Tibet Travel Notes | The Tibet you didn’t go to, the “Yamdrok Yongcuo” you didn’t go to, I went there for you.

I started playing with the tour group on the second day after arriving in Lhasa. This time it was a two-day trip, so I didn’t go back to Lhasa at night and stayed in the small town of Shigatse. In the past two days, we drove all the way through the Yarlung Zangbo River, Gangbala Mountain, and went to Yamdrok Yumco, Karola Glacier, Tashilhunpo Monastery, and Luolin Village.

On the Brahmaputra River, I heard the story of water burial.

I took a photo on the bus as I passed by the Brahmaputra River. The tour guide said that if you see people gathering by the water, it means that a water burial is being held. Then he told us about water burial, saying that because of water burial, Tibetans do not eat fish in the river.

Well, you can think about it for yourself. When you are eating fish, you are thinking about water burial. Well, what kind of mood will you feel?

Cross the Gangbala Pass at an altitude of 5030 meters. The scenery along the way from Lhasa to Yamdrok Yumco was breathtaking, and we also crossed the Gangbala Pass at an altitude of 5,030 meters. We did not encounter the blue sky and white clouds of the plateau. It was clear for thousands of miles, and there were only thick clouds scattered from the sky among the mountains.

The tour guide said that the weather today is not very good, but don't worry, the weather here is changeable, pray for blue sky and white clouds at your destination.

Yamdrok Yongtso, I can’t see your face clearly at first sight.

After passing Gangbala Pass, we were getting closer and closer to Yamdrok Yumco. We could vaguely see the appearance of the Holy Lake from the car, but as soon as we got off the car, layers of white mist shrouded the lake, getting thicker and thicker. It gets thicker and thicker, and finally nothing is visible.

At the mountain pass with an altitude of 4999 meters, I took photos with this stone.

Because there are layers of white mist on the lake at this time, everyone takes tourist photos here to prove their visit here and keep it as a souvenir, hehe.

When traveling, civility comes first. Everyone consciously queues up to take photos, and the atmosphere is still harmonious. This headline is established by the state, so taking photos is free.

After a few minutes, the white mist gradually dispersed, revealing the colorful lake.

The weather in the Holy Lake is indeed changeable. It was just covered in white mist, but within minutes we encountered blue sky and white clouds, colorful lake water, and faintly visible rapeseed flowers.

July and August are really the rainy season in Tibet. Anyone who can see such scenery is considered lucky, isn't it?

When I finally got in the car and left, the scenery became clearer. I took a few more photos and added a filter. Isn’t it beautiful?

If it is autumn and winter, the sky is also pure blue, and paired with the blue-jewel lake water, you can see the seller’s show version of Yamdrok Yongtong.

By the lake, I had a close encounter with the Holy Lake. It turned out that the water of the Holy Lake was so clear.

After viewing the Holy Lake from a distance at 4999 meters, we drove to the edge of the lake. The car drove for about 1-2 hours, I don’t remember the details.

The lake is 4,441 meters above sea level and has a bit of a commercial atmosphere. You have to pay to take pictures with rocks and yaks. There are also people selling various trinkets on the roadside. The tour guide said not to buy trinkets. Really. It's hard to tell if it's fake or not, but you can take photos if you want to keep a souvenir.

Take photos with rocks, 5 yuan per person. This stone with the words "Yamdrok Yumco Lake, one of the three holy lakes, 4441 meters above sea level" was erected by local residents here, so they charge 5 yuan per person to take photos. How many photos can you take? The final decision is made, cash or WeChat payment is accepted.

Let me tell you secretly, I spent 5 yuan here and asked someone to take a few photos. I am not very satisfied, haha. I just keep it for myself to enjoy.

Taking photos with yaks, 20 per person . There are many yaks all the way around the lake, just for tourists to take pictures. Yak is really full of treasures. When alive, it can be used to take photos and make money. After death, the meat can be eaten. The hair can be used to make curtains or tents. The bones can be used to make handicrafts (such as chopsticks, horn combs, and cow heads). pendants, etc.).

I spent another 20 bucks here. Hey, I chose this yak to take pictures. I’ll put on a hat for you (actually it doesn’t look good), put on a white hada, and ride a yak. ​​It’s 20 yuan and you can take as many pictures as you like.

Beautiful young lady by the lake . From this angle, you can capture the reflection of people. There are thick clouds in the sky and the lake is crystal clear. It seems that the weather does not affect the beauty of the lake.

