Friday, July 25, 2025

That's how Yaks are delivered to and displayed by retailers. They will then be cut up and sold.

Yak meat ready for sale.
Yak meat ready for the stomach. We had it for lunch at a restaurant at Qinghai Lake.
 It tastes better than beef and is sweeter. It's considered better because of its lower fat and cholesterol contents and also being higher in proteins and Omega-3 fatty acids. It is also considered to be more sustainable to raise than cattle.   
I suppose this is one of the principal attractions in Qinghai Lake. 
There is also a significant fishery industry on the lake for which it is well known for its naked carp.
The lake viewed from afar.
Qinghai Lake as seen from the train. Cloud cover is so low it almost obliterates the view of the mountains in the background.
Another image captured from the train. One of the selling points of the train ride of 22 hours is that we can see herds of unique and endemic Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau wildlife like Tibetan Antelope, wild yak, Tibetan wild ass and snow leopards. But apart from some wild yaks, I saw nothing else. Either I was sleeping or they were!
Caught this image when the train stopped. I wonder if there were life missiles in them.
Namptso Lake (also Heavenly Lake and God's Lake) didn't look good to me as I was suffering from Cerebral Hypoxia. At one point, my Oxygen level went down to 24. I needed Oxygen in the car before going to the lake. Namptso Lake is known as the highest salt lake in the World at an elevation of 4,718m ASL and second biggest in volume. The largest salt lake is the Caspian Sea in terms of volume, surface area and depth. There is no fishing industry on the lake for it's considered a holy lake plus Tibetans, like Mongolians, don't eat fish.
The Grand Potala Palace, initial construction of which was started in 640 as a palace, later became a monastery and also the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, political and spiritual leaders of Tibet. The palace complex includes the White Palace Dalai Lamas' accommodation and government centre. The Red Palace has 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and two hundred statues. 
 
The Palace which is now a museum is 13 storeys high. Its elevation is 3,700m ASL. It was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 1994. Entrance fees are 200 RMB during the high season and half that during the low season. Fancy climbing to see all the contents? Maybe if I were younger? 
There is a big square in front of the palace. Called Potala Square, it's meant for a grand approach to the palace and a place for gatherings and celebrations. Another purpose is to portray the cultural heritage of Lhasa (Tibet's capital city) as well as the fusion of history and modernity. This square was built after the Chinese take-over of Tibet.












 

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