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Jonathan Yarak | profile | all galleries >> Travel >> Tibet 2005 >> Day 1 - Plane Ride, Jokhang Temple, and Barkhor Market tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Day 1 - Plane Ride, Jokhang Temple, and Barkhor Market | Day 2 - Potala Palace, Sera Monastery, Norbulingka, Jokhang Temple | Day 3 - Namtso Lake | Day 4 - Drepung Monastery, Potala Square | Day 5 - Yamdrok-tso Lake and the Flight Home

Day 1 - Plane Ride, Jokhang Temple, and Barkhor Market

We flew into Lhasa from Beijing by way of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province. There were some unbelievable mountains underneath us as we flew onto the Tibetan Plateau. We arrived in the afternoon and walked around Jokhang Temple, the spiritual heart of Lhasa and the surrounding area of Barkhor. Worshippers walk around the Barkhor area, keeping the temple on their right, and spin prayer wheels or chant prayers. Then we got some dinner and passed out.
Mountains on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau.
Mountains on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau.		 More mountains.
More mountains.		 These are not the Himalaya, just tall mountains on the eastern edge of the plateau.
These are not the Himalaya, just tall mountains on the eastern edge of the plateau.		 Still absolutely amazing 7000+ meter mountains.
Still absolutely amazing 7000+ meter mountains.
And then it started flattening out into a more plateau-esque landscape, but still quite mountainous.
And then it started flattening out into a more plateau-esque landscape, but still quite mountainous.		 The Lhasa airport.
The Lhasa airport.		 The Brahmaputra river valley in which the airport is situated, 100km south of Lhasa.
The Brahmaputra river valley in which the airport is situated, 100km south of Lhasa.		 Lots of birds up there.
Lots of birds up there.
Moonrise over the mountains in the afternoon
Moonrise over the mountains in the afternoon		 The road into the capital city of Lhasa.
The road into the capital city of Lhasa.		 First view of Potala Palace.
First view of Potala Palace.		 The Tibetan side of the city.
The Tibetan side of the city.
Jokhang square and Temple on the right.
Jokhang square and Temple on the right.		 Prayers laying prostrate as they worship. Note how they tie their legs together.
Prayers laying prostrate as they worship. Note how they tie their legs together.		 The Barkhor market/route around Jokhang temple. People like us go there to shop, Tibetans walk the route to pray.
The Barkhor market/route around Jokhang temple. People like us go there to shop, Tibetans walk the route to pray.		 Street dentistry.
Street dentistry.
Alissa and Aldri at our first restaurant.
Alissa and Aldri at our first restaurant.		 Curried yak with potatoes and rice.
Curried yak with potatoes and rice.		 Yak pepper steak with fries and toast.
Yak pepper steak with fries and toast.		 Traditional Tibetan Yak meat pie, this was so damn good. Noticing a pattern in the food yet?
Traditional Tibetan Yak meat pie, this was so damn good. Noticing a pattern in the food yet?

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Guest 18-Jun-2006 21:48
Amazing pictures!!!
You traveled a lot in China.
Next time you should visit east China.
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