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| train to Lhasa |
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| Tibet, the top of the world |
woensdag 23 december 2009
dinsdag 22 december 2009
Welcome to Nepal, goodbye beautiful Tibet
Hidiho,
Finally in Nepal. But already stuck in the border town, because of a strike which paralyzes the whole country. No one can use any transport. If they do, their vehicle gets wrecked. So no one wants to bring us to Kathmandu. But its oke. Its relaxing here in the beautiful valley of the Himalayas from which one side is Chinese, and the other is Nepalese.
So only the day after tomorrow we can leave. Tomorrow we'll visit a hot spring, the only thing to see here besides the dirty streets and the dirty hillsides littered with all the rubbish the people can't use.
But before we arrived here, we crossed Tibet, a really magical country. We were so lucky with the weather, which was blue blue and sunny. It was awesome. The people in Tibet are totally different from the Chinese. They laugh much more, are very friendly and are very spiritual. It's like there life is all about there believe, Buddhism.
They are really beautiful, but also very dirty. In the way they seem not to wash them very often. The children are often really black of the dirt. But on the same moment shining from the inside.
It is the kind of people which I had expected to find in Mongolia. But probably communism has killed all this people, or certainly, this kind of spirits.
Also the countryside is very similar to Mongolia. Huge place , few people an enormous beautiful.
Together with the Dutch couple, Gerald and Anette, we had a great time. We had little problems with altitude sickness, but it is really not something to underestimate. Without the medication, we would have had problems. Around the mount Everest we walked for 8 km, but it felt like 20. The icy wind blowing in our face all the time, luckily still sunny, but on the end, Gerald and I where exhausted, with a huge headache. But the woman were oke. So they could take care for us. In the night all the bottles of water were frozen, inside our sleeping room!! Luckily we could use all the blankets we could find.
Also the monasteries are tho most beautiful and authentic I have ever seen. But,....
The Chinese really control everything. There are everywhere spy's disguised as tourists, or monks, or whatever. Our Tibetan guides where really scared to talk in public about there thoughts about politics. All the pictures of the living Dalai Lama are illegal and also the Tibetan flag.
There 'peaceful liberation' is really a cultural genocide. The Tibetans have less rights as Chinese. If they are very kind and sheepish and very rich they can get a passport to leave the country, but it costs a full year wage!! Our guides husband was imprisoned one year for entering the country illegal after going to Nepal, he was only 25 now.
They have a hard time.
On the other hand, our driver and guide weren't the nicest guide and driver we could have. Really not motivated in the contrary with the guides husband who guided us for one day. He was really relaxing, motivated, nice and helpful. It's a pity, but besides that, we had a great time. you'll see on the pics, its unbelievable.
greets,
Simon and Saar
Finally in Nepal. But already stuck in the border town, because of a strike which paralyzes the whole country. No one can use any transport. If they do, their vehicle gets wrecked. So no one wants to bring us to Kathmandu. But its oke. Its relaxing here in the beautiful valley of the Himalayas from which one side is Chinese, and the other is Nepalese.
So only the day after tomorrow we can leave. Tomorrow we'll visit a hot spring, the only thing to see here besides the dirty streets and the dirty hillsides littered with all the rubbish the people can't use.
But before we arrived here, we crossed Tibet, a really magical country. We were so lucky with the weather, which was blue blue and sunny. It was awesome. The people in Tibet are totally different from the Chinese. They laugh much more, are very friendly and are very spiritual. It's like there life is all about there believe, Buddhism.
They are really beautiful, but also very dirty. In the way they seem not to wash them very often. The children are often really black of the dirt. But on the same moment shining from the inside.
It is the kind of people which I had expected to find in Mongolia. But probably communism has killed all this people, or certainly, this kind of spirits.
Also the countryside is very similar to Mongolia. Huge place , few people an enormous beautiful.
Together with the Dutch couple, Gerald and Anette, we had a great time. We had little problems with altitude sickness, but it is really not something to underestimate. Without the medication, we would have had problems. Around the mount Everest we walked for 8 km, but it felt like 20. The icy wind blowing in our face all the time, luckily still sunny, but on the end, Gerald and I where exhausted, with a huge headache. But the woman were oke. So they could take care for us. In the night all the bottles of water were frozen, inside our sleeping room!! Luckily we could use all the blankets we could find.
