Thursday, May 8, 2014

10 Photos of Tibet through a Car Window

It's taken me a while to write about our family trip to Tibet back in October. A multitude of images flood my mind when I reflect back on our visit. There are the ones you would expect of towering mountains and peaceful monks. Buddhist temples and praying peasants. You know what I mean. The postcard shots.


Interspersed with those are memories of my family hit hard by altitude sickness. The image of my 8-year-old daughter so lethargic that she spent most of her time flat out on the bed or carried in the arms of her dad. The picture of my bacon-loving son turning down a plate of crispy strips — so hard to find in Malaysia — because of loss of appetite. My throbbing headache and cotton-filled brain where coherent thoughts weakly struggled to swim up to the surface. The way my lungs begged for air, and my heart raced as if I had just sprinted a mile even though all I had done was walk slowly, oh so slowly, from the hotel room to the lobby. Tibet was literally breathtaking.

On our second day, we took hits off the canisters of oxygen in the mini-bar. To think that I had found them so amusing when I saw them for sale in the airport baggage claim area. I assumed it was for Everest expeditions, not mere sightseeing excursions. It was so strange to teach the kids to press the button, inhale deeply, and then hold their breath for a moment before exhaling. Finally, those After School Specials about huffing have finally come in handy. If we had planned on spending more than three nights there, I would have cut the trip short and flown out earlier.

Tibet, altitude sickness
Straight Up Oxygen (and the stink eye)

Then, there was my teen who hovered in the sweet spot of being both old enough and young enough so that the altitude did not affect him as much as the rest of us. He would bound down the hallway, barely stopping to wait for the rest of us to catch up.

Riding around in the car was some of the best sightseeing for us. It was passive enough that our sorry physical state was not too much of a hindrance. Watching Tibet whiz by the window, it struck me how it was simultaneously exactly what I expected but, on the other hand, much more modern than I anticipated.

Come along for the ride.


Lhasa River plain between the mountains
On the hour-long ride from the airport to Lhasa, I could not stop staring out the window in wonder. In the wide plain between the mountains, branches of the Lhasa River flowed like ribbons of blue silk twisting together. The sky was brilliant and clear, and stands of yellow trees brightened the scene. The reality of being at an elevation of 11,450 feet (3,490 meters) had not hit us, yet.


Tibet
Prayer flags on bridges
Strings of prayer flags festooned the bridges over river crossings. Each color represents the Five Elements. Red for fire; yellow for earth; blue for sky; white for air; and green for water.They fluttered gaily in the wind as if welcoming us to the Roof of the World.


Tibet transportation, Lhasa
Wide, orderly boulevards in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet
Lhasa was not what I expected. I thought I'd find something much more rugged and rustic like an Asian frontier outpost. Instead, I found the work of a top-notch city planner. Wide boulevards and well-planned intersections guided an orderly stream of vehicles through the city. It was so different than the crazy streets of Penang. Cars, trucks, and taxis that would be at home in any Westernized country shared the road with motorcycle-trailer hybrids hauling things like loose piles of oranges as shown in the photo above. It was not completely modern, though. Some people relied on pedal-power to carry items through the city.


Tibet transporation
A public bus passes bicycles carrying goods throughout town.


Tibet transportation
A woman transports her shopping in a pedicab while a policeman speaks with a man on a bike.

Notice the green street sign at the top with the information shown in
Tibetan, Chinese, and phonetically spelled out Mandarin.

Schoolgirls walking home after school.
People were walking everywhere, and a railing divided the sidewalk from the street in many places. I thought the school uniform of a track suit was both practical and comfortable.  By the end of October, the tourist crush was long gone, and most of the people we saw were locals dressed in jeans and puffy coats. Other visitors were primarily Tibetan farmers who had brought in their harvest and were taking advantage of the good weather to make a pilgrimage to Lhasa's holy sites. They were dressed in traditional clothing.


Tibet
A pedestrian street with architecture typical to the city.
Many of the buildings in the city had a similar architectural style. Most were four stories tall and seemed to be sturdily built. A regular array of windows were adorned with decorative railings and rectangles painted with a colorful, patterned design motif. If you look closely at the end of the building, you'll see a few poles with prayer flags attached to them. These were a common sight around the city.


Tibetan house
A cluster of buildings on the outskirts of Lhasa
On one of our sightseeing days, the guide and driver took us out 90 minutes outside of Lhasa to Ganden Monastery, and we had a chance to both see the smaller towns of the region as well as reach an elevation of 12,467 feet (3,800 meters). The buildings in the outlying areas were only two stories tall. They weren't as highly decorated as the structures in the city, but I could still see a similar architectural style. In this photo, the building is flying a Chinese flag instead of Tibetan prayer flags. The Chinese government has encouraged such an influx of Chinese settlers into the Tibet Autonomous Region that the ethnic Tibetans are now a minority in their homeland.


