Landing on the Roof of the World (2 June)

With an average elevation exceeding 4,500 metres (14,800 ft), the Tibetan Plateau is sometimes called "the Roof of the World" because it stands over 3 miles (4.8 km) above sea level and is surrounded by imposing mountain ranges that harbor the world's two highest summits, Mount Everest and K2, and is the world's highest and largest plateau.  ~Wikipedia

A sense of wonder washed over me this morning - today we would pass into Tibet. After an early wake up and breakfast, we four trekkers, plus our guide and Chinese “fixer” (Phu) hustled into a passenger van for the 30-minute ride back to the airport. Our meticulously cross-loaded bags cruised through check-in as Phu presented our Tibet Tourism Board (TTB) Permit to airport officials (we actually had to line up based on the order of our names on the permit, without which one cannot enter Tibet), while we quietly and obediently stood adjusting the straining straps of our back packs.

The flight from Chengdu (on which we appeared to be the only Westerners) took just over two hours.  Breaking through the clouds, we got our first look at Tibet.  The narrow valley below revealed a Chinese military airfield where antiquated Russian helicopters haphazardly parked alongside ram-shackle buildings on approach to the Gongkar Airport.  A simple entry (after all, we were technically still in China) dropped us into a bustling arrival hall full of Chinese tourists and Tibetans who perhaps had the means to shop in Chengdu for items not available in Tibet (observe the boxes of large-screen TVs).  Note: No photos here as there are STRICT prohibitions on taking photos in Chinese airports or of ANY Chinese security personnel ANYWHERE and they, the Chinese security (police, military, civil defense, etc.)) are EVERYWHERE in Tibet.

It's a drive of about an hour from the airport to our hotel in Lhasa.  Most shocking: the urban sprawl of the Lhasa District (population of > 400,00 -- a ten-plus fold increase from the 1940's (pre-invasion) Tibet that so enchanted Heinrich Harrer).  All along the way, the burgeoning Chinese development of the Lhasa District crowds our view.  (The massive development had me repeatedly asking "are we there yet?" like a summer-vacation imprisoned 10 year-old)  The landscape is a-tangle with new road and bridge construction -- rather ironically costumed with a profusion of prayer flags and Buddha's white ladders spray-painted on rock faces with great frequency.  Warned about photo prohibitions -- whether buzzing through or detained at security checkpoints (passports and permits required), we keep our cameras stowed for now. 

Along the Barkhor Circuit

Finally, we arrive at the Kyichu Hotel in the Tibetan quarter of Lhasa (clearly much less than a true quarter of the now-bulging city), drop our bags in our spartan but spacious and clean room, and assemble for a lunch.  on the menu:  Mo-mos (fried filled dumplings -- filled with yak meat in this case), soup and tea.  Later in the afternoon we joined the counter-clockwise flow of pilgrims on the Barkhor circuit around the Jokhang Temple and marveled at the conflicted sea of the faithful and the curious, the reverent and the irreverent, the traditional pilgrims and the very young uniformed enforcers of Chinese rules and regulations (as our guide explained tongue-in-cheek: "Protecting Tibet from Tibetans).

 *****

SCENES FROM THE BARKHOR

We were surprised these two allowed Cliff to take their photo

The faithful/reverent

The irreverent (Chinese tourist)

Prayer wheels on the Barkhor

Om Mani Padme Hum

The lovely view from our rooftop dining spot on our first night in Lhasa.  The setting sun beautifully illuminated the roof of the Jokhang, as the night chill of life at 12,000' crept in.

Tomorrow: Exploring Lhasa