Also the monasteries are tho most beautiful and authentic I have ever seen. But,....
The Chinese really control everything. There are everywhere spy's disguised as tourists, or monks, or whatever. Our Tibetan guides where really scared to talk in public about there thoughts about politics. All the pictures of the living Dalai Lama are illegal and also the Tibetan flag.
There 'peaceful liberation' is really a cultural genocide. The Tibetans have less rights as Chinese. If they are very kind and sheepish and very rich they can get a passport to leave the country, but it costs a full year wage!! Our guides husband was imprisoned one year for entering the country illegal after going to Nepal, he was only 25 now.
They have a hard time.
On the other hand, our driver and guide weren't the nicest guide and driver we could have. Really not motivated in the contrary with the guides husband who guided us for one day. He was really relaxing, motivated, nice and helpful. It's a pity, but besides that, we had a great time. you'll see on the pics, its unbelievable.
greets,
Simon and Saar
dinsdag 15 december 2009
donderdag 10 december 2009
To Lhasa!!!
So, finally we write from Chengdu, one hour before leaving for Lhasa!!
As we said, Yangzhuo was really a nice time. Riding on our rented tandem (duo bike) between the sugerbread-shaped hills and along the beautiful Li river.
Finally after a lot of snow we could relax in this nice and warm surrounding. Well I slept for two days to get rid of my fever. But after four days I was back the old one, except my lips were still full of herpes vesicles.
One day we visited the local market. Saartje left after entering five meter when she saw a truncated fish head stil moving vividly.
I went on but came out really shocked. We heard the people there sell skinned dogs, so I was curious, but it was much worse then I had expected. The dogs where just treated like actually all animals are treated. They were stacked with so many in such a small cage, but much worse, there fellows got slaughtered just in front of there nose, just like 10 cm!! The prepared ones where hanging on hooks in the front. Just like rabbits, but it felt so much worse. ...
So after This beautiful place we left back to Guilin where we visited some more little beautiful villages after which we took the train for 25 hours direction Chengdu.
Here, in this big and vivid city with 4,4 million people we really slowed down. We were little sick of sight seeing. So in two weeks we only visited the panda 'zoo', the main square, the peoples park, some hours further, the biggest Buddha of the world and many hours further(12) the most beautiful natural reserve we saw up till now.The panda's where so cute, but stil bears and dangerous!
The Buddha was an 'o waw' experience, after we went back. We didn't really visit it, we just took the pont to an island opposite of the Buddha, from which we had a very good view. We saved 9 euro's each!
The natural reserve was just so beautiful, it was a pity we couldn't walk on the walking pads because of fire danger.
Just admire it on there site: www.jiuzhai.com
The way to there was very interesting to see how the earthquake of 2008 did so much damage. It must have been horrifying to have been in that valley. Half mountains just came down! Damaged houses, collapsed bridges, broken roads,...crazy
Normally our plan was to take the bus from the park to another city where we could take the train to Xinnig, but there was no bus going anymore. So we had to go back to Chengdu.
Apparently a good plan of God, because the day after we arrived, we got mail from a Dutch couple who wanted join us!!! www.geraldanette.reismee.nl
Which they do!!!
So tonight we leave with the train to Lhasa for 48 hours.
