My second week in Qinghai, took me to the City of Yushu. You can check out pictures and thoughts from week one here.
Even though it is the 4th largest city in the prefecture the population is quite small compared to Xining. I was excited to get out and learn more about the city. I soon learned that Yushu's population is nearly 98% Tibetan! It was such a different experience than other places in China where the ethnic majority is Han and makes up around 90%.
The first day I woke up at the hotel, I went downstairs to find a Tibetan wedding at my hotel. I was invited to hang out and take as many pictures as I like. I felt very welcomed and even learned a few words: Hello, “Tah-shi de-leh.” , and thank you “Thu-chi che”.
The clothing for the wedding was especially beautiful, but the people in Yushu wear their culture on their sleeves. So it was not unusual to see people in traditional Tibetan garb.
There are also many people in Qinghai that practice different sects of Tibetan-Buddhism so there were monks practically everywhere.
While at an area called Mani Sutra City, I witnessed a female monk praying around the entire block. Which meant laying down flat on the grown every few steps. I couldn’t believe how much devotion she had.
Another thing that makes the outskirts of Yushu stand out is the multitude of Yak, and goats found all around. I know this is a picture of only three, but trust me there are plenty more.
At over 3700 meters, the landscape is simply amazing!
I can honestly say that I fell in love with the place and was not ready to return to Beijing. I wish I could share my entire experience with you, but there is only so much I can show in these photos. Be sure to check out part three in a couple of weeks!
