Top of the World - Tibet

Flying over Mt Everest and the Himalayan mountain range is breathtaking and now I can say I was on top of Mt. Everest, the highest point on Earth at an elevation of 8,848meters or over 29,000 feet. What a great way to begin 2014 at the Top of the World! When we landed in at the airport in Lhasa,Tibet our car and driver met us, as you can not get an entry visa without a tour guide. We journeyed onto Tashi Takge, a very unique hotel near the Jokhang Temple Square. We were ready for dinner and some sleep before our next day of climbing to the top of Red Mountain to visit the Palace where the Dalai Lama used to live.

Portala Palace was built in the 7th Century at 9 stories high with a thousand rooms and is still a sacred site for Tibetans as well as a most famous and revered tourist site.

The 1080 steps seemed to go on forever, and even the guide was surprised that I could make the climb as it is the highest structure in Tibet at 3,767 meters or 12,359 feet.Thank goodness we rested and took photos with the locals making their pilgrimages along the way.

After successfully making it to the top, there was of course the climb back down the same thousand steps!                                                                                                                                                        

 

Afterward we went for a massage given by blind men, At that point any thing was going to help my sore muscles. A yummy dinner, yak butter tea and some rest had us ready for the next days visit to the Tsamkhung Nunnery, the only one in the old city of Lhasa. Tsamkhung means meditation cave and we were lucky enough to attend the morning chanting meditation of the nuns. They even shared their milk tea with us.

After a great lunch at a local “mamas homemade” restaurant, where we were gifted with white silk scarves and posed again for many photos, as we seemed to be the only tourists around, especially with light coloured hair and skin.

Then we met our guide to go on to Sera Monastery for the famed afternoon Monk debates. Sure wish I knew what they were discussing with such animated vigour. It is a tradition that the older monks ask the novices questions to see if they can answer and either give them a tap or a clap!

Finally a bit more shopping before our flight back to Nepal and Hong Kong. Then I flew to Bangkok and back to school… What a fantastic couple of holiday weeks in one of the most sacred places on Earth with so many prayers constantly being offered and candles continually burning.

 May you also enjoy many Blessings, Love and Light.

New Year in Nepal

After Christmas in Hong Kong, my grandsons flew to Singapore with their Dad to visit Disney World and Lego Land. Carrie and I flew to Kathmandu, Nepal to stay at the Himalayan Yoga Hotel and Meditation Center. It was cold in Hong Kong but this was colder and doing yoga outside, looking at the most amazing mountain range on the planet almost made it okay! When we weren’t doing yoga we visited many beautiful temples and World Heritage sites with ancient structures. With 123 spoken languages in Nepal, I was happy that English was one of them!

Of course there was shopping and souvenirs at each location and being  

two blondes we were a visible and ready target for the colourfully dressed anxious vendors begging for us to buy. We bought brightly coloured prayer flags, prayer wheels, prayer beads, meditation music, sining bowls and hand carved decorated Buddhas, jewellery, small bags, purses, scarves of assorted colours and beautifully hand woven pashminas. We happily coined a new favourite phrase, ”site shopping” along with sightseeing! 

Boudhanath, or casually known as the Big Buddha Eyes Stupa, is a huge magnificent site as the crowds of locals make their pilgrimage around it praying as they walk. The name Boudhanath means lord of wisdom and It is a protective, purificatory, wish-granting stupa. It has become one of the most significant objects of worship in the Buddhist universe with pilgrims coming from all parts of the world to offer their prayers and pay respect. We too walked, feeling the spiritual energy as we spun the many embossed metal prayer wheels surrounding the Stupa. 

We also visited the city of Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar Square where we saw the home of ”Kumari” the Living Goddess. We were fortunate enough to see her make an appearance through the open window of her palace home. Because no photos were allowed, they sold post cards of what she looks like in her traditional dress. 

One of my favourite purchases is hanging in my living room. We even went to the art studio where the students learn the intricate and detailed art of Thangka painting. Thangka is the name for the scroll banner screen hanging in every temple monastery and family shrine in Nepal and Tibet. The picture is usually free hand painted. First appearing around the 10th century AD, apprentice painters studied under experienced Lamas. Thankgas are often hung in homes to protect inhabitants from evil spirits. I chose Tara who is regarded as the Goddess of Tenderness.  

White Tara is compassion, peace, prosperity, health, good fortune and long life…who could ask for anything more?  Blessings