This is our Itinerary for Tibet:
Day 01 : Arrival in Lhasa by train, will be received and transfer to hotel in Lhasa,
Day 02 : Day in Lhasa / optional visits in Lhasa
Day 03 : Day in Lhasa / optional visits in Lhasa
======================================
Day 04 : Day trip option 01
Drive Lhasa to Ganden monastery, touring the monastery, option to do a 3 to 4 hrs trek crossing Ganden ridge to Trup Shi village where we can visit a local Tibetan family for some local drinks and snacks, then meet our driver and drive back to Lhasa, over night stay in Lhasa
=============================================
Day 05 : Lhasa - Yamdrok lake - Gyangtse 260kms / 7hrs
Leaving Lhasa and the Kyi Chu valley towards the Khampa la pass ( 4730metres ), at the pass we have a short break for stunning views of some major white peaks in the eastern regions of Himalaya to the south and the young Norjing Gang Sang spiritual snow mountain range to the west across the turquise colored waving waters of Yamdrok lake, descending from the pass down close to the lake and driving passing the local nomadic and farming villages as far as to the western edge of Yamdrok lake where we have our lunch break at Nagar Tse, after lunch continue our scenic driving to Karo la pass ( 5050metres ) where we have our first high altitude adventure experience of Norjing Gang Sang glacier peak and visiting the local nomads with the Yaks, we have our arrival in Gyangtse late afternoon , check in hotel in Gyangtse, Jian Zang or similar ( 3850metres )
Day 06 : Gyangtse sightseeing - Shigatse 90kms / 2hrs
After breafkast, we visit the local historical and the cultural centers, The Palkhor Chode monastery including the Kumbum stupa ( the only survival with such distinctive structure and the thousands of art works ) and a climb to the ancient local Gyangtse fort is worthy choice by being in Gyangtse, at noon we drive through Nying Chu valley, passing local farming Tibetan villages with stops at their farm-lands and as well as stops at a few local villages with visits to a few of the local families, arriving in Shigatse afternoon, check in the hotel, same day afternoon touring the Tashi Lunpo monastery and the local tradtional market, hotel stay at Gang Gyen or similar
Day 07 : Shigatse - Sakya monastery - Shekar - Tashi Zong Village 320kms / 6hrs
Leaving Shigatse town, Drive continue west on the friendship high way to Sakya, visit Sakya monastery ( The main seat of Sakya pa sect of Tibetan Buddhism ) a monastery which was once became the political center of majority parts of Tibetan territory and its history dates back to the11th century contemporary to the second diffusion of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet ), It has now still the largest library for ancient Buddhist scriptures although thousands of precious scriptures were destroyed during cultural revolution, after the visit we take our lunch there and late after noon drive to Shekar and then on to Tashi Zong village, over night at a local farmer`s guest house
Day 08 : Tashi Zong village - Rombuk - Everest base camp 60kms / 1 1/2hrs
We have a basic breakfast at the guest served by the family and then we drive to Rombuk, where we make a short stop and then you could start your hike from Rombuk up to Za Rumbuk where we have the locals running camp guest houses, check in the guest house
Day 09 : Everest / Nyalam 220kms / 7hrs
Spend a beautiful morning in Rombuk and Everest base camp, enjoying the sun-rising, late morning driving to Old Tingri where we have our lunch break, taking a walk around the village after lunch is interesting, late afternoon drive to Nyalam. ( 3700m )
Day 10 : Nyalam / Zhangmu Border / cross border
Driving down to border town ( Zhangmu ), clearing the immigration formalities and then cross border ;
End of the trip ;
Love
Simon and Saartje
As we said, Yangzhuo was really a nice time. Riding on our rented tandem (duo bike) between the sugerbread-shaped hills and along the beautiful Li river.
Finally after a lot of snow we could relax in this nice and warm surrounding. Well I slept for two days to get rid of my fever. But after four days I was back the old one, except my lips were still full of herpes vesicles.
One day we visited the local market. Saartje left after entering five meter when she saw a truncated fish head stil moving vividly.
I went on but came out really shocked. We heard the people there sell skinned dogs, so I was curious, but it was much worse then I had expected. The dogs where just treated like actually all animals are treated. They were stacked with so many in such a small cage, but much worse, there fellows got slaughtered just in front of there nose, just like 10 cm!! The prepared ones where hanging on hooks in the front. Just like rabbits, but it felt so much worse. ...
So after This beautiful place we left back to Guilin where we visited some more little beautiful villages after which we took the train for 25 hours direction Chengdu.
Here, in this big and vivid city with 4,4 million people we really slowed down. We were little sick of sight seeing. So in two weeks we only visited the panda 'zoo', the main square, the peoples park, some hours further, the biggest Buddha of the world and many hours further(12) the most beautiful natural reserve we saw up till now.The panda's where so cute, but stil bears and dangerous!
The Buddha was an 'o waw' experience, after we went back. We didn't really visit it, we just took the pont to an island opposite of the Buddha, from which we had a very good view. We saved 9 euro's each!
The natural reserve was just so beautiful, it was a pity we couldn't walk on the walking pads because of fire danger.
