May 2, 2007
Rest Day in Lhasa: Drak Yerpa
The alarm wakes us at 6:50am, at 7:30, we meet in front of Olaf's hotel. We bargain a taxi driver down to 200 yuan and agree to share the fare. It takes about 45 minutes to get to the monastery.
The buildings are built against and in a mountain side high above a small village. It used to be necessary to hike from the village, now the road switch backs up steeply to a parking lot at the foot of the monastery. They also introduced an entrance fee...at 20 yuan each it's not quite a AAA tourist destination. We guess...it's worth it though. The mountain is covered in colorful prayer flags, there are bright white chortens everywhere, pilgrims are burning juniper branches and we are invited to sign our names on a long banner of prayer flags about to be strung up.
The sun is just peeking over the mountains behind, and the light is playing nice patterns in the valley below and on the buildings. Patrick follows Olaf around to learn from his photos. We agree to a two hour stay with our driver. It gets a little later, but that doesn't matter too much because our driver uses the opportunity to walk the Kora here. We arrive back in Lhasa before noon, say our goodbyes to Olaf and head for the Durya Restaurant to share a club sandwich and a Lhasa beer.
After lunch, we visit Jokhang, one of the most important monasteries in Tibet. It's an old, dark building full of deities, pilgrims, monks and the smell of yak butter. Lamps burn on that stuff. It is not allowed to take pictures inside but on the roof there are very nice vistas over Barkhor square, the Potala and the copper clad roofs of the Jokhang itself.
For dinner another yak steak for Patrick and a yak enchilada for Rachel. Nathan reports that the 7 DVD's mailed per EMS express mail last Friday have arrived. Good news!
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