Lhasa, Tibet/China the best historical Place

It is not just the altitude that makes Lhasa a dizzying experience, although at nearly 4300 metres you get only get 65 per cent of the oxygen you would get in each breath at sea level. That light-headed feeling comes in part from the deep spirituality of the place, and from the heady mix of juniper smoke and the ever-present smell of yak butter. Expansion and modernization characterize the Chinese part of the city, but the old Tibetan quarter still has an ethereal, almost medieval atmosphere, especially in the network of small streets that surrounds the Jokhang Temple. The centre of Tibetan Buddhism, the Jokhang was completed in AD 647, although it has been continually restored and expanded ever since - most recently following damage caused when the Chinese brought their Cultural Revolution to Tibet.

There are several distinct pilgrimage circuits around the Jokhang. The outer one, called the Lingkhor, runs around the entire city. The Barkhor, or middle route, is a circular road that runs round the outside of the temple. Throughout the day and long into the night pilgrims process in a constant stream - always clockwise - around the Barkhor. Fearsome-looking Khambas (people from the eastern highlands), notable for the red threads braided into their hair, mingle with scarlet-robed monks and Golok nomads who wear huge sheepskin coats. Most spin prayer wheels as they walk, or mumble prayers which they keep count of on long strings of beads. Some stroll and chat, while others display penitence by repeatedly prostrating themselves along the route. Protected by leather aprons and with wooden paddles on their hands, they throw themselves across the paving flags, making a skittering sound that echoes around the Barkhor.

In the square in front of the Jokhang are two large braziers where pilgrims burn offerings of juniper: its pungent fragrance will for ever remind you of Lhasa. Also here is a small market, selling everything that the pilgrims might need for their devotions: yak butter, prayer flags, prayer wheels and, of course, fresh juniper. Within the main porch of the temple are two giant prayer wheels kept in constant motion by the streams of pilgrims. On the patio in front, pilgrims of all ages prostrate themselves t\me and again in a repetitive ritual, seemingly inured to the discomfort. Inside the Jokhang, a double row of prayer wheels skirts the outside of the main prayer hall. This inner pilgrimage route is called the Nangkhor, and pilgrims walking around it attempt to spin each of the prayer wheels by hand to release their prayers up into the sky. Inside the dark main hall of the Jokhang the air is heavy with the smell of yak-butter lamps, and the occasional low, rhythmic chanting of monks imparts a hallowed atmosphere that threatens to overwhelm the emotions. Pilgrims walk round the outside of the main hall- the centre being the exclusive preserve of monks, statues of former abbots and a giant golden Buddha image - past a number of small shrines and statues.

Towering above the whole city of Lhasa is the Potala Palace. The former home of the Dala, Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, it is now little more than a museum. The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959, following the Chinese invasion in the early 1950s, has recently stated that he never expects Tibet to be liberated. While Tibetans enjoy more religious freedom than they originally did under the Chinese, pictures of the Dalai Lama are still banned and any dissent is strongly suppressed. Migration from China means that Tibetans are now in a minority in their own country, so even if there were to be a referendum on the nation's future it would probably preserve the status quo.

INFO

Tibet is a politically sensitive area, so the rules on visiting are subject to change without notice. You will need a special permit as well as a Chinese visa. The easiest way there is to take a tour from either Kathmandu or the city of Chengdu in China, although travellers from Nepal are often unable to change the duration of their permit once they arrive. Travellers from Chengdu can change the date of their return flight and effectively stay in Lhasa for the duration of their visa