We're being driven around in a Toyota Land Cruiser. Suspensions are necessary for the roads from Lhasa Airport to Lhasa proper. The car horn is more heavily used than directionals - the cacophony of beeps shriek over the gentle rumbling of the tractors. The highway - a term I loosely use, as the top speed is 40km/hour is shared by all manners of wheeled vehicles - bicycles, tractors, tourist buses, SUVs, and even the occasional military truck.

Our driver is paranoid of drawing attention from the police or the military - he creeps along the highway at the speed limit and is constantly communicating with oncoming cars. A moment of triumph as we pass a speed trap. After we pass the trap, our driver seems to be on a singular mission to inform every informing car, more than a km away from the trap, about the trap. His high beams are met with honks of approval.

Every couple of kilometers, we see a Chinese army guard standing on a pedestal, protected from the harsh suns by a parasol. It's a gentle reminder of who's really in charge. We note a rather impressive building on our drive over, and we ask our guide what it is. He replies, "Military complex."

As we get into Lhasa proper, the roads become marked, traffic is far more orderly, and we see more traffic signals. I wonder if I've arrived at Lhasa a few years too late - the main road doesn't seem much different from visuals I saw in Kungming, and even reminds me of parts of Korea.

More of my fears are confirmed as we wander Lhasa (the best we can - altitude acclimization is beating the crap out of me). We walk past the Barkhour circuit, and I notice more tourists than pilgrims. I go to bed somewhat disappointed, but I'm determined to wake up early and walk the circuit again.

. . .

I ask for a wake-up call at 7am, as the front desk tells me that sun rise is roughly 730am. The light in Lhasa is harsh, which makes photography between the hours of 11am - 4pm pretty much useless.

The early morning is much kinder to me - there aren't many vendors hocking their wares, and you can actually hear the murmurs of the pilgrims as they circumnavigate Jokang temple in a clockwise fashion. (I know it's hypocritical to blame tourists, as I am the ultimtae example of one, but whatever - them not being around is still great)

I wander around Barkhour circuit with the pilgrims and monks twice. I notice a particular monk, who goes through a ritual of lying prostrate on the ground, getting up, taking a step, and doing it again. What devotion to a faith!

In front of the temple, there are more pilgrims. Standing there, all you can hear are their murmurs, with the whoosing sound as they sand down the rocks in front of the temple.

I have another 4 or so days in Tibet, and I already am beginning to regret that I can't stay here and learn more about Tibet. Being here for such a short time, I can barely begin to appreciate the sights and the people around me. I wish I had a month to stay here! (I will also have to learn some Tibetan)