Daybreak and Nightfall on the Earth's Third Pole
This was my first trip to Tibet. I'd thought so many times about how I would meet this land. Back in school, everyone was fascinated with the G318. Hitching, cycling, motorcycling, driving—at that time, hitchhiking and cycling into Tibet seemed like the coolest thing to me, and Tibet a faraway place. Those were adventures I might never have, so I couldn't help but admire those who did them immensely. I wanted to take the Qinghai-Tibet Railway train to Tibet. After graduation, internship, and work, years slipped by, yet that dream remained unfulfilled. Later, my heart was set on driving the G318 with someone I loved. For me, the meaning of travel lies in encounters, while togetherness is about sharing. In the end, I still went to Tibet alone, relying on a mere two-and-a-half-hour flight to shrink the distance. Where the heart yearns, one must go. This first visit to Tibet, I think, won't be the last.
Potala Palace, Medicine King Hill Viewing Platform
Starting to understand Tibet from the Potala Palace.
Renting a Tibetan outfit, strolling Barkhor Street all day.
Lhasa in winter is always warm and sunny.
Prayer wheels at the foot of the Potala Palace.
The winding mountain road to Shigatse, with rolling snow peaks in the distance.
The monument at Everest Base Camp.
Waiting for the golden sunrise on the mountain.
In a village near Everest, watching a sky full of stars.
Sitting by Namtso Lake, the wind gave me a headache.
Namtso Potala Palace Potala Palace
The steps at Potala Palace made my legs weak.
The porch murals of the White Palace at Potala Palace.
11.17 Chengdu - Lhasa 06:55-09:35 Barkhor Street, Potala Palace Square 11.18 Barkhor Street, Potala Palace Square 11.19 Lhasa - Yamdrok Lake - Karola Glacier - Shigatse 11.20 Shigatse - Everest Base Camp - Basong Village 11.21 Basong Village - Shigatse - Lhasa 11.22 Namtso 11.23 Potala Palace Lhasa - Chengdu 19:00-20:55
Restaurants in Tibet are mainly Tibetan, Sichuan, and Nepali. The most common foods are beef and lamb, tsampa, and butter tea. There are many restaurants in Lhasa and Nyingchi where you can sample most of the local delicacies. One of my favorite things to do every day in Lhasa was hunting for different tasty treats.
The culinary journey began with a cup of sweet tea. That internet-famous shop from Zhao Lei's song 'Adiao'.
Yogurt is definitely worth trying. Tibet's yogurt is all handmade yak yogurt, fermented from yak milk, with a pure taste. Many people might not handle the plain version; add some sugar and it tastes much better. I heard that this is a traditional Tibetan way of eating it and can prevent altitude sickness—no idea if that's true. I stumbled into this shop while wandering Barkhor Street. It's right beside a big tree, called Ancient Tree Yogurt. I ordered a cup of osmanthus yogurt, which was absolutely delicious—rich and with a long, mellow aftertaste. After that, I was completely hooked on yogurt.
Bazaar Bamboo Tube Yogurt
Bazaar Bamboo Tube Yogurt is on Beijing Middle Road, at a street corner on the way to Potala Palace Square, a little stall. 10 yuan a cup, or you can take it away in a plastic cup. The yogurt was very thick, and you could add barley, sugar, and barley flour. The plain one here was even sourer than at Ancient Tree Yogurt.
Frontier Yak Yogurt Shop
Opposite the Medicine King Hill Viewing Platform by Potala Palace, this shop had a rich variety of yogurt and also various snacks. The shop was fairly large and the atmosphere cozy.
Frontier Yak Yogurt Shop
The walls were covered with photos and all kinds of tickets; everyone expresses and keeps hold of something special in different ways.
Frontier Yak Yogurt Shop Frontier Yak Yogurt Shop Frontier Yak Yogurt Shop Frontier Yak Yogurt Shop
Yogurt cake and rose yogurt. The yogurt cake was cool and paired perfectly with yogurt.