An innocent young lady with a bit of high reflexes came from a distance. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat on his head (Audrey Hepburn's favorite style of hat, which makes her face look petite and cute), and a black mask, tightly wrapped, only revealing a pair of eyes, and a red jacket The most eye-catching one, hehe.

A young lady lying on the ground taking pictures without caring about her image.

These two people should be a couple, I guess. The man wearing a brightly colored shawl next to him used stones to float the water. Throwing a stone over would create circles of water splashes. The young lady was lying down next to him taking pictures, maybe for Douyin. Shiranui Got it?

PS: When we were young, we often played by the river in front of our house. We would also deliberately compete to see who could draw the most water circles by throwing stones.

The small purple flowers beside the lake are fragrant and pleasant.

On the edge of the holy lake, there is this small purple flower, which is in full bloom. It is not entirely purple, some are blue or red, the leaves are very small, there are small thorns on them, the smell is light and fragrant, and it smells very comfortable. If you heard correctly, this may be the plateau lavender that the tour guide said.

I made a hole in the crystal clear lake water.

When a stone dropped, there was a "ding-dong" sound and the water broke. It happened that my mobile phone captured the scene of the water breaking, and the time was frozen at this moment. Do you think it is beautiful?

The stones beside the lake are also very beautiful, some are as white as jade, and they look particularly clean and refreshing after being washed by the holy lake water.

Cute Tibetan Mastiff, docile and pleasant.

There is also a cute Tibetan Mastiff by the lake. There is a fee for taking photos. I don’t know the price and I haven’t asked, haha.

Tibetan Mastiffs are extremely loyal to their owners. The originally wild Tibetan Mastiffs have become docile and pleasant under the influence of the environment.

Facing the beautiful scenery, time always passes too fast. After admiring Yamdrok Yumcuo, we set off with the car to the next attraction - Karola Glacier.

Karola Glacier, the filming location of the movie "Red River Valley".

Karola Glacier, passed by on the way to Shigatse, is one of the three largest continental glaciers in Tibet. Perhaps due to the weather, the glacier I saw looked a bit dirty and not as spectacular as I imagined.

The altitude here is 5020 meters. One of the four sacred mountains in Tibet, Naqin Kangsang Peak, is also here. The highest peak altitude is 7191 meters. The movies "Red River Valley", "Battle of Gyantse" and "Yun Shui Yao" were filmed here.

A movie that leaves a legacy of hurt. When filming "Red River Valley", in order to create an avalanche scene, the crew used explosives to blast a triangular gap in the Karola Glacier. It has never restored its original appearance. This gap remains to this day. clear and distinct.

Passing by the granary of the Tibetan people. After checking in at the Karola Glacier, we moved forward again and passed through Gyantse County. All the way we could see was highland barley. The tour guide said that this is the granary of the Tibetan people and is famous for planting a large amount of highland barley.

Walk along the way and enjoy the scenery along the way. Under the blue sky and white clouds, there are green highland barley, rape flowers, and unknown white flowers.

Experience Tibetan Buddhism at Tashilhunpo Monastery.

It was almost five o'clock when we arrived at Tashilhunpo Monastery. Follow the tour guide and walk slowly from left to right, learn about Tibetan Buddhist culture and listen to the little stories here.

Before going in, take a panoramic picture outside. From left to right, you can see five halls. The white ones on the left and right are the Buddhist pagodas (this is needed for the Buddhist activities during the Tibetan Shoton Festival).

Here is the story of the reincarnated soul boy. The tour guide took us around from left to right, explaining Tibetan Buddhist culture during the tour. Tells the story of the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama, and the reincarnated soul boy.

If you are interested in Tibetan Buddhism, you can search online to find out more. There should be a lot of information on the Dalai Lama, Panchen Lama, reincarnated soul boys, etc.

The more jewelry, the higher the status. Each palace is dedicated to a different master. Their palaces are all magnificent and valuable, and are inlaid with precious jewelry and jade, such as turquoise, dzi beads, beeswax, etc.

It is said that these are enshrined by the common people. According to the master's contribution and status in the hearts of the people, the number of inlaid jewels is also different. The greater the number of jewels, the greater the contribution and status.

(ps: Photography is prohibited inside the hall, respect local culture)

This design on the exterior wall is very thoughtful. Do you know what this small arc-shaped groove on the wall is for?

The tour guide said that this is used for running water when it rains. In order to prevent the rain from causing deeper damage to the wall, they designed this small groove. Well, very smart, right?

