專題介紹：拉薩 - 我最喜歡的城市之一

Lhasa's cardinal landmark – The Potala Palace

It must be the first place I visited once I arrived at Lhasa. Remembering the first sight of The Potala Palace, I was awe-inspiring.

This time I noticed there is a China national flag at the centre top of the Potala. I am so angry with that.

Another angle to capture The Potala

The Potala at night is fabulous. It seems to be luminous. Where is the source of night?

Pilgrims: they were moving around the Potala Palace (circumambulation), spinning of prayer wheel. What they dressed are typical Tibetan clothes (excluded the jackets)

When you walked to the right side of The Potala Palace, you could turn the big prayer wheels clockwise. 

Behind the Potala Palace, there is a park - the only park in Lhasa. It was so cold that the pool was freezing all the time.

Potala Square is in the front of Potala Palace. A fountain was built underground and only showed in Summer.

A big family, i think.

Simple, warm and peaceful.

Yak-butter bricks. Main food for Tibetan. An active ingredient of Yak-butter tea. A source of yak-butter candals.

Yak-meat - main meat supply in Tibet. I tried the raw yak meat once when i was a guest in my friend's home. the red part was tender with no taste. the outter skin was too hard to be chewed up. It was crunchy due to the ice inside the meat as it was exposed to the air below freezing point.

Barkhor Square (八廓街) & The Jokhang (大昭寺) - my second stop in Lhasa. This is a spitual heart of Holy City and the main commercial district for Tibetans. This was fascinating that I stood up there for a couple of hours each time i visited.

A famous interesting pilgrimage circuit surrounds the Jokhang. Crowed by pilgrims moving around and prostrating in front of Jokhang. 

The tale of a goat circumambulating with his/her host in Barkhor is ture! This was the first time i have ever seen. Interesting!

How devout she is!

Pilgrims usually stay for whole day. What they brought are pots of yak-butter tea, a bag of roasted-barley flour and some flavours.

Children are playing in Barkhor Square.

Sitting on paving stone in Barkhor Square when they were tired. Or eating, chatting, socializing etc.

Monks are everywhere in Tibet. Sometimes they are in group, sometimes with family.

Living Buddha

Ornaments

Hawkers are selling ornaments. Due to few tourists in winter, the ornaments were selected and displayed mainly for Tibetans and monks. It is real Lhasa.

Uighurs, normally from XinJiang (新疆) province, are selling colourful and tasty dry fruits.

I had a chance to visit where a tibetan friend of mine live in. It takes 5mins taxi from Barkhor Square. It looks like a slum area.

A broken vehicle on the street became their toy.

What i was served at night - Stewed yak-meat with green and red carrot. Rice and bread. Yummy!

Those were brought in Lhasa. The white kathaks and VCD were given by a friend of mine.