I remember when I first arrived in Lhasa. Tibet.
Well, actually I do not remember. I mean.
I was starting a new project with a man who supposed to guide me the firsts months as a great expert of Tibet. i probably worked with him 3 days in total.
Anyway, we flew to Beijin and then to Xining and the he tough was very cool to take the new train to Tibet. Was 2006. The railway was new.
And in fact very interesting and amazing. The first few hours.
Let's say that after 26 hours of shaking in the train, whit hundreds of Chinese eating sun flower seed and spiting the husks on the floor, I was looking forward to arrive in the forbidden city.
Was my first mission after Tajikistan. I was young and inexperienced. And my task was to be the Country Director.
I was shitting my pants.
Anyway: I have no memories of Lhasa train station. No one. And after two years and an half I spent there, and I know all the corners of the city...well, I cannot point the train station in a map.
But I do remember the taxi bringing us to the hotel (in Tibet no foreigner is allowed to rent a house, everybody must live in hotels), and I remember what I saw.
I honestly was expecting a middle age city, whit no electricity, unpaved roads, old short buildings, maybe some oil lamp tiny light ogle from windows without glasses.
I saw Chinese teens whit fancy haircuts, advertisement of China Telecom, neon light like in Bladerunner for each Chinese restaurant, bar, shop, Chinese Post office huge building just beside the Potala, alone as a Tibet refugee.
I knew about the political situation of Tibet, but I was thinking Tibet was still Tibet.
Well, actually I do not remember. I mean.
I was starting a new project with a man who supposed to guide me the firsts months as a great expert of Tibet. i probably worked with him 3 days in total.
Anyway, we flew to Beijin and then to Xining and the he tough was very cool to take the new train to Tibet. Was 2006. The railway was new.
And in fact very interesting and amazing. The first few hours.
Let's say that after 26 hours of shaking in the train, whit hundreds of Chinese eating sun flower seed and spiting the husks on the floor, I was looking forward to arrive in the forbidden city.
Was my first mission after Tajikistan. I was young and inexperienced. And my task was to be the Country Director.
I was shitting my pants.
Anyway: I have no memories of Lhasa train station. No one. And after two years and an half I spent there, and I know all the corners of the city...well, I cannot point the train station in a map.
But I do remember the taxi bringing us to the hotel (in Tibet no foreigner is allowed to rent a house, everybody must live in hotels), and I remember what I saw.
I honestly was expecting a middle age city, whit no electricity, unpaved roads, old short buildings, maybe some oil lamp tiny light ogle from windows without glasses.
I saw Chinese teens whit fancy haircuts, advertisement of China Telecom, neon light like in Bladerunner for each Chinese restaurant, bar, shop, Chinese Post office huge building just beside the Potala, alone as a Tibet refugee.
I knew about the political situation of Tibet, but I was thinking Tibet was still Tibet.
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| I don't remember if I took this picture in center Beijin or in the Tibetan countryside...at the end China is China |
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