Farmhouses at the base of the mountain road leading up to Ganden Monastery
By the time we were far away from the city, the population was rather sparse. Farmhouses with cows and chickens in the yard clustered together into little villages. Even at this smaller scale, I could still detect the distinctive, boxy Tibetan architecture with prominent windows. Poles with prayer flags topped almost every house.

Cattle crossing in the middle of town
I'll end with the image of the herd of cattle we had to avoid while driving through a town. It reminded me of Penang and having to dodge cows on busy roadways.


One of the major things that I don't show is the military presence in Tibet. The Lhasa Riots and Tibetan Uprising a few months before the 2008 Beijing Olympics signaled an uptick in dissent in the region. Soldiers are stationed throughout Lhasa to serve as a reminder of China's power over them, and we passed through numerous checkpoints when driving to outlying areas. Apparently, I would make a horrible photojournalist as my fear of disappearing into a Chinese prison is enough to keep me from sneaking photos.

By the time we were there for 48 hours, the symptoms started abating. My girl roused herself enough to eat what she has deemed to be the "The Best Hamburger in Asia." We boarded the plane still feeling a bit woozy and immediately improved the moment they closed the doors and pressurized the cabin. By the time we landed in Xi'an, we were feeling fine and ready to take on the world.

Have you ever suffered from altitude sickness?


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34 comments:

  1. Boy that can really put a damper on a trip especially if you are there for such a short time frame. I would love to visit but now I have mixed views on going with such visible military presence it seems a little sad for some reason and does not make me what to support that system

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  2. Yes! Macchu Picchu in Peru saw us with horrible altitude sickness. It took us days to adapt.

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  3. I have long read about Tibet and totally disagree with China's annexing Tibet. I would have liked to have seen it before China took over. It never occurred to me that it would involve altitude sickness. Do you think it would be better if it were approached overland? I too would not have realized the oxygen cylinders were for general use. Interesting what the colours of the prayer flags represent. I never thought about there being meanings. Loved these photos. Wished I had been there (minus the sickness).

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    1. A gradual approach overland would probably give a visitor enough time to acclimatize so that altitude sickness would not be a problem.

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  4. Altitude sickness is really rough - my son experienced it in the Rockies. Looks like a great trip otherwise though! Nice photos.

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  5. I am finding that I love 'reality' blog posts. . .the kind that tell the real story of a trip and not just the highlights and special moments. You've given me some great ideas here as well as telling a most interesting tale (highlighted with great photos of course!). . .most enjoyable.

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  6. Wow! Tibet is beautiful. Altitude sickness is really miserable. Good to know that you can buy oxygen in the airport!

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  7. I'm curious about the altitude sickness at 11k+ feet. When we go skiing, we're at about that height at the top of the Utah mountains, so I've never experienced this. The closest problem with altitude was walking up to a cave and felt like someone was standing on my lungs. Interesting story as always - Happy Mothers day to you.

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    1. We live at sea level, so that does not help at all when traveling to high altitudes. Someone who lives higher up might have an easier time adjusting. I've visited Colorado, lodging at 8,150 feet and going up to 11,000 feet to ski, without having altitude problems. Happy Mothers Day to you, too.

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  8. Oh my gosh, Michele, what an experience! I know Tibet is high up but this is the first time I've read of it hitting anyone this badly. Your poor kids. Thanks for showing us a glimpse of this beautiful, one I hoped to visit one of these days but now, I don't know....

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  9. Hi Michlelle, sorry that you were hit by altitude sickness hard. Short trips in high altitude is not really ideal because if you get hit by altitude sickness in the first day it's most like you will need several days to shake it off. Three days is normally the recommended time to acclimatize to high altitude. We saw family at our hotel in Lhas with 3 teenage kids. They were terribly sick. We bumped into them 2 weeks later during our hike to Mt. Everest Base Camp and they were handling the altitudes like locals. Fortunately, I didn't get any altitude sickness in Tibet. My worst high altitude sickness so far was in Lake Titicaca in Peru - and that was my third trip in that area! Altitude works in mysterious ways.
    Lhasa looks much modern and hectic than it was in 2006. There were no big buses then and even taxis, The day we left Tibet was the day the train from Beijing was inaugurated. It was a sad day and I knew it was going to be the same. I know that Han Chinese has overtaken the city. I hope that the inner Tibet I fell in love has retained its raw and ethereal beauty and magic. Tibet is still the place that touched my heart and soul the deepest. I'd love to return one day but I know I have to brace myself for the changes I will see.

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    1. It's interesting that you can see changes in my pictures compared to how it was when you visited 7 years prior. Tibet is really growing, both the population and the tourism industry. I wonder what another 7 years will bring.

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  10. I'm actually envious that you've been to Lhasa and Tibet. I've had altitude sickness at 8000 feet (in Vail) and at 18,000 feet en route to the summit of Kilimanjaro. The hard part about altitude sickness is it can strike anyone - age and fitness, and prior experience at altitude really don't matter. Rather than risk being sick, I usually take Diamox - the drug of choice for a few days. It acts like a diuretic so you pee all the time so you have to drink all the time - but no headache. Other than that it's just drink, drink, drink and don't stop eating either. And no running till you're acclimatized. I've had loads of experience & that's what works for me.
    Wonderful photos & at least you got a taste of the place.

