ALL THE WAY TO TIBET

When something or someplace reverberates in one’s mind and lingers for a long time， then you know it must be something special- and so it was when I took my third trip to Tibet. I was hoping to see how it looked in early summer and was eager to revisit all the familiar placesthat made my heart leap with a kind of joy that can only be explained once you have felt it for yourself.

For the fi rst time， I was ecstatic about the white fl uffy clouds drifting so softly around the mountain tops in the distance and of the bright sunshine pouring down from Heaven on to my backside in winter …and even more ecstatic about those picture postcard-like scenes scattered amongst the valleys and mountain tops. I felt that there has always been a voice inside me， encouraging me to go for a second time… and even for a third or even more if possible， to satisfy my need for such a holy place.

When I was back in the now familiar surroundings of smells and noises… and the absolutely most stunning scenery I had ever imagined， I felt a strong feeling of“coming home” that fi lled every part of my being. Only then did I realize how much I missed Tibet； not just the buildings and lakes but so much more. I had the feeling of “belonging”.

Every fi ber of me was connected to the pungent smells of yak butter and sweet milk tea. From the incense rising from a burner in the early morning， holy worshipers start their walking and prostrating along the way to the Potala Palace， the Jokhang Temple， the Drepung， Sera， and Tashilhunpo Monasteries… and all around Barkor Street time and time again. The devotion of these people is amazing and many of them have crossed valleys， plains and snowy passes to get to this sacred place that has been highly regarded as the home of a great temple and the goal of many devoted pilgrimages.

In the spinning prayer wheels in their hands， twirling around， one can hear the prayers and murmurs of the “Om Mane Padme Hum” chant and the singing that sounds like a fl owing stream of water over pebbles， soft and enchanting. It is a prayer of great compassion for all beings， and Tibetans feel it is a blessing even to hear or see it.

Flags are printed with prayers and strung up on high places. They fl utter and snap in the wind， blessing all who pass. White stupas or shrines can help a worshiper remember the nature of his or her journey by their white domes and golden spires. Every stupa represents an enlightened mind. Along the way， cairns of stones with scriptural texts colorfully painted or even carved， confi rms the pilgrim’s every footstep on his/her way to sacred Lhasa.

I am not a Tibetan Buddhist， nor do I have a vast knowledge of their religion， but I do know that I respect everything associated with their mysterious beliefs， culture， and traditions. I simply like the respect shown to Buddha in monasteries. I can still recall when I stood in front of the giant Buddha in the main hall of the Samye Monastery for the fi rst time. Tears were rolling down my face and to this day I do not have a clue why， but I am inclined to accept it as the infl uence of religion and culture.

When I was once asked which season would be the best for visiting Tibet I suggested that it might depend upon who you intend to be； a tourist or a pilgrim， rather than on the season， because all year round it is a spectacular place to visit. I would say that summer is defi nitely the wisest choice， if I had to choose one season， with its moderate temperatures and with suffi cient oxygen and moisture to breathe comfortably.

One would be able to see yaks and fl ocks of sheep grazing on the pasturelands alongside the rivers and lakes. The most spectacular gift of all is that sometimes you would be able to see magnifi cent rainbows， painted like masterpieces along the open vast skies of Tibet， if you were lucky enough.

Yet， if you are prefer to avoid the infl ux of noisy tourists from elsewhere， and if the purpose of your visit is simply to experience the very authentic Tibet and its people and culture， …then I suggest that winter can， by all means， be the fi rst consideration. Despite millions breathtaking photos， it still cannot fully grasp the wonder of its beauty and scenery. To make it even more impressive， you’ve got to go and see it for yourself， and only then would you be able to “touch” and “feel” the roof of the world in your own individual way.

In late afternoon， when the sun has left the sky and is forming long， pleasant shadows over the bazaars in Barkor Street， the “Hustle-andBustle” of eateries and street-vendors is overwhelming and the air is fi lled with early evening noise and smells. Tourists are bargaining for a good price and everywhere the Tibetan stallholders can be seen with their characteristic rosy cheeks and oval faces.

Pilgrims pass through， holding holy beads in their left hands. Click， click， clack， clack， as they pass on their way and all is tranquil and mysterious with the lingering sound of muffl ed chants and footsteps.

Each time that I have been to Tibet， there is always something new. One just has to be observant to appreciate the tranquility of the surroundings and its people. Living in a concrete jungle made me more appreciative of Tibet and all the joy and unanswered questions in my mind， every time that I set foot in Lhasa. My feelings about my recent trip to Tibet two years ago were somewhat complicated. Like most cities in other provinces， Lhasa is stepping into a developing phase and showing a new face. Grand and tall buildings can be found along the main street and more shops are opening up and spreading all over. If you look into people’s eyes， you can tell they are delighted with this change. Blended with both traditional symbols and modern elements from other places， Lhasa can be a brilliant example of diversity and inclusivity. Everyone， be it a local or a tourist， is able to fi nd what he wants and desires. Someone may complain that Lhasa has been modernized and is now losing its culture. I suppose that has to be a misapprehension， as a culture that has been worshiped for hundreds and thousands of years could by no means simply be undermined by a cup of coffee in a newly decorated café or a new version of a cell phone.

Some things have changed， while some have not and never will. Pilgrimages， prostrating， tea drinking， as well as other daily activities， still continue every day in every corner. In Lhasa， it’s pretty natural to lead a life like that.

As is said in many bestselling books “The best time is on your way”. I suppose an idyllic landscape is only part of the best time one can experience， whereas what really impresses and lasts longer are those people you’ve met and sights that you might have seen. It will even be longer imprinted in your mind， whereas most pictures fade with time.

All of these thoughts and images reverberated through my mind as I was walking to the main gate of the Jokhang Temple in the early shadow of darkness， where pilgrims， be it young or old， were devoutly prostrating themselves on the ground.

An old man that was standing next to me was one of worshippers and he smiled at me and after a while he gestured in a very polite way for me to prostrate on the ground myself. That was actually the very fi rst time for me to kneel down and spread out on the holy land of Tibet and the feeling when I was fl at on the ground with my face buried between my outstretched arms was beyond any description. It was one of truly connecting with my inner emotions in a land that I would never have dreamed of being capable of stirring new thoughts and ideas that even I did not know existed.

What else？ Descending the stone stairs from the Potala Belvedere， my friendly Tibetan uncle invited me to have tea at where he was working every day. We had conversation and laughter for more than two hours in which he taught me a few words in the Tibetan language and I in return gave him a postcard I had printed for him.

My experience of Tibet is that everyday you will fi nd people from all over coming to Tibet with different loads of knapsacks and different loads of expectations. There are those who start new treks and expeditions from youth hostels in Lhasa to Nagqu， Shigatse， Nyingchi， Lhoka and Ngari to seek more challenges and complete before settling down. And then there are those who just simply enjoy the thrill of traveling and marveling at the region.

Welcomes and farewells are quite common all day long. But still， Tibet can stand as a symbol to anyone， anywhere， and anytime. We all have our highest hopes in life and have to go through our own journeys. My wish is that we all will fi nd that inner peace and contentment like the fl utter of the prayer fl ags on the high hills and buildings of Tibet， and may all of us reach our own shining goal on our life’s path.

And as the sun was colouring the high hills with crimson and purple， my prayer was for peace and happiness， so that each morning will be a blessing in the valleys and mountains in my Shangri-la.

Tashi Delek！