Let me add here that all the lamas in the temples study architecture, and there is a construction company in Zhasi Lhunpo Monastery.

A prayer wheel is a way of praying. One turn is equivalent to reciting a scripture once.

Prayer wheels, also called "Mani" prayer wheels, are related to the eight-character mantra and the six-character mantra. Tibetan Buddhism believes that the more mantras you recite, the more pious you are to the Buddha and you can escape the suffering of reincarnation.

Tibetans put the scriptures in the prayer tube and turn it with their hands, and also turn it clockwise. Each rotation is equivalent to chanting the scriptures once.

(ps: Source: Baidu Encyclopedia)

Under the blue sky and white clouds, the colorful prayer flags are so beautiful!

Photography is not allowed inside the temple, but the scenery outside the temple cannot be missed. The distinctive Tibetan architecture, colorful prayer flags, and magnificent palaces look particularly mysterious and dazzling under the blue sky and white clouds, and under the background of Tibetan Buddhism, don't they?

A symbol of power. This tall pillar is placed in the center and is pulled by a rope. The tour guide said that this is a symbol of rights. As for what symbol of rights it is, I didn’t hear it. I guess I ran to it while the tour guide was explaining. I took pictures, and I only heard that this is a symbol of rights, haha.

Tibetan yogurt. This Tibetan yogurt is sold outside Tashilhunpo Monastery for eight yuan a bowl. It has a very sour taste, so you need to add some sugar when eating it. The taste of this yogurt is similar to the yogurt I had before in Wenchuan. It is also very sour and requires sugar.

After eating yogurt, today’s trip is over. We drove together, went to eat, and arrived at our accommodation before it got dark.

It doesn’t get dark until around 9 o’clock in Tibet, so we feel like we have a long time to play during the day, and we can go to several places in one day.

On this day, I checked in to Yamdrok Yumcuo, Karola Glacier, Tashilhunpo Monastery (it seems a bit similar to "mustard radish shreds", haha), saw the beautiful holy lake, and felt the culture of Tibetan Buddhism. I was very satisfied. ah.

On the way back, we passed by Luolin Village in Nianmu Township and experienced the customs and culture of the Tibetan people.

Returning the next day, I thought I would go straight back to Lhasa. As a result, the tour guide said that all tour buses starting with L must go to Luolin Village to visit, and he also said that it is clearly stipulated by the state. Well, it doesn’t hurt to take a tour.

Luolin Village, Nianmu Township, is a national key poverty alleviation area. The population here is very small. There are only more than 30 or 40 households in total. I forgot. If you have unwanted clothes, books or other items, you can send them here. The contact information is in the picture below.

Received pure white Hada, Tashi Delek. As soon as we got off the bus, Tsering Dolma (the Tibetan who received our bus) gave us a white hada, then told us about Tibetan culture, took us to visit her home, drink butter tea, and taste highland barley Made tsampa.

Tsering Dolma has extremely rich expressions and is also humorous.

Come and look at the pictures, and while talking and gesticulating, I said confidently, "I am the most beautiful Dolma in our village." Haha, it was a bit of a humorous joke, and it also brought us a lot of fun.

She said, "Many people in our village do not speak Chinese. Only the homes of people who can speak Chinese can come out to receive you."

This white curtain is full of knowledge.

Tsering Dolma had a white curtain hanging at the door of her house. She said, "Not every family can hang this. Only our family has this. Do you know why? Because, one of our children has passed the exam." In your Han universities, only those with college students in their families can take this exam.”

The more cow dung in the house, the more diligent the Dolma is.

After talking about the white curtain at the door, Tsering Dolma led us into his house. There was a large yard outside. There were cows in the yard and a lot of cow dung. Tsering Dolma said: "The more cow dung in a house, it means the more diligent the Dolma in this family is. Later you can pile cow dung at our house for free, and you can also take it away."

ps: Cow dung, they will collect it and stick it on the wall, dry it in the sun, and use it as firewood to cook and keep warm.

The first floor is generally the world for the animals, and the second floor is where they live and entertain guests.

Haha, her family has a lot of cow dung. Well, this Dolma family is very diligent.

Visited Zhuoma's house and tasted highland barley wine, butter tea, and tsampa. It turned out that there was a sale here.

After introducing the cow dung, Dolma took us to visit her home. From the lobby to the Buddhist hall, we were taken to visit them one by one. Then he also told us about the customs and culture of the Tibetan people, such as marriage customs and children's education.

