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From: SExia Category: Life Date: 03 October 2007 Time: 10:12 AM Review: After spending many years dwelling on travelling to Tibet I have at last arrived in spirtual homeland of Buddhism (or have I got that wrong?) What can I say... if altitude sickness doesn't get you first then you will get surely succumb to cash handouts to all and sundry - impoverished Tibetians, crooked Chinese and unscrupulous monks - Tibetian Buddhism has reduced itself to prostrating oneself infront of various religious icons and handing our cash in the hope that you will get it back in your next life. The monasteries are magnificent and still surprisingly intact after the Red Guard attacks but 7th century plumming and yak pooh heating does mean they smell like 3rd world public toilets. Your head is swimming when you enter the sacred temples but more from incense, yak candle wax and unwashed Tibetians than any spiritual movement - Tibetians are washed twice in their lifetime once on marriage and once on death - but then again its pretty cold here! I am sorry to disappoint you that no one speaks in metaphors - I was expecting wise saying such as relinquishing desire is the way to enlightenment but I am afraid capitalism has even infused the most remote villagers - its really sad as the Chinese have infiltrated the whole of Tibet and built ugly new towns all over the landscape marginalising the Tibetian people and pushing them further into poverty. Bring back the Dalai Lama is all I can say - Potala Palace is a empty shell, a memory to the Tibetian people of a rapidly diminishing culture...