May 9, 2007
Rest Day in Gyantse: Pelkor Chode Monastery
For breakfast we decide to give our hotel restaurant another chance because they have muesli, fruit and yogurt on the menu. It isn't great for 20 yuan, twice as much as in Lhasa with half the amount of food. We meet a Scottish couple (Carol and Ken) who cycled from Nagarbe to here in one day and took a rest day yesterday. They are heading out for Shigatse, we might see them again in Kathmandu.
Our main reason for the restday besides a break from the bike is to visit the Pelkor Chode Monastery and its famous Kumbum stupa, the largest chorten in Tibet. The main temple was founded in 1418. We start by visiting the assembly hall where a monk wants 20 yuan for pictures to be taken inside. Patrick refuses to pay, there is no advance notice of a required fee. We roam around for a while, climb the stairs up to the roof to enjoy the views of the Kumbum and the old part of Gyantse and the Dzong (fort) overlooking the city.
Next we start in circumventing the huge chorten, after going around each floor we climb stairs up to the next level. The first four floors are packed with small chapels full of statues and mural paintings. Two more floors above this is a huge golden dome. On each side of it are the serene Buddha eyes staring out over the valley and mountains around Gyantse.
It's lunch time when we walk back to the new city and eat at the Tashi restaurant. Then it's to an internet cafe to answer emails and work on sorting the 477 photos Nathan posted.
Tomorrow will be a long ride to Shigatse. Then another couple of rest days and on to Mt. Everest!
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