¿We traveled to see it to be? Are we looking for destinations on the map or even just to get to know? On any trip, inevitably be in places you do not see or view sites that, last time, seems you've never been. On my way to the slopes of Everest, Shigatse was a couple of nights on the road map, a monastery, that of Tashilumpo, and a fort in ruins guarded by wild dogs.
It had crossed half the world to be in Shigatse, Tibet's second largest city, but once there, and while waiting for my long-awaited appointment with the goddess of the mountains, wanted to see and, as far as possible, try to understand. In the Internet age, no place in the world that do not have images in just seconds, but the eye of the traveler always different. And therein lies, precisely, much of the incentive that pushes travel to those who still have not given up the impulses of curiosity.
The Tenzin is a backpacker hostel located in the Tibetan quarter, against the local craft market. Staying here or opt for the Chinese area is how to do it in different cities. Large avenues of modern Shigatse (Xigatse to Beijing) shops are stocked, internet cafés, supermarkets, banks and even flashy hotels as Shigatse, to sleep costs ten times more than the Tenzin. Perroflauta This paradise is located in a cul-night road that must be traveled groping, but his modest restaurant to enjoy magnificent views of the ancient fortress of Shigatse, now just a embankments in ruins at sunset provide a ghostly. The only downside to the restaurant is that it is not easy to get fed. We went without success Shigatse. In one attempts, we pretextaron that the cook had gone to Lhasa, so all its menu is summarized in two words: rice fried. The waiter, used to deal with the awkward situation, too soon in advising another restaurant. The hotel Tenzin promised hot shower 8:00 to 22:00 (whole smorgasbord) and its corridors were strategically assorted containers spitting phlegm, one of the favorite sports of all self-respecting Chinese.
Snooping among Tibetan bazaar stalls in a store I find a photo of the Dalai Lama, the only one I see in all my journey through the land of snow. Beside him is another snapshot of Mao with the Panchen Lama, the second Tibetan Buddhist spiritual authority, whose residence, the Tashilumpo, is the main tourist attraction in Shigatse. We've all heard stories about Tibetans who have landed in prison for being caught with a photograph of the Dalai Lama. "He's allowed to have because it is also Mao", dealer pointed me to check my look of surprise.
In the Internet age, no place in the world that do not have images in just seconds, but the eye of the traveler always different.
On one side, a burly khampa quarters with a knife and skinning a carcass. Or khampas, originating from the East, have proven warriors fame: Genghis Khan even made them kneel and both the British invasion of 1904 as in China half a century later were more tenaciously who defended the independence of Tibet. His presence stout and haughty look still command respect. And with a knife in hands.
We approached the carpet factory, now in the hands of a French company that exports to America and Europe. Barrunto a tour, although if that was the intention, someone forgot to tell the manager of our arrival. Despite being Sunday, twenty women are working. Some, with obvious signs of exhaustion, are sleeping on looms, defeated head on hands. Not a very edifying spectacle and take away the urge to loosen 50 dollars for a rug that will only crumbs these women (and why Tenzing insists that they are a privileged charge around 1.600 yuan per month, one Sueldazo around here).
I want to walk up the dzong (fortress) de Shigatse, cultural revolution that left reduced to rubble. The Lonely Planet warns of the danger posed by stray dogs that have ruled the place, very common presence in all people of Tibet. Tenzin me off with the same argument. Run down the hill with a pack of rabid dogs at my heels not in my plans, so we left it for another day.
In the path of the Tibetan quarter Tashilumpo, right in the corner of the calle West Qingdao Lu, slaps us one of the scents that I take from Shigatse. The locals have become a long concrete wall in a urinal outdoors. At any time you can see people relieving bladder next to the wall. The smell is nauseating, to the extent it is necessary to switch from sidewalk. These 100 meters without masks (But what we had not been told that the Chinese take to protect themselves from pollution?) forced to dip into the handkerchief.
Already in the Tenzin Hotel, sleeping bags premiered at the obvious lack of hygiene in the sheets. It's the closest thing to lie in a coffin at midnight, sick of the stupid claustrophobia, I release the torture to offer myself as a feast risk of lice, fleas and mites (Scabies is quite common in Tibet). It pours about Shigatse. To reach the stormy room howling of dogs.
