DAY 54 - Potala Palace (4 August)

The Potala palace was once the seat of the Tibetan government and the Winter residence of the Dalai Lama. Considering the history between China and Tibet, it seemed a bit insulting  to see the Chinese flag flying at the top of the palace - does Tibet run the risk of becoming a tourist money machine for China?

The palace itself was very beautiful and well worth the visit. It was deceptively high - climbing those steps at such a height above sea level was literally breath-taking. There were surreal moments when, for example when we passed a man playing the Red Hot Chilli Peppers' "Californication" on his mobile phone! The tombs of the past Dalai Lamas were incredibly impressive, with the very important tomb of the 5th Dalai Lama being decorated with around 3500kg of gold and ten thousand precious stones! Of-course, no photos were allowed inside the holy site.

That afternoon, we went to the Baiji temple, where I saw people worshipping and performing a dance involving stamping sticks on the roof to strengthen it and show how your buddhist faith is strengthening.

In the evening, we went for a Tibetan meal, and a Tibetan musical performance. The highlight was the yak dance, and a man that looked like Ronnie Corbet.