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    1. I'll have to remember about Diamox the next time I head up high. I think the highest I've ever been was Pikes Peak (14,000 feet), but I was only up there for less than an hour before the train took everyone back down.

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  11. I live in The Netherlands, below sealevel. Climbing a speedbump makes me sick ;-) Nah, I think many people suffer from altitude sickness. The only thing you can really do about it is take your time to get used to your surroundings.
    Esther.

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  12. Oh no, the altitude sickness sounds awful, but what an incredible place to visit... Love your pictures! :)

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  13. It all looks incredible. I was meaning to go to Tibet a few years ago when I was travelling around China and unfortunately the visa situation was just too tricky when on the road. Looks wonderful.

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  14. Michele, Been to Tibet and yes the altitude got us good. We were on a tour for 7 days and three of the older gentlemen actually had to be seen by a doctor. We were all given the altitude pills, but I kept thinking back to Cusco and wanted the cocoa de mata tea. That's something that worked. For me the sickness was a splitting headache the first night, and it got a little better the next day. It hit all of us differently. We were also freezing that first night because the hotel had no heat! Misery! It all got better and we enjoyed our time there, but I have to agree that politically there is much that needs to happen. I'll leave it at that. I love your photos, especially your first one of the river plain, simply because one of my favorite shots of that trip is that same river bed and the trees have their bright green spring leaves against the stark mountain! Interesting place, Tibet!

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  15. Oh wow, so sorry to hear about the altitude sickness. That sounds like a horrible thing to experience when you're trying to absorb a new country! Nevertheless, the pictures from your car window are beautiful :).

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  16. Those mountains are gorgeous! I wonder when I can make it to Tibet. The highest I've been in the area was Kathmandu and Pokhara, so not enough to get altitude sickness hahaha

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  17. Looks like an interesting drive. The scenery looks amazing!

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  18. That altitude sickness you've experienced and described sounds really scary. I bet that you can easily run into a panic attack. So I guess it requires lots of self-control. The scenery looks amazing. The architecture is very different. Love your photos!

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  19. thank you for post about your trip to Tibet. It is a place I would love to visit. So much history and fascinating culture. I love the idea of prayer flags.
    Thanks Marcia. Happy travels and have a wonderful week and thanks for stopping by my blog the other day. I am trying to catch up with everyone!
    I am still trying to finishing posting about our trip last year too, but other events are getting in the way of me finishing!

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  20. Sucks that the altitude sickness hit you so hard! Love the photos though, especially the woman in the pedicab, such a cute photo :)

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  21. I've never had altitude sickness but I've never been in a high enough place. I never would have thought that you'd get it in Tibet, but good to know. What a great post full of your insights.

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  22. Sorry to hear about the family's altitude sickness but I'm glad you were able to see some parts of Tibet. The photos are beautiful and good judgment call on not taking those military photos. :) I like this realistic glimpse of Tibet and ones I haven't seen from its postcard shots on Pinterest. We usually get altitude sickness whenever we hit those Colorado ski resorts. But, we keep going back.

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  23. I have never experienced altitude sickness, and doesn't sound like fun.

    I'm surprised that Lhasa is so modern. Like you I would have expected something more rustic. Tibet is on my list, and I will remember the altitude sickness, not that I think there much a person can do about it. You just have to get aclimitized.

    Love those prayer flags!

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  24. Oh my that altitude sickness sounds horrendous. I too would have thought the oxygen was just for hikers, not your average Joe. Although it has created some wonderful memories... and those photos WOW!! Big thanks for linking up again with us for #SundayTraveler

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  25. Hey! I would have emailed this to you but I couldn't find any contact info on your page...so I thought I would just post it here! I just wanted to let you know that I've nominated you for a Liebster blogging award! I just received this blogging award myself, and in doing so, I have to nominate 5 bloggers that I feel are worthy of some recognition, so I chose you! If you'd like to take a look and perhaps follow up with a blog post of your own, here is the link: http://justinpluslauren.com/liebster-award-nomination/

    Happy travels!
    Lauren

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  26. I've never dealt with altitude sickness thankfully! Tibet looks wonderful though - I can't wait to go here! Thanks for linking up to the #SundayTraveler!

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  27. I've always wanted to go to Tibet. Thanks for sharing your stunning pictures. I love how blue the sky is!

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  28. Oh wow, yes I've never had to deal with altitude sickness before but I can understand how that would put a damper on your plans - when you don't feel well, you don't feel like doing much of anything! But those views are spectacular and I'm glad that you got to visit such an amazing place, visually and culturally!

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  29. You share so many insights of daily Tibetan life through your photos and thoughts that you have honestly inspired in me an incredible desire to go to Tibet. Beautiful (and sorry about your awful headache during this trip!)

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