a traditional losar
Door: joyce
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Tuktuk
14 Februari 2008 | Nederland, Amsterdam
tourist shops and restaurants have been closing since november. in january, all good restaurants also decide to close their doors. in de weeks prior to losar (tibetan new year) and chinese new year the last shops lock up for the celebrations. everybody is out celebrating. with lots and lots of chang (home-brewed tibetan barly beer) and beer.
the evening before losar the fireworks start. and they do not finish until late in the following morning. the streets are coloured bright red of all the wrappings left behind by the fireworks. the tibetans are all wearing their best chuba (traditional long coat or dress). barkhor square is lined up with hundreds of meters of people wanting to drip yak butter at all the shrines the jokhang houses (to ensure a good start to the year).
we celebrate losar at puntso’s house, a talented and motivated technician steven works with. at nine-thirty we are picked up by puntso and his brother. at ten am we drink our first cup of home-brewed chang beer with a small yak butter decoration (again for luck). and i guess we were drunk around noon. we eat lots of traditional losar sweets and cookies. pass on the dried yak meat (looks very tough). and enjoy an elaborate home-cooked dinner with the family. mula (puntso’s 80 year old mother) eats her dinner wih the few teeth she has left. the children play in the garden and the men say chapda (bottom up) a bit too often. some beers later we are dressed up in traditional chubas ourselves. everybody is laughing and taking pictures. we dance. at ten pm puntso’s brother drops us of at home. still drunk.
in the days after losar we visit the potala palace, as every good tibetan does. we climb up the long, stone stairs. the palace is beautifully decorated and a bit crowded (luckily without tourists). chinese guards guide us through the house of the dalai lama. the dalai lama left his palace in 1959. today, it feels like a museum. books are left open and cups are left unwashed, as if the dalai lama could come home anytime. the potala palace is still an impressive building. the red palace of the potala shows us the tombs of former dalai lamas, charming little chapels filled with buddha statues, meditation rooms, the throne room and even the bedroom of the dalai lama. as we walk down the stairs at the back of the potala, we are silent. remembering the recent past and thinking of the future.
in front of the potala palace pilgrims are prostrating on the sidewalk. we climb up a hill for a perfect view of the potala. we enjoy the early spring sun and dream of the summer. at the summit café we drink a good cup of cappuccino and talk about the contradictions of the potala palace for the rest of the afternoon.
losar was a great experience. but it is time for the shops and restaurants to open their doors. we are craving for some good and familiar food.
the evening before losar the fireworks start. and they do not finish until late in the following morning. the streets are coloured bright red of all the wrappings left behind by the fireworks. the tibetans are all wearing their best chuba (traditional long coat or dress). barkhor square is lined up with hundreds of meters of people wanting to drip yak butter at all the shrines the jokhang houses (to ensure a good start to the year).
we celebrate losar at puntso’s house, a talented and motivated technician steven works with. at nine-thirty we are picked up by puntso and his brother. at ten am we drink our first cup of home-brewed chang beer with a small yak butter decoration (again for luck). and i guess we were drunk around noon. we eat lots of traditional losar sweets and cookies. pass on the dried yak meat (looks very tough). and enjoy an elaborate home-cooked dinner with the family. mula (puntso’s 80 year old mother) eats her dinner wih the few teeth she has left. the children play in the garden and the men say chapda (bottom up) a bit too often. some beers later we are dressed up in traditional chubas ourselves. everybody is laughing and taking pictures. we dance. at ten pm puntso’s brother drops us of at home. still drunk.
in the days after losar we visit the potala palace, as every good tibetan does. we climb up the long, stone stairs. the palace is beautifully decorated and a bit crowded (luckily without tourists). chinese guards guide us through the house of the dalai lama. the dalai lama left his palace in 1959. today, it feels like a museum. books are left open and cups are left unwashed, as if the dalai lama could come home anytime. the potala palace is still an impressive building. the red palace of the potala shows us the tombs of former dalai lamas, charming little chapels filled with buddha statues, meditation rooms, the throne room and even the bedroom of the dalai lama. as we walk down the stairs at the back of the potala, we are silent. remembering the recent past and thinking of the future.
in front of the potala palace pilgrims are prostrating on the sidewalk. we climb up a hill for a perfect view of the potala. we enjoy the early spring sun and dream of the summer. at the summit café we drink a good cup of cappuccino and talk about the contradictions of the potala palace for the rest of the afternoon.
losar was a great experience. but it is time for the shops and restaurants to open their doors. we are craving for some good and familiar food.
-
14 Maart 2008 - 18:28
Free:
Ik zag net op het nieuws dat er wat doden zijn gevallen in Lhasa vanwege de demonstraties. Hopelijk zit je een beetje veilig! -
15 Maart 2008 - 02:09
Marlous:
Ik zie al dat je goed aan het integreren bent in de lokale eet-en drink gewoontes, hahahah. Heel goed. We zijn trouwens op dezelfde plekjes geweest, heb bijna dezelfde foto´s. Maar dan drie maanden eerder, hihi.
Kus kus -
17 Maart 2008 - 16:23
Miriam Heijenga:
Hallo Joyce,
Ik werk bij het actualiteitenrubriek EenVandaag en ben op zoek naar een Nederlander die op dit moment in Tibet zit en ons kan vertellen over de situatie daar. Ik hoop van harte dat het jullie goed gaat en dat jullie niet in gevaar zijn gekomen en ik hoop dat je contact met me kunt opnemen telefonisch of per mail.
Groeten,
Miriam Heijenga
email: miriam.heijenga@eenvandaag.nl
telefoon: 0031-35-6715846 -
01 April 2008 - 12:50
Free:
Hong Kong? Haha! Misschien kom je Robbert nog wel tegen! Die heeft sinds een tijdje een Chinese vriendin en die heeft nog een huis in Hong Kong. Hij gaat daar in augustus naartoe. Leuk hoor!
Met mij verder alles prima. Weer aan het werk helaas, ben nu alweer toe aan vakantie ;) Moet nog ergens een keer een relaxvakantie inplannen.
Doe maar voorzichtig daar. Echt verschrikkelijk wat er aan de hand is. Ik hoop dat de rust snel terugkomt, want zoiets verwacht je toch niet echt in de buurt van monniken!
Enne, heb je eenvandaag nog gebeld haha!
Knuf
Free -
11 Mei 2008 - 10:54
Free:
Hey Joyce,
Ja bel me zeker! Je valt met de neus in de boter met het weer hier! Ik wil je echt weer even in het echt zien. Overigens heb ik een date vandaag, wish me luck :)
Knuf,
Free -
07 Juli 2008 - 18:26
Clasien.clarijs@home:
Beste Steven en Joyce
Ik hoop dat alles goed met jullie gaat en er niets bijzonders is,want soms staat ook daar de wereld op zijn kop,pas goed op jezelf!!! Groetjes Clasien en de bekende van Welzorg
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