Discover Beautiful Tibet

Until some past twenty years, very few foreigners were privileged to lay eyes on Tibet. When the doors were finally flung open in the mid-1980s, the roof of the world was no longer the hidden hermit kingdom. The Buddhist kingdom of Tibet, to me, a land steeped in magic and mystery. It was a tough but a trip worthwhile.

The Potala Palace is a MUST visit in Tibet. The palace was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India after a failed uprising in 1959. Today, the palace has been converted into a museum by the Chinese, and is famous for its grand buildings, devotional atmosphere and splendid internal artworks. It was reported that the palace will allow no more than 2,300 visitors a day, therefore ticket can be hard to come by especially during peak seasons.

Buddhism was initially slow to take place in Tibet, but is now one of the most devoutly Buddhist nation in the world. Bustling with worshippers, the Jokhang temple is one of the most revered religious structure in Tibet. The spokes of the Wheel of Law represent the eight parts of th Noble Eightfold Path. The wheel is usually flanked by two deers.

Tibetan prayer flags often found strung along mountain ridges to bless the surrounding countryside. These prayer flags come in sets of five, one in each of five colors. The five colors represent the specific elements (blue, space; yellow, earth; green, water; red, fire and white, air), and are arranged from left to right in a specific order. When the flags flutter, prayers are thought to be released to the heavens.

Tibet's children often live in areas far from schools. In many cases, Tibetan families cannot afford to send their children to secondary school because they are all too far away from their village. Kids may have to walk miles and miles, sometimes they were seen to hitch to and back from schools.

Travel permits are required to visit Tibet - the Tibet Tourism Bereau Permit (TTB Permit) will be arranged by the travel agency organizing the trip. And if you want to go further to the "unopened" areas, you need an Alien's travel permit issued by PSB of Tibet.

On the prayer wheels or Mani wheels are depicted mantra. According to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, spinning such a wheel will have much the same effect as orally reciting the prayers. A wheel can be the size of a fist, or a small building and can be powered by hand, water, or wind.

Tibet can pose particular risks to your health and the large part of these are associated with the high average altitude of the plateau. I was admitted to the hospital for a good three hours due to insuffificient altitude acclimatisation. I was treated for oxygen enrichment, plus other sugar and antibiotic drips.

For centuries, the Tibetans have valued yak - a long-haired bovine. No part of the animal is wasted, and a man's worth is measured by the size of this herd.

Tibet today has won back many religious freedoms. Many of the monasteries are built in high locations above villages. Drepung and Sera Monasteries are once the largest monasteries in the world.

The Tibetan plateau - the earth's highest ecosystem is of some great wilderness. Other than monasteries, and pilgrim circuits, there is plenty to see to keep you busy at least a good 2 weeks. One may enjoy stunningly scenic routes when travelling out of Lhasa.

More to blog. Keep track.

Cycling along Jinji Lake

As China globalizes and modernizes, its intrinsic beauty is slipping away at an alarming rate. Suzhou - the canal city, has been long appreciated the pleasures of a waterside view and is one of the most celebrated city with historic gardens.

In recent years, a waterfront park and promenade took shape around Jinji Lake here, in the hope that what's good for the environment will also be good for business.

The Jinji Lake Waterfront district is the centerpiece of the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP). Decided one of the weekends, after getting my new bicycle to go for a ride along the lake neighbourhood.

Once covered with agricultural land and fish ponds, the SIP project (major joint venture between the Chinese and Singapore government) has attracted prominent international businesses - and now populated with high-rise apartments, adjoined cultural institutions, restaurants and entertainment centers.

Sculptures and objects are seen as part of the artwork on the waterfront project.

In the early mornings, and evenings, many people stroll along the boardwalks. Some were seen practicing taichi. In a way, the scene and event gave a somewhat Zen and serene setting.

Some may choose to enjoy bicycle ride along the Jinji waterfront. Rentals are available.

Overall, the landscape architects have to keep to the concept inherent in Suzhou's classical gardens. The value of the lake itself should not be forgotten.

