Wolfgang's photos

Some carvings in this freestone are in such good condition that can clearly see the details. But the whole place of cultural interest needs to be restored as soon as possible before the weather condition will destroy more of the sensible sandstone.

Most of the visitors at the ancient place were Thai monks although the historical remains are rests of the Hindu myth.

The first temple on the site was begun in the early 9th century; both then and in the following centuries it was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The earliest surviving parts of the temple, however, date from the Koh Ker period in the early 10th century, when the empire's capital was at the city of that name. There are also elements of the Banteay Srei style of the late 10th century, but most of the temple was constructed under Suryavarman I and Suryavarman II in the first halves of the 11th and 12th centuries respectively. An inscription found at the temple gives a detailed account of Suryavarman II studying sacred rituals, celebrating religious festivals and making gifts, including white parasols, golden bowls and elephants, to his spiritual advisor, the aged Brahman Divakarapandita. The Brahman himself took an interest in the temple, according to the inscription, gifting it with a golden statue of a dancing Shiva.

With a payment of 5 US $ we could enter Cambodian territory in Jan./2000 to visit the ancient place - a grey arrangement made by Thai/Cambodian local officers.

Gopura of the second level is also tetrahedrons with a wall in the south. On Tang Damnern - North of the Gopura, there are holds with a foot diameter to put a post inside in order build a marquee for the chairman.

The debris of a crashed Thai chopper still lie beside the ancient place. People tell different stories about the cause of the crash.

warnings for all visitors not to leave the way.

As if by a miracle this fine art works survived all the bad history of the Khmer Rouge.

along the Nāga Balustrade

Jimmy, our tour guide and myself. This was the only room inside the Potala where it was allowed to photograph, three years later Aug.2007 the same room was closed and inside the building nowhere could capture picture anymore, the room was closed for the public.

On our way back to Kyakyaru we'd a stopover in a small Nomads tent, used as a grocer's shop, a restaurant and a bar. After drinking more that ten bottles Lhasa beer we came in a good mood.

The Potala gives the impression not of having been built by man but have grown there, so perfectly does it fit in with its surroundings. It has the pleasing lack of symmetry of a great tree or mountain, yet this apparent aimlessness is focused, first by the red central block and then by the golden pavilions on the roof, so that the eye is naturally led from the less important to the essential, both visually and spiritually; for in so much as the gilded roofs over the mortal remains of the Dalai Lamas are the dominant figure of the architecture, so is the incarnate spirit of these rulers the very soul of Tibet.

The high altitute of 4000 m and higher brings you very close to the Himalayan peaks

On the way back to the Kathmandu - Lhasa highway

Drepung was known for the high standards of its academic study, and was called the Nalanda of Tibet, a reference to the great Buddhist monastic university of India. This temple was also destoyed by the Chinese invators (and the English agressors before!) Now a place for thousands tibetian pilgrims and international tourist.

Monks took place as an audience to look to the people making the Kora around the Holy Jongkar Monastery.

Being the furthest from Lhasa of the three university monasteries, Ganden traditionally had a smaller population with some 6,000 monks in the early 20th century (although Waddell reports an estimate of about 3,300 in the 1890s and there were, apparently only 2,000 in 1959. Ganden Monastery consisted of two principal original colleges, Jangtse and Shartse, meaning North Peak and East Peak respectively. The three main sights in the Ganden Monastery are the Serdung, which contains the tomb of Tsongkhapa, the Tsokchen Assembly Hall and the Ngam Cho Khang the chapel where Tsongkhapa traditionally taught. The monastery houses artifacts which belonged to Tsongkhapa. It contained more than two dozen major chapels with large Buddha statues. The largest chapel was capable of seating 3,500 monks. Tenzin Gyatso, the present Dalai Lama (born 1935), took his final degree examination in Ganden in 1958 and he feels he has a particularly close connection with Tsongkhapa. Ganden Monastery was completely destroyed during the rebellion of 1959. In 1966 it was severely shelled by Red Guard artillery and monks then had to dismantle the remains. Most of Tsongkhapa's mummified body was burned but his skull and some ashes were saved from the fire by Bomi Rinpoche, the monk who had been forced to carry the body to the fire. Re-building has been continuing since the 1980s and the "red-painted lhakang in the centre is the reconstruction of Ganden's sanctum sanctorum containing Tsongkapa's reliquary chorten called the Tongwa Donden, 'Meaningful to Behold. In the monastery were about 3000 monks leaving before the place was destroyed by the chinese invators. Now is restorated and rebuild and many monks return to the place (for tourism?!?!)

There is also the starting point for travellers going to the Tibetan Mount Everest base camp.