Marriage custom - brothers share wives. The Tibetan people do not like family separation, so if a brother comes back with a wife, the wife will have to sleep with the brother’s other brothers. No matter whose child is born, it will belong to the eldest father anyway. The second father called this, and the child was raised by the whole family.

Marriage custom - a younger sister marries her elder sister. If the elder sister in the family is getting married, and the younger sister happens to be of marriageable age, she must marry along with her elder sister.

Children's education issues. Children of the Tibetan people who have wisdom will be sent to temples to become lamas. Children in temples will learn traditional Tibetan culture, such as Tibetan medicine, painting, sculpture, architecture, etc. Ordinary children will be sent to Han schools to study, and in the future they can also take entrance exams for universities. Dolma said that the college students here work as civil servants when they come back, and their salaries are seven to eight thousand, so her children have to go to college.

They drank the sour highland barley wine as a drink.

While talking about Tsering Dolma, he also prepared highland barley wine and tsampa for us. She said: "We usually drink the highland barley wine here as a drink. There is also tsampa, which we usually eat with our own hands. But today, I am afraid that you are not used to it, so my grandmother put it in The tsampa was divided into small pieces. "Well, it's quite thoughtful, not bad."

Then Tsering Dolma said, "You can eat with ease, it's free of charge. We're hosting you and we're paid. The state gives us 1,500 yuan a month. If you don't eat, you're looking down on our family." "

There is also butter tea, which is salty, but I think I can accept it.

Zangyin comes on stage and the sales meeting begins.

After talking about food, drink and customs, we next mentioned the handicraft - Tibetan silver. Then while talking, Zhuoma took out the Tibetan silver products at home and started selling them. There are silver bowls, silver chopsticks, silver bracelets, cups, spoons, silver belts, combs and so on. He also said that with state subsidies, the prices here are much cheaper than outside.

An aunt who was traveling with me bought a silver belt worth more than 6,000 yuan. Haha, I personally feel like it’s a bit brainwashing behind closed doors. But the product is good, and they sell it so hard. If you have money, you might want to consider it. After all, after listening to it, I feel that the silver belt is quite powerful.

Call it a sales promotion, not a forced purchase or sale. You value it, eat it well, use it well, and only buy it if you think it is good. People won't say anything if you don't buy it. This is good.

The Wangguo Festival of the Tibetan people.

People in front Tibet have the Shoton Festival (August 11-17), and people in back Tibet have the Fruit Festival. The Fruit Festival is a festival to celebrate the harvest, which is equivalent to our Spring Festival. During the festival, people who work outside have to come back to celebrate the festival and have a big meal to celebrate. After the festival, they will start harvesting highland barley.

On this day, we tasted highland barley wine, butter tea, and tsampa, and learned about the customs and culture of the Tibetan people. We thought we would go straight to Lhasa and go to the hotel, but the tour guide said that he would take you to visit the Tibetan Medicine Center and also take us to eat beef and come out after we are full.

Tibetan Medicine Clinic . Someone introduced the culture and knowledge related to Tibetan medicine, and then there were people selling medicinal materials, such as saffron, cordyceps and the like.

Free beef is actually a shopping store.

But beef is also sold here. You can eat whatever you want. It’s delicious and you can buy it. You don’t have to buy it. Well, the Tibetan shopping method is basically like this. It is very humane and there is no forced buying or selling.

The beef is so delicious and has so many flavors. You can really feel full after eating it for free. Forget it, I accidentally exposed my foodie nature again.

We later learned that the tour guide took us here and if we spent money, they would get a 5% commission. (The tour guide who took us to Namtso later said that Chongqing girls are upright)

In these two days, apart from playing at the attractions on the first day, it basically felt like visiting a shopping store on the second day.

All the way through the Yarlung Zangbo River and Gangbala Mountain, we went to Yamdrok Yumco, Karola Glacier, Tashilhunpo Monastery, and Luolin Village. Think about it, if you are traveling by car, you can do it in one day, but it is still a bit rushed. ha.

Next, I will recommend tourist attractions in Shigatse.

There is Yamdrok Yumcuo at the beginning of Shigatse, as well as other scenic spots, such as Baiju Temple, Zhuomulari Reflection, Duoqing Lake, etc.

Judging from the pictures, the reflection of Zhuomulari and the scenery of Duoqinghu are also very beautiful. If you have more time, you can consider going there.

Okay, that’s it for today. This is our itinerary for our second and third day in Tibet. On the fourth day, we went to Namtso. I will share the itinerary and the scenery we saw later.