As was pointed out to me, this is not the first time I've used a Wizard of Oz reference as my title but I thought it would be fitting.
Lhasa in January is ridiculously cold and miserable. Lhasa in August and September is perfect. Never too hot, never too cold. Temperature in the sunshine feels about 10 degrees warmer than the shade but even in the blazing sun, you won't sweat. You might get burned, but you won't sweat. Plus, due to altitude, you probably won't be going anywhere fast enough to get heated. Evenings are a bit chillier (in the 60s), especially headed into mid-to-late September.
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| Sunset from the rooftop cafe of my hotel |
Barring the temperature difference, the other most startling change is the surprising number of foreigners and the relatively low number of nomads/local practitioners. In January, the area in front of the Jokhang and the Barkour (the market place around the Jokhang temple) is packed with Tibetans praying. Now it's packed with tourists and their enormous cameras.
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| The MUCH more barren area around the Jokhang Temple |
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| Compare this to: |
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| This |
Lhasa loves its fireworks in the summer/fall. Since I've been here (about a month and some), there have been at least five fire works displays. I'm staying in Dekang Hotel which is located on Sheng Tai Lu (road) (
生态路). This is a smaller road off of the main Jiangsu Road and it is across from the maze that leads to the Barkhour. From the fourth floor rooftop cafe, you can see the Potala Palace. It is really beautiful especially when illuminated with fireworks. Plus, you're far enough away that they're not deafening.
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| Sorry it's blurry, my tripod and I were having some issues... |
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| I know this is random, but it's a warning against ever drinking it! One of the worst types of Bai Jiu ever. And that's saying something. |
It is definitely worth visiting Lhasa during different times of the year. In spite of January's chill, the people watching is phenomenal. Although I'm very much enjoying walking down the road without huddling and hunching into a jacket, I do look forward to the winter and the return of the nomads.
Since it is warm, I've explored more than I did last time. I finally went to Norbulingka! Tickets are 60 yuan per person but they not only allow you enter the grounds, they also allow you access to the inner palace of summer residence of the DLs. Full of gardens, blooming flowers, ponds, and bamboo, it is well worth seeing. Everywhere you go, you will see Tibetan families picnicking and lazing on the grass. I'd recommend bringing some food and a blanket and just spending the day lounging and touring.
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| I got a spectacular flying picture here |
As beautiful as the rest of Norbulingka is, that is how hideous the zoo is (yes, they have a zoo). If you have the misfortune to go to the zoo here, be prepared to feel really, really sad. It's ten yuan to see suffering. The movement against animal cruelty hasn't made it this far and people will openly and enthusiastically taunt the animals verbally and physically. Parents even encourage their kids, gotta start them young! They rattle cages and throw stones, and the stones aren't even small, they actually lob huge rocks. I got the very distinct feeling that the cages and the bars are to protect the animals more than the humans. Out of all the animals, I feel the worst for the lion. He is in the most exposed cage and is therefore harassed the most. He looks so beat down and filled with an impotent rage. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, here are some:
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| Do you like the lush forest that is its cage? |
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| I've been there three times and I've never seen the bears allowed out of the caged area |
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| Healthy sugar crackers! Perfect diet for a wolf |
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| Yes, he has a stick. |
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| The exposed cage of the lion. Note all the bottles and trash. |
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| They had a creepy playground area. Some of it looked fun but the run down Snow White and Seven Dwarfs freaked me out |
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| Owls don't need space, right? |
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| Same goes for a hawk. |
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| Yes, they had dogs in the zoo. Apparently mastiffs warrant this treatment |
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| I saw this egg the first time I went. I haven't seen it since and there is no baby ostrich wandering around. |
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| Chickens and peacocks making friends. |
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| Let's not forget the turkeys! |
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| I really want to take him home with me. |
If you decide to go to the zoo, develop a thick skin.
Onto happier pictures. Here's a really cool dog that I found outside Norbulingka! It has two different colored eyes. I've seen this in a few animals here and I think it's a fascinating mutation. Also, here are a couple of pictures of a wooden sculpture donated by CCTV and through the hole in the middle you can see Jakpo Mountain.
It is possible to walk from Norbulingka to the Potala (just keep going forward towards the mountain). Across the street from the Potala, you can pay two yuan to climb some stairs to an outlook which allow some spectacular photos of the palace and the famous three stupas which lead to the traditional entrance to old Lhasa.
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| From the top! There's also a second level where there is an unobstructed view of you and the Potala Palace. |
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