Tibet > Temple fatigue?

At half past eight we leave Shigatse. The streets are still relatively quiet as we drive out of the city. We are heading to Lhatse. Today’s travel time isn’t very long, so we can take it easy. Halfway, we turn off the main road and drive toward Sagya.

Tibet - The Sagya Monastery

Here lies a large monastery complex. Before visiting the monastery, it’s time for lunch. We enjoy a good meal in a rather luxurious restaurant. The lunch consists of twenty different dishes, each served separately. At the Sakya Monastery, Tamdul explains the statues and the temples themselves. Some parts of the temple are closed for maintenance. I find that I don’t really mind; I’ve seen enough monasteries for now. Temple fatigue? The tour ends sooner than I expected, and we return to the bus. I would have liked to walk on the roof, but oh well—you can’t have everything. We continue our journey to Lhatse. Not even thirty minutes later, we arrive in the small town. Lhatse is little more than a single wide road lined with houses and small shops. We stay in a Tibetan guesthouse, where we are welcomed with tea (choice of butter tea or black tea). The rooms are colorful but quite basic. There’s a bowl and a thermos of hot water. The toilet is at the end of the corridor outside (a hole in the ground), and there’s no shower, only a tap in the courtyard.

Tibet - Butter lamps illuminate the temple

Our room also seems to have no key, which becomes a problem when the door blows shut. It soon turns out there is a key, but it’s broken off in the lock. A little later, the owner walks across the courtyard carrying a ladder, climbs through the first-floor window, and opens the door for us from the inside. Problem solved. He assures us it’s no issue if the door can’t be locked—he’ll keep an eye on things. Fortunately, our luggage can be locked itself. In the afternoon, we stroll through Lhatse. From time to time, we are approached by children (and sometimes adults) who want something from us or try to sell us something. Amusingly, we find an internet café in this small town. The connection is good, and for forty euro cents per hour we can contact home. We wander back through the Tibetan quarter. When we buy a cola and drink it on the street, several people ask for a sip. We decline but end up giving them the last bit. In the evening, we have dinner with (almost) the whole group in the central restaurant in the middle of town. It’s undoubtedly the most luxurious place in Lhatse—but also the most reliable one.