We were staying at the Banak Shol, a Tibetan hotel and old meditaton retreat. Rooms without bath were half the price of rooms with bath. During check-in I was shown where the showers were, but on this morning the doors were locked and the receptionist would only wave generally in the direction of the courtyard when I tried to ask where I could shower. So I stood in the sun, in the courtyard, and pouted... holding my laundry. Laundry is a free service offered at the Banak Shol. Bonus - cuz it would be nice to have a break from washing my clothes. But I was sure the receptionist had said laundry could be turned in at 8:30, but today I was told to wait until 9:30. When the laundry lady showed up she said she wouldn't do socks - bummer!
Chris was finally able to find out where to shower and so off I went. However, there was absolutely no cold water, only scalding hot water - this was a first! I discovered it was far easier to take a cold shower than a hot one. I poured a small puddle of very hot water into the tub, splashed a few parts and that was that.
This was the day we would explore the Barkhor Kora - Lhasa's most interesting pilgrimage circuit. It is the spiritual heart of Lhasa and the main commercial district for Tibetans. The whole circuit is lined with stalls selling absolutely everything a Tibetan or tourist might want.
We attracted crowds whenever we stopped at a stall to bargain... and bargaining was brutal! A vendor might start at 160Y and I would offer an opening price of 10Y - so it takes a long, long time to get them down to a price I will even consider accepting. I wasn't buying much.
About 2/3 of the way around the kora I looked down and froze. The zippered pocket that held my camera was open ... and empty. Was I seeing correctly? I was stunned. I checked all my pockets, even though I knew my camera wouldn't be there. I looked up at the crowds walking by. The bargaining stopped.
My camera was gone and there was nothing that could be done. I was scared, angry and very sad.
Here I am in a Buddhist region where Buddha teaches that detachment from material possessions lessens the suffering that desire brings. I realized how attached I had become to my camera. I learned from the Philippines that my pics help me remember the fantastic experiences I'm having and having the camera is a great way to interact with people. But more than my camera, I wanted my pics back. We had been in China a little over a week and I had taken over 60 pics.
I've recovered from the loss. It took a few days to get over the urge to pull out my camera every time I saw a good photo op. And fortunately I have a travel mate with a camera to record the trip.
And the shock hasn't ruined my experience of Tibet, as I had feared it might. In fact, I have been trying to think of how to describe a smile that is bigger and more powerful than a smile.
More than I enjoyed visiting the Potala or Everest, my favorite activity here has been walking the koras. If there's a kora, I want to walk it. I like to spin the prayer wheels and listen to the prayer flags whipping in the wind.
But most I love to say tashi de lay (hello, altho I'm sure the direct translation is something far richer) to the little old ladies walking the circuits. I spy one and then tashi de lay I say... and then their beautiful weathered and wrinkled faces explode as they beam back at me with almost toothless smiles, tashi de lay, and giggling. It makes my entire body smile. I'm addicted. I can't get enough of that feeling. What will be left of Tibet when they are gone?
I'll be back in China in a couple of days. I'll buy another camera and start snapping away again.
Om mani padme hum
Om mani padme hum
Om mani padme hum
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