I have arrived to “the Holy City” of Lhasa. It feels much like a dream, surrounded by monks and mountains, at an altitude of 12,000 feet. My head and heart feel light as I wander through this spiritual wonderland with the aid of Tenzin the tour guide. In hours which feel like days, I have seen so much and the adventure has only just begun. My first stop was at the spiritual heart of the city, the Jokhang Temple, a mix of Tibetan, Indian, Nepalese, and Chinese architecture. within Tibet’s holiest shrine thousands of butter candles illuminate the most sacred Buddha statue, one of over 200 so deeply revered by its worshipers.
At the Sera Monastery, one of the 3 monasteries in Lhasa housing over 2,400 monks, I was amazed to observe a philosophical debate. Such passion and energy in the words and motions of these peace abiding monks. If only I could understand their banter…
The people of Tibet are, in a word, beautiful.
[…] most memorable train ride to date was 48 hours enroute from Lhasa, Tibet to Beijing. I could have easily flown and spent more time exploring China’s capital, but I […]