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I loved this dog simply because she was sitting on a faux fur cushion inspecting every one who went by. If she was wearing glasses they would have been at the tip of her nose.
SOME FACTS:
The Lhasa Apso is a hunting, non-sporting dog breed originating from Tibet, taking its name from the scared city of Lhasa.
For at 2,000 years it was bred by holy men and nobels. Originally it was meant to guard monasteries. The Lhasa Apso was expected to follow the intruder barking until his master arrived to check on the intruder.
They were considered sacred for when a Lhasa Apso's master died, his soul was thought to enter the dog's body.
Yumbulagang, about 11 km southwest of Tsetang, was built by the first Tibetan king, Nyatri Tsenpo, in the 2nd century AD , and was the first palace in Tibet. It became Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng’s summer palace before Songtsen Gampo moved the capital to Lhasa. The palace was later transformed into a Gelugpa monastery during the time of the fifth Dalai Lama.
Princess Wencheng was Songtsen Gampo’s second concubine who was a niece of the Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. She was married off to Tibet in a political marriage to keep peaceful relations between the Tang Dynasty and Tibet.
Small in scale, the three-storied monastery consists of towers, chapels, and halls. The monastery walls are painted with colorful murals . Sculptures of Nyatri Tsenpo, Songtsen Gampo, and his ministers and officials in traditional Tibetan dresses are enshrined there. Locals climb to the monastery to light butter lights in the hope that this practice will bring them good luck.
The views from the monastery over the Yarlung valley are great: fields, Tibetan villages, and mountains extending to the horizon.
Visiting the Monastery
The monastery was built on a mountain summit. You can climb up to it in about 20 minutes, or ride a horse up for 35 yuan. Locals with their horses will rush up to you offering horse ride services as soon as you arrive at the bottom of the mountain where the monastery is located. The road up the mountain is half cement step road and half dirt road. It is steep, so walk slowly if you choose to climb. You may feel a bit out of breath (especially because of the altitude) during your climb. If so, take it easy, and take a breath.
There is a circuit with prayer wheels surrounding the monastery building. Walk clockwise along it to respect the local customs. 0150 R Lhasa a
Originally from Tibet, the Lhasa Apso dog breed was a highly regarded watchdog in the palaces and monasteries of their mountainous homeland. Today, the Lhasa is no longer a palace guard, but they are still loyal family companions who protect their loved ones from danger. Though small in stature, the Lhasa is a sturdy and independent dog. Additionally, they can adapt to any home, including apartments. Novice pet parents even make a great fit for Lhasas.
Just one of nearly 1,000 rooms inside the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. This amazing place holds the honor of being the highest ancient palace in the world. Our guide told us that in one special room there is 4,400 kilos of gold.
I don’t know if something was lost in translation or not but the weather and dress recommendations the Chinese Tourist Agency gave our Australian project coordinator were beyond the beyond… but at least it rained on the afternoon of our art vernissage… which was auspicious and joyful.
Lhasa , Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibetan Plateau , China - Tibet
Potala Palace
The Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India during the 1959 Tibetan uprising. It is now a museum and World Heritage Site.
Lhasa , Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibetan Plateau , China - Tibet
Barkhor area, Barkhor street and the Jokhang Temple
The Barkhor is an area of narrow streets and a public square located around Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet, China.
The Barkor is a popular devotional circumabulation for pilgrims and locals. The walk was about one kilometre long and encircled the entire Jokhang, the former seat of the State Oracle in Lhasa called the Muru Nyingba Monastery, and a number of nobles' houses including Tromzikhang and Jamkhang. There were four large incense burners (sangkangs) in the four cardinal directions, with incense burning constantly, to please the gods protecting the Jokhang. The Tromzikhang market is busy in Barkhor, and the area is a major tourist attraction.
Barkhor Square and Jokhang Temple
Because the Jokhang Temple has been a symbolic center of Tibetan protest since 1987, the Barkhor has also seen many demonstrations. In 1989, when year the 14th Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize, pro-Dalai Lama residents threw tsampa around the Barkhor to celebrate. After the Central government denounced the prize, residents who continued such demonstrations were arrested. The square was briefly closed by riot police during the 2008 Lhasa violence.
Jokhang Monastery, Tibet,
The Jokhang, is located on Barkhor Square in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. For most Tibetans it is the most sacred and important temple in Tibet. It is in some regards pan-sectarian, but is controlled by the Gelug school. The temple's architectural style is a mixture of Indian vihara design, Chinese Tang Dynasty design, and Nepalese design.
Along with the Potala Palace, it is probably the most popular tourist attraction in Lhasa. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace," and a spiritual centre of Lhasa.
Lhasa (/ˈlɑːsə/; Tibetan: ལྷ་ས་, Wylie: lha sa, ZYPY: Lhasa, [l̥ásə] or [l̥ɜ́ːsə]; simplified Chinese: 拉萨; traditional Chinese: 拉薩; pinyin: Lāsà; sometimes spelled Lasa) is the administrative capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. It is the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau after Xining and, at an altitude of 3,490 metres (11,450 ft), Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world. The city contains many culturally significant Tibetan Buddhist sites such as the Potala Palace, Jokhang temple and Norbulingka palaces, many of which are located in Chengguan District, the city seat.
With the growth of tourism and service sectors, the sunset industries which cause serious pollution are expected to fade in the hope of building a healthy ecological system. Environmental problems such as soil erosion, acidification, and loss of vegetation are being addressed. The tourism industry now brings significant business to the region, building on the attractiveness of the Potala Palace, the Jokang, the Norbulingka Summer Palace and surrounding large monasteries as well the spectacular Himalayan landscape together with the many wild plants and animals native to the high altitudes of Central Asia. Tourism to Tibet dropped sharply following the crackdown on protests in 2008, but as early as 2009, the industry was recovering. Chinese authorities plan an ambitious growth of tourism in the region aiming at 10 million visitors by 2020; these visitors are expected to be domestic. With renovation around historic sites, such as the Potala Palace, UNESCO has expressed "concerns about the deterioration of Lhasa's traditional cityscape."
Lhasa (/ˈlɑːsə/; Tibetan: ལྷ་ས་, Wylie: lha sa, ZYPY: Lhasa, [l̥ásə] or [l̥ɜ́ːsə]; simplified Chinese: 拉萨; traditional Chinese: 拉薩; pinyin: Lāsà; sometimes spelled Lasa) is the administrative capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. It is the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau after Xining and, at an altitude of 3,490 metres (11,450 ft), Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world. The city contains many culturally significant Tibetan Buddhist sites such as the Potala Palace, Jokhang temple and Norbulingka palaces, many of which are located in Chengguan District, the city seat.
With the growth of tourism and service sectors, the sunset industries which cause serious pollution are expected to fade in the hope of building a healthy ecological system. Environmental problems such as soil erosion, acidification, and loss of vegetation are being addressed. The tourism industry now brings significant business to the region, building on the attractiveness of the Potala Palace, the Jokang, the Norbulingka Summer Palace and surrounding large monasteries as well the spectacular Himalayan landscape together with the many wild plants and animals native to the high altitudes of Central Asia. Tourism to Tibet dropped sharply following the crackdown on protests in 2008, but as early as 2009, the industry was recovering. Chinese authorities plan an ambitious growth of tourism in the region aiming at 10 million visitors by 2020; these visitors are expected to be domestic. With renovation around historic sites, such as the Potala Palace, UNESCO has expressed "concerns about the deterioration of Lhasa's traditional cityscape."