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peasant
Reacher
Joined: July 24, 2004
Posts: 323
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Apr 28, 2008 - 08:22 PM |
 
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| Post subject: A report from Lhasa |
After a 46.5 hours express train ride from Beijing, I arrived in Lhasa at 8pm. The sun could still be seen here, though behind the clouds. The train was probably 15% full. It appears there were more security people on the platform and outside the station than passengers. Two guys in armed police uniform (olive green) stopped a mid-aged t¡betan lady to check for ID. The lady has a small girl with her who had a bag that was too big for her size. One of the two armed policemen offered to help after checking ID but the offer was declined by the girl. But the mom expressed her gratitude with a big smile.
The trip (my third one to t¡bet ) was made against the advice of many friends. They worried a lot about what happened in mid March in Lhasa. The main concern was my safety. But the type of safety they worried would bother me least. If anything, it would be safer. I have much big chance to die of road accidents or other things.
But I did worry how much I could see. I heard a lot of tourist attractions were still closed and there were more restrictions on travel, but I usually not a big fun of conventional tourist attractions. And the CCTV kept telling me Lhasa is getting back to normal and they are welcoming tourists back.
But Lhasa is nothing but normal. From a short ride from the train station to my hotel, I was stopped three times for my ID. The heavy army truck columns charged by with the horns blasting. Between pοta⌊a and Jokhang Monastery most streets were guarded by armed police in anti-rioting gears. Small columns of 9 officers each are patrolling the important streets. The Army vehicles can be seen in compounds of many government-run reception houses. I tested by trying to ask directions of some landmark places and they had no idea, indicating they were recently transferred to here. Though ignorant, they are mostly polite. The rudest ones are those in blue uniforms, gong-an (psb). I am not starting here on this since they could still track me since I have to use my ID to get in this internet café.
Ｉdidn’t intend to post this passage here. I might blog the trip on members’ blog section on our forum after the trip. But I could not go anywhere near any important tourist attractions since many parts are under curfew (jie yan are the words they used). They even won’t allow you to take pictures from afar. I ended up here broadcasting this to the world.
But it is still a great trip so far. My trip had to be modified but they will still be very interesting. Early today I went to a remote village about 100 kms from Lhasa (my driver told me 150 kms but it appears not that far.) The villagers are very friendly. They always return your smile with a much bigger smile. The kids are very cute and lovely. I enjoyed the authentic t¡betan food they prepared for me. We passed a county site where rioting happened too and saw the heavy military and police presence there too. Outside what appeared to be a detention center, about a hundred relatives of those detained were squatting waiting to be allowed to send in some supplemental food, since it’s said the detainees didn’t have enough to eat. Each detainee was only allowed to have one family member to go and visit. That means in that county, they detained about 100 people, the number was confirmed by my t¡betan driver. They seem to be rounding up a lot people lately. Compared with the restrains they showed initially, the heavy-handed approach they are adopting now suggest a change of heart or just for the coming Olympic torch relay here.
So please head up. I will try to write more and post pictures after the trip. I could stay 2 more weeks in t¡bet but will be leaving Lhasa soon. Until then, take care.
Edited for gramatical errors and typos. |
Last edited by peasant on Apr 29, 2008 - 02:58 PM; edited 2 times in total |
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yu888
Board Deity
Joined: Jan 25, 2003
Posts: 17323
Location: ZhongShanParkArea SH
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Apr 28, 2008 - 09:00 PM |
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monalisalee
Raver
Joined: May 10, 2005
Posts: 400
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Apr 28, 2008 - 09:49 PM |
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Yes, Thanks for that, as a would-be historian, such as you are, I look forward to any more info'. |
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johnboy88 |
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bloomark
Raver
Joined: Apr 28, 2008
Posts: 481
Location: Reality
Status: Offline
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May 04, 2008 - 07:15 PM |
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Better we name the thread title "Brand new experience in Lhasa" rather than that depressingly meaningful title. |
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You're young, you have fun. you age, you get......responsibilities. You get even older, people stop caring about you and then you die......I'm excited about that. |
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bloomark
Raver
Joined: Apr 28, 2008
Posts: 481
Location: Reality
Status: Offline
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May 04, 2008 - 07:18 PM |
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Better we name the thread title "Brand new experience in Lhasa" rather than that depressingly meaningful one.
Still thanks for that, your report is rather valuable for my next month's trip to t¡bet. I began to fancying the clean blue sky up there from Shanghai. |
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You're young, you have fun. you age, you get......responsibilities. You get even older, people stop caring about you and then you die......I'm excited about that. |
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