Potala Palace in Tibet

"QUANTUM SHOT" #299
Travelogue by Andrew N. Grimes - link

An experience no traveler could ever forget
(and may have trouble completely remembering)

Our contributing travel writer Andrew N. Grimes (with Allen and Nancy Grimes) of "In the Rest of the World" writes about their experiences in Tibet, visiting the spectacular Potala Palace. This palace is the former residence of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who was recently presented with a Congressional Gold Medal by George W. Bush, in spite of protests of the Chinese government.

Flying into Tibet after having traveled over lush, mountainous areas of Western China was a shock. The barren, grey landscape can be foreboding and makes for an interesting first impression.

(image credit: Nikolai Dudko)

(images credit: Andrew N. Grimes)

Each person has a vivid memory that others can't recall

We somehow managed to stay in a comfortable guesthouse reserved for honored visitors which was a nice surprise. The altitude however was not so nice. At a base altitude of 12,300 feet, it takes considerable time to acclimate. Plus, everywhere you go venturing away from base is even higher. Thus, much of the visit was spent "in the clouds", both literally and figuratively. The sights and events of the trip vary depending on who you talk to in our group.

(images credit: Nikolai Dudko)

A day trip to 17,500 feet took us past villages where yaks plowed the rocky landscape, and because nothing much grows at such an altitude, it seemed a lot of work with little return. The oxygen pillows provided us were meant to be sucked on when anyone started feeling lightheaded, but we were naive to think inhaling a small amount of oxygen would make much of a difference.

(image credit: Vladimir Pavlov)

(image credit: Nikolai Dudko)

One of us remembers many colored flags flying at the top of the mountain, one remembers a large lake, and another remembers signs pointing to all the other towns in Tibet – but each person has a vivid memory that others can't recall.

(image credit: TouchHeaven)

Reverence and Devotion

Looking at nearly uninhabitable countryside surrounding the Palace made truly appreciate the feat of building such a spectacular structure. The feelings of reverence and devotion permeated the simple rooms on the inside. Monks in their simple garb, twirling beads or prayer wheels, were oblivious to the visitors of which there were few.

Prayer wheels:

(image credit: Jason Zhou)

Accessible today, the Potala, palace of the Dalai Lama in Lhasa, Tibet is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the "New Seven Wonders" by USA Today. Built in 637, Potala has been destroyed and rebuilt over the years. The current structure covers about 32 acres and was built between 1645 and 1694. It was only slightly damaged in 1959 during the Tibetan uprising against the invading Chinese.

A fragment of ancient art, showing how Potala and the Palace looked in the 7th century:

Although most religious structures were damaged, it is reputed to have been spared by the personal intervention of Chou En-Lai. It served as home for the Tibetan Dalai Lama until the current 14th Dalai Lama fled in 1959.

(images credit: Vladimir Pavlov)

(image credit: Alex Qian)

Magnificent monument, existing in a harsh environment

The building makes up the living quarters, office and seminary in the "White Palace." The "Red Palace", added in 1690 is completely devoted to religious study and Buddhist prayer.

Gated entry into the White Palace:

Western Hall of the Red Palace:

The roofs of the Red Palace are covered with gold:

There are many halls, chapels and shrines filled with statues and works of art. One of the largest contains the body of the 5th Dalai Lama and is coated by 8,200 pounds of solid gold and studded with semi-precious jewels.

Truly, this is a magnificent monument, existing in a harsh and foreboding environment. Visiting Potala is an experience no traveler could ever forget (and may have trouble completely remembering).

Fascinating structure on top of Sera Monastery: