Sue's Travels: 12 July 2015 - First Day in Lhasa

We didn’t leave until 9:30. I had a mild headache probably related to the altitude. The schedule has been modified to what was in the book, but since everything will be covered, it is no problem.

We left the hotel and headed to the Summer Palace of the Dalai Lama. The garden has become a public garden where people come to picnic. We saw the old palace first. It dated back to the seventh Dalai Lama. We then walked over to the new summer palace that was built a few years before the Dalai Lama fled. It was significantly larger than the old summer palace. There were gifts from different countries.

Entrance to Summer Palace of Dalai Lama

Description of the site as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Gardens leading to the Summer Palace

Ceiling of gate

Map of the Palace ground

Walking towards the old summer palace

Temple

Old Summer Palace

Across the Lane

Entering Old Summer Palace

Sign describing Palace

Description

Courtyard leading into the Palace

Entering Summer Palace

Me in front of Old Summer Palace

Temple under restoration

Heading down the lane to the New Summer Palace

Me in front of New Summer Palace

Entering courtyard

Garden

Tibetan Ladies with two of the ladies on the tour

Heading to the new Summer Palace

Me in front of summer palace

Entering New Summer Palace

Name of New Summer Palace

We were then taken to a traditional Tibet Medical Hospital/Medical School. For some reason I was exhausted and had trouble staying awake. From the Medical School we headed to a restaurant. The menu included Yak meat. I was ambivalent about it, although theoretically it could be kosher if it were slaughtered properly.

Small side street

Potala

Yak on street

Gate on Street

Yak

Street in Lhasa

In the Tibet Medical college

Statue in traditional Tibetan Medical School

‌In the Tibetan Medical school

Entrance to the hospital

From the restaurant we headed to the Jokhang Temple, which is the holiest temple in Tibet. We first headed to a store which sold Tibetan jewelry and other Tibetan art. I was looking for dolls for my granddaughters which they didn’t have. I did pick up two items there. On the street, two of the women on the tour showed me dragons that they had purchased. They took me to the store so I could get one. Hopefully Herman will like it.

Street scene

In Square - no cars

In Square in front of Jokhang Temple

Street Scene

We next headed back to the Jokhang Temple and went inside. Pictures were not permitted inside. Our Tibetan guide explained everything in more detail than I could absorb. We finally headed up to the roof where I got a good picture of the Potala and a marvelous street scene.

Jokhang Temple Courtyard

Jokhang Temple

Courtyard

Jokhang Temple Courtyard

Potala from roof of Jokhang Temple

Street from Jokhang Temple roof

On roof of Jokhang Temple

Jokhang Temple from square

We then headed back to where we were picked up by the bus and brought back to the hotel.

My heel spur is really bothering me because the padding on the soft sole keeps shifting. I hope it calms down because I really want to enjoy this trip.

We had dinner at a restaurant which is in a hotel. There was entertainment involving Tibetan singing and dancing.