Young, old, couples, friends and families crowded the place that weekend - weather was slight gloomy that day but at least was windy and breezy.

On the evenings of Friday and Saturday nights, hundreds or sometimes even thousands people gather for a spectacular fountain display with colored lights and music at the water's edge.

The Suzhou Industrial Park was modeled after Jurong Town, an industrial district in Singapore that the former chinese leader, Deng Xiaoping, visited in 1992, prompting him to invite Singapore to help the Chinese in establishing a truly global enterprise zone.

The Humble Administrator's Garden

SuZhou is a city with many beautiful gardens (as I was told) - one of the biggest is the Humble Administrator's Garden (ZhouZhengYuan). This garden was built around 1509AD during the Ming Dynasty by a former government servant - Wang Xianchen. He was tired of official life and wanted a garden to retire to. He got the name for the garden from an essay called "To cultivate my garden and sell my vegetable crop is the policy of humble man".

The Chinese term for landscape is shan shui, literally "mountains and water." No Chinese garden is complete without a body of water, no matter how small.

Water is the nurturing, yielding, or yin element, a necessary counterpoint to the hard, vertical, or yang elements such as the monumental stones placed throughout Chinese gardens. The most important is the garden has to look natural - although man-made.

The covered corridors, built to allow the owner to enjoy the garden despite rain and snow. In addition, these are divided - the outer ones for man (right), and the inner ones for woman (left). Though divided, the roof simply binds them two together. As they walk along the corridor, they can see each other from the decorative openings.

The openings were designed simply as circles, squares or ovals or in more imaginative shapes like a monkey face ?

See this very often - the decorative pavement of pebbles. Above you see the shape of coins and flowers. Interestingly (as I was told), depending on your first stepping on the pavement, if you first step on "coin", then 有钱花 (you have money to spend). On the other hand, if you first step on "flower", then 会花钱 (like spending money).

As most of the buildings were built beside water, they were navigable by small boats along the man-made canal.

I was amazed as well with such simple decorative windows - from the blue-tainted glasses, it provided a frosty impression of the summer view, as if you were looking winter through the windows. Brilliant.

Chinese use and select plants in their gardens, and each specimen has its symbolic meanings. And my favorite - the sacred lotus.

The sacred lotus symbolizes purity, with blossoms of different colors emerging from the mud beneath the water where it grows.

For the Buddhist, lotus represents a noble character, the soul battling against the material world to reach the light.

From time to time, students are seen here for their assignments, and painting sessions.

In Chinese gardens, landscapes are usually discovered in sequence and are often resemble a labyrinth of spaces of manipulated perspective.

For this humble garden, every step is experienced as a series of scenes - maybe even likened to entering the magical realms of the Immortals.

Buildings and pavillions nicely placed along the water, plus luxuriant of vegetation - creating a great harmony between the natural scenery and the man-made elements. The picturesque scene of the pagoda is an example of the garden technique called "borrowed view from afar".

Despite the big crowd, it was still possible to enjoy the effect why the garden was built the first place - a place of retreat for escape the chaos and hustle bustle of the city.

The garden is also lined with trees - it was a good weekend walking and discovering the garden soul of SuZhou.

Known as one of the four most famous gardens in China, the ZhouzhengYuan will not disappoint. Entrance during peak season : 70 RMB. Recommended to take a guided tour (additional 70 RMB).

But sadly, the son lost the place for paying his gambling debts.

The Art Island of Naoshima

Naoshima is a small island situated in Seto Inland Sea known for its nature and contemporary art. The art site is an attempt to produce an utterly new type of space and experience by setting contemporary art and architecture amidst the beauty of nature.

The outdoor over-sized polka-dot pumpkin is one of the art pieces that drew people to the remote Naoshima Island.

Edited here for more pumpkin colors. We saw only the yellow and the red ones.

The blurred effect using Irfan View - I actually like how the way I formed the mosaic art.

Different types of pumpkin available during one of the visits to XiTang, Zhejiang. Click here : http://phototravel.aminus3.com/image/2008-04-20.html