Journey into the mysterious Tibet

In Southeast Asia, there is one country that stands out among the other countries in the region. It is situated on a high plateau among the great peaks of the Himalayas. Since ancient times the mysterious Tibet attracted the minds of scientists, mystics and romantics from around the world.

Today we will visit the country's capital, watch the real Tibetan monks and climb the majestic Mount Everest.

Almost impossible, subject to the laws of the country, traveling to Tibet independently. You are destined to cooperate with the tourism industry in Tibet, bringing up to 60% of revenue in the budget of the region.

You can only move an organized group of at least 5 people, accompanied by a local guide (who are lucky - Tibetan). Yes, there are options to get "kitchen gardens" in Tibet, to get a "fake" resolution of the visit, and of course it will be much cheaper. But we go to these places for peace of mind, and if 6, or 9 along the entire route, which very carefully examine your documents for the tremor in his knees in front of each checkpoint, which I counted it.

Brahmaputra River:

Mountains and puddles:

Lhasa. Potala:

With a guide luck, but luck was not the extent of 100%. Tibetan - is a plus. Despite his youth, the experience - a plus. English speaking - plus, but his English ... When the word "statue" and "calendar" and "cave" and "coffee" sound the same, from the explosion of the brain saves only a hat in the long-suffering head!

Stupa and horns. Somewhere in Tibet:

The tourists did not !?

During our journey, we encounter a problem, which could not avoid anyone. Name it - mountain sickness. From it does not go away, do not run away, not to buy off. It can only be experienced. Any pills do not surpass the chief physician - time. Your body needs to adapt itself to the high altitude conditions. The height of their picks, and fell from the sky by airplane directly on 3700 meters above sea level (Lhasa, Tibet's capital), feel it with your whole body. 7-10 days live with their own and other headaches. Samye Monastery:

the fate brought me together with interesting people of all ages (from 25 to 63 years). Unites all of us thirst for travel and mountaineering. The love for the mountains age was not an obstacle. Previous "mountain experience" has been largely beneficial, but left all equal before the mountain sickness. Ached all.

Samye Monastery. Kamenyuki-altar:

Samye, the prayer hall:

Samye, kettle Solar:

Samye, a beggar:

In the past month in the journey we are "clocked" a few thousand kilometers on old, but cheerfully "Cruisers". Legs also had to work a lot.

Samye, black stupa:

Stupa and the glacier:

The desire for a nomadic life involves some discomfort. In our case it is advancing slowly. As the distance from the capital city of Lhasa, where the distance is dissolved and signs of civilization. Gradually disappeared internet, hot tap water, electricity and warm toilet. They were replaced by candles, earthen floor guesthouses, warm sleeping bag, gas burners and freeze-dried products. Unchanged proved only China Mobile, up to the base camp of Mount Everest pipe work!

Monastery Gonda:

With the hunger die hard in Tibet. Firstly, due to the dominance of Chinese restaurateurs, offers everything your heart desires, BUT! Chinese only. So you have to poke a finger in the neighbor's plate, they say, I want the same, or in a picture in the menu (if any). Tibetan cuisine in the highlands does not shine diversity, this variation yak meat with noodles and rice, spiced with sickly green. Everything is cooked on the stove, which fueled dried yak dung. Billet Fuel:

In general, the fuel problem is acute in Tibet and smells bad. Heating homes and cooking food, like many centuries ago, produced by combustion of dried yak dung. What gas is imported, there is no firewood.

Lake Namtso:

have to pay for everything: for the entrance, for the right to take photographs. And it is that for taking photographs of each room has to be paid separately.

Lhasa. Potala:

Potala day:

Molelschitsy Potala:

Attitude to death in the Tibetan original. One rite of celestial burial is worth. This is when the deceased dismembered and fed birds. Probably, at the heart of this still is a shortage of fuel needed for the cremation and rocky soils, unfavorable for burial. But still, how romantic!

Ritual bowl made of cranial boxes. Souvenirs:

So far, the Tibetans painted on the rocks stairs in the sky, in order to ease the path of the souls of the dead.

The monks of

Upon arrival in Tibet sincerely touches, seeing the first Buddhist monk, visiting the first monastery to hear about the unique wall paintings, unique to this place, evaluating the quality of wood carving in the manufacture of a Buddha statue. But then you meet thousandth of a monk, attended one hundred and first monastery, and all the enthusiasm fade.

The Drepung monastery holds regular debates monks, t. E. The theoretical knowledge are brought and are being tested in a real "battle" conditions, with the real "enemy", which act as our colleagues. A monk with ardor and fervor trying to prove or disprove a thesis or a group of other monks, or one on one. End of question / answer is usually accompanied by claps, grimaces, mannerisms, different intonations and timbre. In turn they go all the features of a facial expression. Dancer envy those steps, which throw the monks. And all this is multiplied by the stock of participants (there is sometimes up to 1, 5-2 hundreds), creates an atmosphere of wild mix: bazaar, political rally, circus and Buddha knows what else! This is a show! The show, which will be envied by entertainers, however, they have different goals.

Gonda. Milk Buddha (parishioners as offerings dragged bags of milk):

Drepung Monastery. Prayer:

The monastery gondii. Prayer:

Drepung Monastery. dispute:

Drepung Monastery. Holy Arhats firefighters:

Everest

We went farther and farther to the west of Lhasa, moving not only horizontally but also vertically. Each scored a hundred meters up was our little victory, until they reached a large, whose name - Everest.

To say we climbed Mount Everest, then cheat. We were there. But to rise to 8848, no money, no health, have probably not enough. We climbed a little above the base camp, which is only some 5200 meters Three kilometers is not enough to crown however -. Impressed! It - MOUNTAIN!

Goats on the background of Mount Everest:

Guess what fired oven at an altitude of 5200 m? But not guessed! And not yachim and dried sheep manure. Height, cold, headache, intoxication by the glow of shit done their dirty deed. In the morning we looked worse than feel. Our home called "Snowland Hotel"! The people who spent the night in similar conditions, but under the guise of "Hotel California" a few dozen meters from us, looked no better. The road to the Mount Everest:

Guide-native said that we are lucky, this type of Everest others are waiting for months. And thanks for that! MOUNTAIN, yaks, mountains, the dark birds, wild nepuganye mountain sheep, biting wind, ice water and an old monastery with a strange name "For Rumbok".

The road to the Mount Everest. Forgotten Village, or a fortress or a temple or a monastery ...