Guide II: Avoiding pitfalls during free travel in Lhasa

During the Chinese New Year, when you come to Lhasa, will you feel the New Year atmosphere? The answer is yes. Because the Tibetan New Year coincides, and because the temples in Lhasa are surrounded by people wearing Tibetan clothes, they pray devoutly and happily circle around the Potala Palace and various temples. Moreover, the temples do not charge any fees for Tibetan compatriots. .

Although, I am a little confused, why every time I go to a tourist attraction temple, as soon as I enter the door, I am picked out by the guard in the vast sea of ​​​​people and asked to buy a ticket. Doesn’t it mean that I don’t look like a local because I am so dusty? Maybe it’s my camera, maybe it’s my sunglasses, but it’s unlikely that I’ll always evade fares.

The best delicacy in Lhasa is the yak beef hot pot. This is recommended in the guide. It tastes bad, but you may be quite hungry. As a Sichuan girl from Chongqing who is well versed in the taste of Chongqing hot pot, I say that this hot pot is very beautiful and should be called Lhasa. A bottle of beer complements each other perfectly.

The second recommendation is the stone pot Tibetan chicken. It simply brings out the happiness of the New Year. In the antique Tibetan building, the fragrant pheasant chicken is served on the table. I drink a big bowl of tonic soup, and it is also There are all kinds of delicious snacks, such as free sweet tea, corn, etc. It will be delicious to order a glass of refreshing highland barley wine. Usually it only has two degrees, and if you don’t drink too much, it tastes good in cans.

There are a lot of teahouses in Lhasa, and they all sell them like a big bucket of warm kettles. A bucket costs 15 yuan, which is much more authentic, rich and simple than the various expensive milk teas with added ingredients that we usually drink. Teahouses usually also have Tibetan noodles. A bowl is not much, the price is reasonable at 5 yuan, and the taste is very refreshing.

If you want to eat romantic Western food, the set menu recommended here is good. You can try it. You can also overlook the beautiful scenery and see the wonderful life of the local residents in the Tibetan residential building. The scenery is beautiful and you can bask in the sun for an afternoon. I personally like it better. The pasta costs 58 yuan, and it's delicious.

If you think it’s expensive, I think the spicy and sour potato shreds and other Sichuan dishes in the Chongqing noodles all over the street are good, and the price is affordable. Shaxian snacks will keep you satisfied when you are short on money, and a bucket of instant noodles will also work.

Regarding accommodation, you usually stay near the Jokhang Temple and the Potala Palace. In fact, they are not far away, and the prices vary. If you take the train, it is recommended to live near the Norbulingka Palace. If you take the plane, you should live near the airport shuttle bus on the east side of the Potala Palace, which will help you get on your way.

Looking back now, the strange thing is that the one-way shuttle bus from Gonggar Airport to Lhasa cost 30 yuan, but the shuttle bus from the city back to the airport cost 20 yuan. Although you can take a taxi and share a car, there seems to be no bus line, but the airport is quite far from the city, it takes nearly two hours.

As for accommodation, I found that the cheapest place is in Chengguan District, which is the old city in the north with the Potala Palace as the center. There are many alleys here, and the corners are hard to find. There may be strange old people chatting with you on the roadside. Ask for WeChat. I met him and was so angry that I ran to a fast food restaurant to hide.

Many people say that prices in Lhasa are high, which can be seen from the fact that fruits are more expensive and vegetables are less available in winter. Accommodation also changes every day, so make a reservation in advance. I personally use Fliggy Hotel, and now I actually need a Philippine Stay membership. Fortunately, I asked my best friend to borrow the membership, and she bought it for 9.9 yuan on Double Eleven. It is recommended that you search the price range when making a reservation to see the lowest price. Don’t be afraid and stay bold. If you stay in the off-season, you will most likely sleep alone. Although you may encounter snoring companions or volunteers from the youth hostel, overall it is still very happy to meet new friends!

I chose one youth hotel per day. In order to avoid the National Day, I only booked a youth hotel to stay in Zhangjiajie for seven days. Then because of the distance and the poor environment, I spent two days in bed. Although it is a bit tiring to change new ones every day. After all, I have a lot of luggage and it is easy to get lost every time, but I can meet new friends and join the large group of youth hostels. I usually meet many travel companions who need travel companions, and we can eat, drink and have fun together. Chat and eat in the evening, sit in a bar, and make more new friends.

The main attractions in Lhasa are: Potala Palace, Yaowang Mountain, Jokhang Temple, Ramoche Temple, Norbulingka Palace, Wetland Park, Chongsai Kang Market, the three major temples, etc.

But as a photography enthusiast, my experience is to tell you some excellent places to take pictures. Because I am more casual and blindly confident, I like to be alone, and I often wear out my feet just for the same lens. Wow Woohoo. For this reason, I would like to recommend some of the best places for photography. The first is a bridge. It was a bridge where the fireworks in Lhasa were photographed. I searched the area and found out that I had to go to the overpass and use a telephoto lens to take the picture. The location is right here, don’t run around. Standing under the bridge, you can’t see the Potala Palace.

Lhasa People's Hospital

What is there to do in Lhasa? The temple during the day and the Sun Island Bar at night are places of pilgrimage for young men and women. However, if you have altitude sickness, it is recommended not to drink. If you go alone, try not to go out at night without an escort. Although it is very convenient to take a taxi. My nights in Lhasa were usually spent watching movies, and I watched two movies in a row. The movie theater environment is average and the prices are no different. It’s just that sometimes it’s hard to buy tickets for the Lunar New Year period, and every venue is always packed.

Some people say that going to Lhasa is a spiritual pilgrimage that can cleanse the soul. In fact, it only takes a few days, so what can you do? At most, it's altitude sickness, which makes you feel that you cherish life. Life is short, and you will also be shocked by the religious people who worship and kowtow on the road. When you visit Lhasa, you will experience the colorful folk customs. The people here are so carefree and live a prosperous life. Smile at everyone and say: Tashi Delek, I wish you a happy new year, just like you are having fun in Lhasa.

There are several old bookstalls behind the Potala Palace in Lhasa. I bought a Tibetan book and read the story of Tsangyang Gyatso. I had no choice but to call a tour guide and I was too lazy to make a guide. I go out as a Buddhist and follow the rules. Only then did I see that behind the Sixth Dalai Lama was the prodigal Tangzang Wangpo. The song "On the Top of Nadong Mountain", a song adapted from Tsangyang Gyatso's poems, automatically sounded in my heart, and I couldn't help but burst into tears.

This Spring Festival, the third day of the Lunar New Year coincides with Valentine's Day, which makes this day of family gatherings become sad. In the "Sunlight City" at the end of the world, we welcomed love, met it, and finally harvested it.

Just like the poem by Tsangyang Gyatso: You see me or you don’t see me, I am right there, neither sad nor happy;

Floating clouds blowing into snow

Taste of the world brewed into tea