Just admire it on there site: www.jiuzhai.com
The way to there was very interesting to see how the earthquake of 2008 did so much damage. It must have been horrifying to have been in that valley. Half mountains just came down! Damaged houses, collapsed bridges, broken roads,...crazy
Normally our plan was to take the bus from the park to another city where we could take the train to Xinnig, but there was no bus going anymore. So we had to go back to Chengdu.
Apparently a good plan of God, because the day after we arrived, we got mail from a Dutch couple who wanted join us!!! www.geraldanette.reismee.nl
Which they do!!!
So tonight we leave with the train to Lhasa for 48 hours.
This is our Itinerary for Tibet:
Day 01 : Arrival in Lhasa by train, will be received and transfer to hotel in Lhasa,
Day 02 : Day in Lhasa / optional visits in Lhasa
Day 03 : Day in Lhasa / optional visits in Lhasa
======================================
Day 04 : Day trip option 01
Drive Lhasa to Ganden monastery, touring the monastery, option to do a 3 to 4 hrs trek crossing Ganden ridge to Trup Shi village where we can visit a local Tibetan family for some local drinks and snacks, then meet our driver and drive back to Lhasa, over night stay in Lhasa
=============================================
Day 05 : Lhasa - Yamdrok lake - Gyangtse 260kms / 7hrs
Leaving Lhasa and the Kyi Chu valley towards the Khampa la pass ( 4730metres ), at the pass we have a short break for stunning views of some major white peaks in the eastern regions of Himalaya to the south and the young Norjing Gang Sang spiritual snow mountain range to the west across the turquise colored waving waters of Yamdrok lake, descending from the pass down close to the lake and driving passing the local nomadic and farming villages as far as to the western edge of Yamdrok lake where we have our lunch break at Nagar Tse, after lunch continue our scenic driving to Karo la pass ( 5050metres ) where we have our first high altitude adventure experience of Norjing Gang Sang glacier peak and visiting the local nomads with the Yaks, we have our arrival in Gyangtse late afternoon , check in hotel in Gyangtse, Jian Zang or similar ( 3850metres )
Day 06 : Gyangtse sightseeing - Shigatse 90kms / 2hrs
After breafkast, we visit the local historical and the cultural centers, The Palkhor Chode monastery including the Kumbum stupa ( the only survival with such distinctive structure and the thousands of art works ) and a climb to the ancient local Gyangtse fort is worthy choice by being in Gyangtse, at noon we drive through Nying Chu valley, passing local farming Tibetan villages with stops at their farm-lands and as well as stops at a few local villages with visits to a few of the local families, arriving in Shigatse afternoon, check in the hotel, same day afternoon touring the Tashi Lunpo monastery and the local tradtional market, hotel stay at Gang Gyen or similar
Day 07 : Shigatse - Sakya monastery - Shekar - Tashi Zong Village 320kms / 6hrs
Leaving Shigatse town, Drive continue west on the friendship high way to Sakya, visit Sakya monastery ( The main seat of Sakya pa sect of Tibetan Buddhism ) a monastery which was once became the political center of majority parts of Tibetan territory and its history dates back to the11th century contemporary to the second diffusion of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet ), It has now still the largest library for ancient Buddhist scriptures although thousands of precious scriptures were destroyed during cultural revolution, after the visit we take our lunch there and late after noon drive to Shekar and then on to Tashi Zong village, over night at a local farmer`s guest house
Day 08 : Tashi Zong village - Rombuk - Everest base camp 60kms / 1 1/2hrs
We have a basic breakfast at the guest served by the family and then we drive to Rombuk, where we make a short stop and then you could start your hike from Rombuk up to Za Rumbuk where we have the locals running camp guest houses, check in the guest house
Day 09 : Everest / Nyalam 220kms / 7hrs
Spend a beautiful morning in Rombuk and Everest base camp, enjoying the sun-rising, late morning driving to Old Tingri where we have our lunch break, taking a walk around the village after lunch is interesting, late afternoon drive to Nyalam. ( 3700m )
Day 10 : Nyalam / Zhangmu Border / cross border
Driving down to border town ( Zhangmu ), clearing the immigration formalities and then cross border ;
End of the trip ;
Love
Simon and Saartje
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