highway - a road that links Tibet to Nepal. We got to the scenic spot at 10:30 a.m. - it was very chilly, and at 15,707 feet, the air was thinner than what we'd experienced on entire trip so far. There were several tour buses and SUVs parked at the rest stop, and of course the vendors were there too. We snapped our photos, posed with brightly adorned yaks, Tibetan mastiffs, bought some souvenirs, and headed back the way we came. We even saw a group of cyclists pedaling there way up the winding roads - I can't imagine the shape they'd have had to be in! With an amazing view of the lake, this stop was definitely worth it
01
.We got to Shigatse at 4 pm, stopping along the way to eat lunch (a boxed lunch from the New Mandala Restaurant in Lhasa), and snap a few photos of the beautiful landscape. We headed straight to the Tashilunpo Monastery, which was founded in 1447 by one of the disciples of the founder of the Gelugpa order. This disciple eventually was named the first Dalai Lama.
The most amazing sight to see at the Tashilunpo monastery is the 26.6 meter high bronze Maitreya Buddha - it towered more than 7 stories high inside the dark confines of it's chapel. It's sheer size was breathtaking. It is the largest bronze image of Buddha in Tibet.
The current Penchan Lama (chosen by the Chinese government) takes up residence in the Tashilunpo monastery when he is in Tibet, and it so happened that he was here. The long motorcade of police escorts in Land Cruisers caused quite a stir, since he only visits twice a year - he normally lives in Beijing.
The Marasanovar Hotel in Shigatse was decent, with clean rooms and bathrooms. If you stay here, the hotel restaurant is a safe choice for food - but don't get the pizza! Doug and Bill weren't feeling so well after theirs - something to do with the cheese...
It was a good day today. We leave early tomorrow for a 400 km trip to Shegar, detouring by the town of Gyantse.
-e-