Frontier Yak Yogurt Shop
Yogurt fruit bowl.
Tibetans love butter tea, an everyday essential drink. You must try it when in Tibet. It can keep out the cold and is also said to prevent altitude sickness. The first sip might feel odd, with a salty taste, but it's acceptable.
Tibetan noodles, similar to the noodles we're used to but slightly firmer in texture.
Namaste Restaurant
This place mainly serves Tibetan, Nepali, and Indian cuisine, with an exotic decor. Following online recommendations, we ordered some signature dishes. The flavors were decent, portions generous, and the price very wallet-friendly. Stewed potato and cauliflower did not taste good; the potato seemed a bit burned.
Namaste Restaurant
Super-sized cheese naan, soft and glutinous, a bit greasy after a small piece.
Namaste Restaurant
Curry potatoes and sweet tea.
Namaste Restaurant
Chicken tikka masala, the taste resembled curry chicken, and the sauce went well with the naan.
Slurp-a-Bowl Rice Noodle Shop
Slurp-a-Bowl Rice Noodle Shop, not easy to find; you need to follow navigation carefully, hidden in an alley, easy to miss. Good for breakfast. We arrived around nine, no one else there. An elderly lady ran the place.
Slurp-a-Bowl Rice Noodle Shop
Ordered a bowl of chicken broth and a spicy one. Thin noodles tasted pretty good.
Slurp-a-Bowl Rice Noodle Shop
Especially recommend the egg crisp. We first ordered egg crisp yogurt, but because the egg crisp was so tasty, we added an extra portion—made from barley flour. Later, we searched all over Lhasa and bought a whole box of egg crisps to take home.
Slurp-a-Bowl Rice Noodle Shop Slurp-a-Bowl Rice Noodle Shop Slurp-a-Bowl Rice Noodle Shop Slurp-a-Bowl Rice Noodle Shop
Yangqingcang Tibetan Restaurant
Yangqingcang Tibetan Restaurant, predominantly Tibetan food. They also serve a Tibetan-style hot pot with yak meat, a huge pot for a crowd. Since we couldn't finish that, we ordered à la carte. Grilled mushrooms, eat while hot, original flavor.
Yangqingcang Tibetan Restaurant
The potato buns I'd craved for ages, stuffed with beef.
Yangqingcang Tibetan Restaurant
Tsampa was also very tasty, not dry at all, very filling.
Yangqingcang Tibetan Restaurant
Barley pancake rolled with yak meat.
Before heading to the airport, we finished our Lhasa food journey at Lhasa Kitchen next to Jokhang Temple Square. Tibetan restaurants in Lhasa are all quite affordable. This Lhasa Kitchen had moved to a new location and took me a while to find—up on the third floor of the Snowland Mall. Mainly Tibetan and Nepali cuisine, lightly flavored, which I think suits more palates. We came for the beef patties, and they did not disappoint. Radish beef soup, the broth was fresh, the beef a tiny bit tough.
Apple pancake, great as a snack, crispy outside, soft and glutinous inside, delicious.
Finally, bought a cup of Lhasa Blue, the perfect ending.
D1 Reunion after Long Separation
Life is short; I just want to live it my way.
The rolling mountains outside the window.
Sister Li works in Lhasa. I met up with her at the airport. The next few days, we began our food hunt together.
Slurp-a-Bowl Rice Noodle Shop
People who live long-term in lowland areas may experience altitude sickness on their first visit to Tibet. It mainly depends on one's physical resistance; generally, those with weaker resistance are more prone. Altitude sickness varies—tolerance differs. Slender or plumper individuals, women more than men, young people more than the elderly, are more likely to get it. So everyone's situation and symptoms are different. Some have physical reactions, others might be anxiety from excessive worry. Although I'd been fine in Qinghai and on snowy mountains before, this first time in Tibet, especially flying straight from a basin to the plateau, the altitude jump was big. I was a little worried. I think I'm pretty laid-back, but Sister Li was even more nervous than me. Right after landing, she gave me all kinds of medicine and an oxygen can.
