I met Josie for breakfast, but Steve didn’t make it. He had a bad night, nausea, headache, etc. I think he may have the dreaded altitude sickness. He eventually comes down, but he doesn’t look good.
We meet our guide at 10:00 and drive to the Drepung Monastery. It’s the largest monastery in Tibet and built in the 6th century. At its’ height, prior to 1959, there were 10,000 monks living and studying here. There are only about 300 on the property regularly now. At festival times, several times a year, over 3000 will visit and participate in activities. Steve’s stomach and head are not doing very well. This is a tough place to be sick.
Video Link – Drepung Monastery: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2a8sxnmyw5u0xwp/15.5.2.Drepung.m4v?dl=0
Looking across the Lhasa Valley from the Drepung Monastery
Prostration prayers. The goal is to complete 100,000 in their lifetime. See the video.
Books in the Drepung library. Several are over 600 years old.
We eat lunch at another local Tibetan restaurant. I tried a yak burger and fries. It was good. I really couldn’t tell any flavor difference from a beef burger. Steve opted out of lunch and went back to the hotel.
Video Link – Yak herd: https://www.dropbox.com/s/r3wypzinq3nb2jt/15.5.2.Yak%20herd.m4v?dl=0
We walked from the restaurant to the Jokhang Temple, another site where several Dalai Lamas are entombed (#1 through #4). There are huge crowds outside the temple, walking clockwise around the temple in a pilgrimage. According to our guide they walk around it all day long.
Video Link – Jokhang Temple:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/d82ljqbee104fyk/15.5.2.Jokhang.m4v?dl=0
Jokhang Temple
An inner courtyard
Some of the Jokhang Temple pilgrims
After our visit to the temple we joined the walk, stopping in a shop for a little souvenir shopping. Afterwards, we walked to the hotel where I crashed on the bed. I guess it’s the lack of oxygen at this altitude that creates the loss of energy (at least that’s where I’m laying the blame). We eat dinner around 7:00, taking some soup back up to Steve when we’re finished.