Lost in China: Day 8

The place we overnighted in Shigatse is called Gesar Hotel. This hotel is great, with standard facilities that you can find in most major hotel like sauna, meeting room etc, even the carpet in elevator will change everyday.

Usually, my style of travel, is to avoid hotel as much as possible, and as close to the locals as possible, but in Tibet, able to find a proper 'civilized' toilet is close to impossible, they are only available in hotel and diplomat places.

Guys are still 'ok' with it, but for girls, good luck for not having your menstrual visit suddenly.

In the room. The interior is in Tibetan/Chinese art style, and it comes with robe~

The morning breakfast buffet area

First destination of the day, was Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded by first Dalai Lama. Similar like most monasteries, it is located below the mountain. We were left to explore the monastery ourselves, as our guide was visiting nearby police station to prepare the permit for next day's Everest Base Camp.

Main entrance of Tashilhunpo Monastery

Walked by monk in red robe. This picture created an illusion of depth, do you feel it?

Large stupas in the monastery.

Prayers and visitors of the monastery queuing to climb up stairs into the praying hall.

The Thanka Wall

Overlooking Shigatse from higher ground of this monastery

Group photo with one of monastery's architecture

Without tour guide, and with adventurous spirits, we got lost in this huge maze. Spent quite some time to get out to main entrance.

China did a great work in connecting isolated places with this super long highway, connecting from Shanghai to Tibet, call 308. It is 5000km, almost as long as the Greatwall of China. To develop an area, first thing, transport infrastructure.

Monument of the highway

Still, there is no traffic jam here, with occasional waiting for sheep herd crossing the road.

*Look here*

*Look there* (Where can I find toilet?)

Tibetans in a group

花田错

A local restaurant near Sakya Monastery. Food is great, large portion, and price is relative more expensive, the further away from city.

Menu and pricing of the food

Tomato Egg Rice, never stingy with their eggs.

Can't remember this, but I remember is fish with rice. No one usually have fish at 5000m altitude...

After meal, time to release. This is one of the cleanest public toilet, with no door, and an auto flush mechanism through the drain from left to right, all slots at once. Be grateful.

Our next visit, is again, a monastery. But this is unique. It is call Sakya Monastery, with Mongolian architecture. The major colors are red and black, which never seen at other monasteries, and one of the least damaged monastery during the revolution, partly due to it's deserted location.

A monk is reading at the rooftop of the monastery

Panorama view of the main plaza

Resting at the rooftop

Surrounded by mountains.

Entrance to Sakya Monastery

Time to hit on 308 highway, to our destination of the day, New Tingri, the last town before Everest Base Camp.

Praying flag along the highway.

And, toilet break! I promise this is not the last toilet photo!

After days of travel, our first sign of the far tip of Everest Mountain! 

Stay tune, tomorrow will be the climax of this trip.

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