Lhasa is a city of contradictions. The old town has the
charm and quaintness that has always been projected in all the photos
and documentaries on Tibet, yet hardly 10 mins walk down the main
street, there are modern buildings and shops that carry brands that you
find in the usual big cities. It is a city that the old and new
blended well, where the new has yet to overtake the old.
The amount of activity in the lives of a typical Tibetan
that revolves around religion is just amazing. The rituals they are
willing to go through to pay homage to their revered leader, the Dalai
Lama, and to the deities are unbelievable. The way they prostate themselves in prayers, walk for miles,
etc. Although it is obvious that they are poor, you could still see them clutching bunch of cash which they willingly donate to the temples, stuffing them into the donation boxes in front of the particular deity that they worshipped. Money were strewn on the floor inside glass showcases and overflowing the donation boxes. We even saw monks using a broom to sweep the paper currencies on the floor into a pile on the before collecting them!
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| Barkhor Street located in the old town of Lhasa. A very ancient street showcasing the original look of Lhasa |
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| Well-known brands in the newer part of the city. |
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| Seamless blend of the traditional and new. |
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