Tuesday we went to Drepung Monastery. Actually, we had planned to go to the Potala Palace on Tuesday, but we got to the line to buy tickets and discovered that you have to reserve tickets in advance. we still bought a ticket, but it was for Tuesday at 2 o'clock. I remembered reading in my guide book about a temple 3 kilometers outside of Lhasa that looked promising, but of course, I forgot the name. So we hailed a cab and asked the driver about that temple or something outside of Lhasa. Surprisingly, he got us to the right place, a humongous, gorgeous monastery situated on the side of a huge mountain.
Yeah, it's hard to be in such a beautiful place. We had no idea what we were in for, but the 50 Yuan entrance price was well worth it. Drepung is a labyrinth of stairs, temples, and random buildings. We spent four hours there, but we probably could have stayed longer if we had brought food.
I guess this is what people of when they think of Tibet; a monastery, monks, beautiful scenery, peaceful surroundings. It was nice to get away from the city and see the city from the mountains instead of the mountains from the city. There was a little river and places for climbing around; we did some of that.
Drepung is just one of those perfect tourist attractions. The Potala is Lhasa's most famous landmark, but Drepung is bigger, more beautiful, quieter, and not overrun by those ever-present waiguo ren (oh wait...).
I've put up a lot of pictures of me because I feel like it's proof that I've been here. I think once I leave, I'll feel like I was never here. We need some proof to counteract that.
Drepung is also mostly outside, so we were in the sun the whole morning. My scalp started to get sunburned, so I used my scarf as a head cover. We joked that every day, Chinese people think I am from a different country: France, Russia, Italy; but with the cover on my head, I looked more like I come from the Middle East. So Annetta and Jason have decided that I look like I could be from anywhere except Asia or Africa. We also all agree that I shouldn't have been born American.
The best thing about Drepung is that we could just wander around wherever we wanted. There were no signs that told us we couldn't go somewhere; we could take pictures just about anywhere, though in some temples you had to pay 10 or 20 Yuan; the monks were just walking around and friendly and willing to have their pictures taken.
A few times we accidentally wandered into their living quarters, where we probably weren't supposed to be, but they just looked at the three stupid waiguo ren and told us how we could get out.
The place was a maze, but we made it to the very back, which was dark, un-restored, and quiet. We wandered up an unstable ladder to the roof of some living quarters (perhaps techinically not allowed) and got the greatest view ever. We got Jason out from behind the camera (for once), so here are Jason and I. Isn't it gorgeous?
I took a lot of pictures—I filled up a whole memory card (250ish pictures). And yet, Jason beat me. Not that it was a competition. He took 1232 pictures. Most of the ones on the blog are his. But I won't tell you which and then you can think that I'm a fabulous photographer.
In our time here in Lhasa, the three of us have been actively seeking out the “authentic” Tibet. We want to eat authentic Tibetan food, buy authentic Tibetan jewelry or bags or clothes, and see authentic Tibetan sights. Every time we go to a restaurant, we ask for “didao” (authentic) dishes. But every time we do, I feel like it's kind of a joke. What is the “authentic” Tibet? Is it the old people walking down the street carrying beads and prayer wheels? Or is it the migrant workers who have lived here for years just trying to make a living? The monks? The fake antique junk vendors sell in stalls? As hard as we try to find the “authentic” Tibet, I feel like it doesn't exist. That doesn't mean that we should go out and eat American food for every meal, and that doesn't mean we should buy total junk knowingly (or at least pay too much for it), but I think that Lhasa has been too overcome by industrialization, commercialization, and tourism for there to be an “authentic” Tibet.
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