Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Gyelpo's is a local favourite nangma place, with a good floor show and singers. Gyelpo
was a famous dancer on Tibet TV. It's a great place to meet local Tibetans, but be sure to
secure a table before 9pm.
Shopping
You can get most things in Lhasa these days, though water-purifying tablets, deodorant
and English-language books and magazines are still not easy to find.
For souvenirs, the Barkhor circuit is lined with shops. Expect to be asked an outrageous
initial price and then settle down for some serious and persistent haggling. Popular pur-
chases include prayer wheels, rings, prayer scarves and prayer flags, all of which are fairly
portable. Most of the stuff on offer is actually made in Nepal and sold by Chinese or Hui
Muslim traders.
Items of Tibetan clothing, such as chubas (long-sleeved sheepskin cloaks), cowboy hats,
Tibetan brocade and fur hats, are good buys. There are several Tibetan dress shops on
Beijing Donglu where you can get a formal Tibetan dress made or buy off the rack. Sever-
al good places are near the Kyichu Hotel.
The majority of shops around the Barkhor sell jewellery, most of it turquoise and coral
(Tibetans believe that turquoise is good for the liver, and coral for the heart), but almost all
of it is fake. The fake stuff is bluer and is flawless; beware of a string of identically shaped
and rounded beads - nature did not intend them to be this way. The final test is to scratch
the surface with a sharp metal object; the fake turquoise will leave a white line, the real
stuff won't show a thing. Take a close look at the stone to make sure it's all in one piece.
Unscrupulous traders glue together tiny bits of turquoise to make larger pieces of stone.
You'll also see 'Buddha eye' beads, known as dzi - black or brown oblong beads with
white eye symbols. These are replicas of natural fossils found in rocks in the mountains
containing auspicious eye symbols thought to represent the eyes of the Buddha. The real
things pass hands for tens of thousands of dollars.
To find basic items, such as thermoses and water canisters, the best places are the lanes
that run from the Tromsikhang Market down to the Barkhor circuit. Cheap pots and pans
(ideal for instant noodles) are available at the stalls on the east side of the Potala.
For hard-to-find items such as sunscreen and deodorant, dig around in the Nepali-
stocked shops dotted around the Barkhor circuit.
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