Tibet
Much of Lhasa looks like any other Chinese city: wide streets, unwieldy drivers, far too many clothing stores. The influence and impact of the Chinese presence here is undeniable. However, once one gets into the heart of Lhasa, there are narrow alleyways that weave a maze that is apparently impenetrable to Chinese culture. The architecture is different, people smile back when you smile at them, and Tibetans wear there spirituality on their sleeves in a way I have never seen.
I walk the streets and see Tibetans lying prostrate on the street then standing up in prayer, performing this act repeatedly, and moving forward a body-length each time. These people are making a pilgrimage to Lhasa and its holy sites, a rite of passage that every Tibetan will complete in his or her lifetime.
This morning I visited Potala Palace, the spiritual center of Tibet and the palace of the Dalai Lamas. The building sits atop a hillside and is awe-inspiring. After walking through the various chambers and seeing the tombs of previous Dalai Lamas, my friend Jeremy and I came across a cave opening at the base of the Palace. Inside, the cave was lined with tables and local people drinking butter tea. We went inside and had a meal. The butter tea had little to do with tea but had plenty of butter. Everyone in the cafe stared at us as we ate.
