Setting out

Leaving our city of origin, Nanjing, on a bright winter day

A dusty landscape greeted us the further inland we went

The Chinese hard sleeper train, economic and comfortable.

The standard meal for sale on every Chinese train.

Hour by hour the terrain changes, sometimes very quickly.

After 25 hours we begin to approach Xining

On the platform in Xining, a city surrounded by sizable mountains. Elevation about 2300m, 2 kilometers higher than sea-level Nanjing.

The first sign we were meeting Tibetan culture - Tibetan transcriptions of Chinese signs. Notice which language is printed the largest!

Leaving the Xining train platform.

Our first glimpse of the local Xining street scene. There were many different ethnic groups mixed together, a truly diverse Chinese city. Races include the Han Chinese, the Hui minority, Tibetans from two different regions, Mongols, and Xinjiang natives from the west.

Our hostel, on the 15th floor. Lete International Youth Hostel.

Our view of Xining.

What better way to cap off a 25 hour train ride than to sample the local donkey? The donkey was in fact much more delicious than the dog.

Sunset over Xining.

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway

At the Xining train station, we met our first up-close Tibetans heading home for the upcoming Tibetan New Year. (The Tibetan is the one on the right of course!)

Taking this railroad between Lhasa and Xining was one of the absolute highlights of the trip. It is hailed as the highest-altitude train in the world.

The train leaves Xining at night, so as to hide those untidy nuclear testing grounds in the nearby countryside.

Daybreak falls over the Tibetan plateau, elevation about 4000m.




One quickly realizes Tibet is simply all.. mountains.


And plenty of snow in some areas.



There are some wide plains as well.



It took a lot of searching, but there are indeed blue skies in China!




Some small friends were looking for distraction on such a long train ride (another 25 hours!).


Eventually dusk started to settle in.


The sun made its descent behind the ever-present hills in the distance.



Destination: Lhasa train station

Around Lhasa

Lhasa is the cultural capital of Tibet. The city's elevation is 3650m (12,000 feet).

Barkhor Square - the home of Tibetan Buddhist's most holy site, the Jokhang Temple.

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims arrive each year to worship at the temple, many prostrating themselves on the ground while reciting mantras.

Our views from the roof of Jokhang.

As seen from in front:

The former home of the Dalai Lama in the distance, Potala Palace.

Even local personnel take in the beautiful view.

All day long people walk in a clockwise circle around the temple to perform a holy circuit, called a kora.

Due to riots last year, China stepped up security all of the city. Riot police like the one on this roof stand guard over the whole city.

;

Some candid shots of pilgrims:





Don't miss the local cuisine - yak meat. Order it fresh, by the half carcass..


Or the full carcass.


At such high elevation, there isn't as much atmosphere to shield the blazing sun.


We found some time to visit the outlying 'river,' mostly dry during the winter months.


The Chinese section of town looks very.. Chinese.



On a separate day we toured the Potala.


Lhasa as seen from above. The haze over the city is not pollution, in fact, but incense from the thousands of daily devotions.



When it comes to carrying children, some lengths of cloth cord is enough to do the trick.


At the base of the palace are a line of large prayer wheels. Spin each one to offer the prayer text embossed on its surface.


As expected, they do have Tibetan Terriers in Tibet.