 Pabonka Monastery on a hillside not far past Sera Monastery |
 Lonely Planet recommended the one hour walk between Pabonka and Sera |
 After much arguing with the inflexable guide (not reasonable with a group of 1) and many phone calls she agreed |
 Given that there's a nice view of north side of Potola Palace from Pabonka, I did not consider it far out of the way |
 Paintings and gold inscriptions, Rigsum Gonpo Temple, Pabonka Monastery |
 11-headed Chenresig, Rigsum Gonpo Temple, Pabonka Monastery |
 Yab-yum "father-mother" associated with Tantric Buddhism |
 Famous carved mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" of Rigsum Gonpo Temple, Pabonka Monastery |
 Pabonka Potrang built on top of Pabonka Rock |
 Pabonka Potrang built on top of Pabonka Rock |
 Palden Lhamo Cave in the side of Pabonka Rock |
 Palden Lhamo Cave, Pabonka Monastery |
 Green Tara, Palden Lhamo Cave |
 Palden Lhamo Cave, Pabonka Monastery |
 Entrance to the Pabonka Potrang on top of Pabonka Rock |
 Wall mural "Mongol leading the tiger" representing supremacy of the Gelugpa sect over their rival red hat sect |
 "Four Friends" elephant, monkey, hare and partridge from Tittira Jataka legend |
 Jasa Podrang (Temple of Princess Wencheng) with the remains of 108 chortens |
 Pabonka Monastery |
 Monk of Pabonka Monastery |
 Kitchen, Pabonka Monastery |
 Dining hall, Pabonka Monastery |
 Pabonka Monastery |
 Pabonka Monastery |
 Fresh October snow on the mountains above Lhasa |
 Stupa at Pabonka Monastery |
 The Potola Palace in the center of Lhasa 7 km to the south of Pabonka |
 Pabonka Monastery |
 Hermitage of Tashi Chöling, a 20 min climb from Pabonka |
 Trail leading around the mountain to Chupsang Nunnery |
 I told the guide she could go with the driver and meet me in one hour at Sera Monastery |
 Looking back to Pabonka from the Chupsang trail |
 Pabonka Monastery |
 Looking down at the newly paved road leading up to Pabonka Monastery |
 I didn't find the trail particularly difficult |
 ...but shockingly the Tibetan guide was unable to handle it and eventually turned back leaving me on my own |
 Trail from Pabonka Monastery to Chupsang Nunnery |
 Well-worn carved steps between the monastery and the nunnery |
 Chupsang Nunnery, home to around 80 nuns |
 Trailside shrine near Chupsang Nunnery |
 Chupsang Nunnery |
 Chupsang Nunnery |
 Chupsang Nunnery |
 Chupsang Nunnery |
 Not wanting to be late to meet the guide at Sera, I didn't linger at Chupsang |
 Shrine with rock paintings, Chupsang Nunnery |
 Rock paintings, Chupsang Nunnery |
 Rock paintings, Chupsang Nunnery |
 Leaving Chupsang Nunnery for Sera Monastery |
 Leaving Chupsang Nunnery for Sera...but this trail lead back to the valley, not over the mountain like I had hoped |
 Descending to the outskirts of Lhasa |
 ...that's the way I had wanted to go...but too late now |
 I had to skirt a walled off military area |
 The correct "high road" trail to Sera is somewhere up there |
 Arriving at Sera Monatery by the "low road" after a nice 1 hour hike from Pabonka |
 The only shanties I had seen in Tibet, outside Sera Monastery |
 Sera Monastery |
 Outlying building of Sera Monastery still a burned out ruin from the bad days |
 Sera Monastery, one of the Six Great Gelugpa institutions |
 The Chöding Hermitage above Sera Monastery that I had been planning to hike past |
 Map of Sera Monastery |
 The guide had been insisting that Sera was closed mid day so it was almost 4 when we got there |
 ...and just as the Lonely Planet said, the main chapels were already closing |
 Incense burners, Sera Monastery |
 Sera Monastery |
 Sera Monastery |
 We managed to get into Sera Je College for about 5 minutes before it closed |
 Wall mural, Sera Je College |
 Tamdrin (Hayagriva) the horse-headed wrathful deity |
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 Rock painting, Sera Monastery |
 Staircase behind Sera Je College |
 Rock paintings, Sera Monastery |
 Jampelyang (Manjushri) Bodhisattva of Wisdom |
 Chenresig (Avalokiteshvara) Bodhisattva of Compassion |
 Chana Dorje (Vajrapani) wrathful Bodhisattva of Energy |
 Gesture of teaching - Vitarka Mudra |
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 Thangka wall, Sera Monastery |
 Wall used to hang giant Thangka paintings during festivals |
 Main assembly hall, Sera Monastery |
 Vestibule of the main assembly hall at Sera |
 Guardian king in front of the Main Assemby Hall, Sera |
 Ceiling of the vestibule in front of the Main Assembly Hall |
 Sera Monastery |
 Rock paintings in a small cave, Sera Monastery |
 Cave painting, Sera Monastery |
 Tibetan pilgrim with a prayer wheel |
 Sera Monastery |
 Sera Monastery |
 The guide managed to get us into one small chapel after closing |
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 The Wheel of Life, Sera Monastery |
 The Wheel of Life - you want to stay in the top half |
 Chenmizang, Heavenly King of the West (red) |
 Yülkhorsung, Heavenly King of the North (yellow) |
 Mongol leading the chained tiger - Gelugpa (yellow hat) sect symbology |
 Sera Monastery |
 Ornate door, Sera |