Tibet!

Okay!! I just got back from TIBET!!! It was so beautiful! I had no idea there were so many lakes, Tibet has some of the best scenery! I would also like to add one to my list of uses for the horn...I am coming around the corner, look out, because I am taking up both lanes!! Which, really, is a pretty good use of a horn, if you ask me, and if you are going up/down a very steep mountain on a very curvy road!
We arrived on Sunday and went to our hotel to have a rest and then Ms Yoon (my traveling buddy, she teaches Korean) and I walked around Lhasa. Lhasa is so clean, compared to Weifang! The skies in Tibet are so blue, I haven't seen sky like that since New Mexico! Which, by the way, I thought about everyday on the trip!! Tibet reminded me so much of being on the Reservation, the people, the jewelry, the homes...it was crazy!
Potala Palace is one of the most famous attractions in Lhasa. It is where several Dalai Lama's are entombed, rather extravegantly I might add. This place is extraordinary! It was built around the 14th century and then some of it was burned down and they rebuilt it. This is where the Dalai Lama lived, studied and worshipped until something went down with the church and China and the Dalai Lama moved to India. I put a picture of it up on Photobucket. There are many chapels within the palace with thousands of Buddhas, incense burning constantly in almost every room. So many gold and jewels you can't even count! The tomb of the 5th Dalai Lama (I believe) is the most extravagant. Hundreds of jewels and gold plated, one of the most unusual jewels on this tomb is an elephant (I believe) brain. Just to you are aware, this whole tour was in Chinese, so I only know this from a video I purchased in Lhasa and from research on the internet. If you plan on going to Lhasa, get an english speaking guide, unless you are fluent in Mandarin, then more power to you!! I did, however, learn so much chinese this week!!! I may actually be able to understand and speak to people by July!!
Later we went to Johkang Temple in the center of Lhasa. Many people out front praying, falling on the ground to touch their heads to the ground only to rise up and repeat the motions. Incredible to watch! No pictures within the temple, so you get views from the outside.
The next day we took a bus ride up to Lake Namtso, one the highest lakes in the world. Beautiful!! Here I sat on a Yak and he walked down into the lake!!! Rad! You can come and stay at a "hotel" here and enjoy your time with the locals!
I'm getting tired, this is getting very brief! On Friday morning we left for Beijing on the Tibet-Qinghai railway. What a wonderful way to see China!!! I would only recommend going one way on the train, either there or back and then flying the other way. China is so beautiful, it also has it's ugly spots kind of like the drive to UT from NV or the drive to Vegas from Reno. But wow!!! AMazing! Then on Sunday we arrived in Beijing at 730am and visited Qianmen square (Tienamen Square). We toured the government building, gorgeous! Then we headed back to Weifang with our heads spinning. You know that feeling after you get off a boat, you feel like you are rocking everywhere you walk, it's like that after being on a train for 3 days.
Tibet was well worth it! The land is beautiful and the people are still very steeped in their culture and religion!! The art, clothing and homes are decorated in vibrant colors. It was by far the highlight of my stay in China thus far, probably of the whole year! I'm sorry this is so short, but it's dinner time!! I love you all!! thanks for reading!