The ride from the airport to the city made me a bit stuffy and queasy.
Arriving at the guesthouse, a Tibetan-style small courtyard.
With the sunshine just right, I couldn't sit still. After dropping off my things and resting a bit, feeling okay, I went out to wander.
Potala Palace Square
The first time seeing the Potala Palace, the highest point in all of Lhasa, gave me an inexplicably sacred feeling.
Potala Palace Square Medicine King Hill Viewing Platform Potala Palace Square Medicine King Hill Viewing Platform Potala Palace Square Potala Palace Square
I hung around, had some yogurt, and the sun set. I waited there for Sister Li to finish work.
Ignoring the advice of the elderly, I learned the hard way. Feigning I was as strong as an ox, after a day of going all out, I came back and successfully got altitude sickness at night. So, when you first arrive in Tibet, honestly just rest for a day.
D2 Wearing Tibetan Clothes on Barkhor Street
In Lhasa's winter, the temperature difference between day and night is huge. The sun feels warm on your skin, but in the shade it's still very cold. The sunshine is dazzling, and the UV rays are really strong. I bundled up thoroughly before heading out.
Jokhang Temple is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery with over 1,300 years of history, holding the highest status in Tibetan Buddhism. The temple grounds are perpetually wreathed in incense smoke, and the deep marks of full-body prostrations left by devout worshippers on the flagstone floor in front of the gate are clearly visible. Countless butter lamps burn day and night, leaving traces of time and pilgrims.
Jokhang Temple Square Jokhang Temple Square Barkhor Street
Centered on Jokhang Temple, walking clockwise along Barkhor Street, you see Tibetan worshippers prostrating everywhere, exceptionally devout.
The air was filled with the scent of incense.
Barkhor Street Barkhor Street
Makye Ame. Most buildings on Barkhor Street are white, but Makye Ame is a two-story building painted entirely yellow.
Barkhor Street Barkhor Street
A Tibetan costume experience is a must at least once.
Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Jokhang Temple Square Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street
Barkhor Street retains the original look of old Lhasa, with roads paved in hand-polished stone slabs and traditional Tibetan houses lining the sides.
Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Barkhor Street Potala Palace Potala Palace Square Potala Palace Square Barkhor Street Jokhang Temple Square Jokhang Temple Square Barkhor Street
D3: Yamdrok Lake: The Wind Was Strong Today
Yarlung Tsangpo River Yarlung Tsangpo River Yarlung Tsangpo River Yarlung Tsangpo River Yamdrok Lake Yamdrok Lake Yamdrok Lake Yamdrok Lake Yamdrok Lake Yamdrok Lake Yamdrok Lake Karola Glacier Karola Glacier Karola Glacier Shigatse Shigatse
D4: First Glimpse of Everest
Shigatse Shigatse Shigatse Shigatse Shigatse Shigatse Shigatse Shigatse Shigatse Shigatse Shigatse Shigatse Shigatse Shigatse Everest Base Camp Everest Base Camp Mount Everest Everest Base Camp Everest Base Camp Everest Base Camp Mount Everest Mount Everest Mount Everest Everest Base Camp Mount Everest Mount Everest Mount Everest Mount Everest Mount Everest Basong Village Basong Village Basong Village Basong Village Basong Village Basong Village
D5: Back to Lhasa
D6: Running at Namtso
Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso Namtso
D7: Sunbathing Atop the Potala Palace
Potala Palace Square Potala Palace Square Potala Palace Square Potala Palace Square Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Square Potala Palace Square
Return
What's lingered in the heart will find its echo. This travelogue, delayed nearly half a year, each revisit brings new emotions. Walking through it, we seemed so incredibly small, every encounter wondrous. The world is vast, the mountains and rivers boundless. To those who can still accompany you to see this world, please cherish them.
