The Cina Tibet Railway Trip Part 7 - The Potala Palace

Today our goal was the Potala Palace, once the heart and soul of Lhasa.

First, how to get into the Potala Palace:

Oh boy, this is a long story.
We had to get tickets first. Our tour guide did it for us, so we were able to enter. But we had to show them our passports. Then there was the usual security check. Done!

Now the stupid part began. We had a time limit, so it was only possible to stay for 50 minutes inside the Potala. If you would go without guide you have as much time as you want. So from the entrance to the red building we already spend 20 minutes for climb the stairs to the entrance. And again, enter permission, passport…

Once inside we were only allowed to see the red part. The white part, the government part, was forbidden. And there were cameras and microphones everywhere. It was not possible for the guide to speak free. I didn’t know if it was only a scare tactic or if the Chinese really check everything they say to the tourists. The Dali lama long gone, left this place as an empty shell, run by the Chinese government. There were still some very expressive Buddha statues in there but it was not the same anymore.

It’s sad, but we made it to the roof of the world without the feeling that this place still lives.

Lhasa, August 12. 2009