INTO OCCUPIED LANDS
Leave Beijing to catch a flight for Lhasa, the largest city in Tibet. The flight has a layover in Chengdu. While we are on the same flight and in the same seats, we have to exit the plane with all of our belongings in Chengdu. We will be doing this again on our return to Beijing. Fortunately, I travel light and have only one carry-on. Unfortunately, like the roads in Beijing, getting on and off the plane is an every-man-for-himself ordeal.On the way to the hotel we stop to view the Blue Buddha rock carvings near Nethang Monastery. This is our first opportunity to cross a street in Tibet. I'm beginning to develop a working theory that nothing has the right of way in China and Tibet, except maybe a yak.
Our hotel is near both the Barkhor (pilgrimage site and marketplace) and the Jokhang, the most revered religious structure in Tibet. We will be exploring both more fully later.
Pilgrims, beggars, monks
All circle the marketplace
Among bartered deals
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