Most of us were ready for today's climb up to the Potala Palace, a dzong/fortress that was the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas from 1649-1959. We would be starting at 3,650 m/11,975' and topping off at 3,700 m/12,139'. We had taken our altitude medication and were ready to go.
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| Local guide Yudon grabbed a dog from a local couple to show us the city's namesake dog breed, the Lhasa Apso; but isn't her nose too pointy? Oh! Is it a Tibetan Terrier? |
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| First view of Potala Palace (1645-1694) from the east, sitting atop Marpo Ri/Red Hill, at the location of a palace built by King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century |
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| The multiple buildings include a monastery, a senior seminary, and dormitories for monks |
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| Zinnias are still in bloom |
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| Now we can see Marpo Podrang/Red Palace (1690-1694), and to its right is Kharpo Podrang/White Palace (1645-1648); the yellow buildings may be for support staff, or monks |
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| Inner Stele marks completion of the Red Palace of Potala Palace in 1693 |
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| A view down on Potala Square with the "Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet" |
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| Wide stairways zigzagged up the hillside |
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| Potala Palace cat; note also the dark red color capping the walls, which may be covered with Rubia tinctorum/ Madder roots because one could see small projections |
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| We were not the only ones to take a break on the way up |
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| Panorama from the top of the stairs: directly below are palace buildings including stables, a jail, gardens, and other government offices; then Potala Square |
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| To the far right in the previous photo is the mountain of Chakpori, site of a medical college (1695-1959) on the summit |
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| Entry arch painted woodwork detail (KSS) |
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| Guardian King Dhṛtarāṣṭra of the east and Virūḍhaka of the south |
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| Guardian King Virūpākṣa of the west and Vaiśravaṇa of the north |
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| Kent and Tamiko in Deyang Shar, the courtyard in front of Kharpo Podrang/ White Palace (1645-1648) where the two top floors are painted red as the living quarters of the Dalai Lamas |
The 5th Dalai Lama was able to move into the White Palace in 1648-1649, occupying the top two floors, while the lower floors were for government offices, government assembly halls, official courts, and minor offices for administrative purposes.
The 5th Dalai Lama requested that his prime minister not report his death until the Potala Palace was completed. He died in 1682, which meant the secret was kept for 12 years. During that time, the prime minister also found (in 1688) and began training the 6th Dalai Lama.
No photography was allowed in the White Palace, where we saw the living quarters as left by the 14th Dalai Lama, the throne room where his photo has been removed, and personal effects such as a bedside clock in his study. The tour continued in the Red Palace with its many chapels, funeral stupas of the 5th through 13th Dalai Lamas, three-dimensional mandalas, statues, thangkas, and countless treasures.
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| And then we were outside at the rear of the palace with a view down on Zongjiao Lukang Gongyuan/Park and the city of Lhasa to the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains |
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| The park has a temple on an island in a lake |
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| A Zen-like garden at the exit |
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| Plastic lanterns in the trees |
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| Lunch was in a restaurant filled with bells |
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| Pizza, spinach, chicken, noodles, momos/dumplings, a piece of beef and root vegetables |
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