INTRODUCTION
A century ago, a visit to Lhasa took stamina, nerve and a good deal of luck. Isolated by formidable geographic barriers and guarded by its government, the Tibetan capital was truly a Forbidden City. Few Westerners met the challenge, but the tales they returned with tantalized the imagination of the world. Tibet was the epitome of all that was magical, mysterious and unknown.Today, visiting Tibet is considerably easier, but the adventure remains. Hidden behind the Himalayas and rising nearly five kilometers above sea level, Tibet is a land unlike any other, a magical realm of vast open spaces, clear light and pure color, dominated by an intensely blue sky. Two kinds of people live in this timeless setting: farmers settled in small villages who grow barley and other crops, and the roving nomads, drokpa, who wander the higher regions with their herds of yaks and sheep.Since the 8th century, Tibet has been devoutly Buddhist, merging influences from Indian Buddhism, Tantra, and the indigenous religion called Bon into a complex synthesis of beliefs. Tibetan Buddhism has inspired centuries of splendid art and architecture, serving as the cornerstone of Tibet's unique and highly developed culture.

A Visits to Buddhist monasteries and temples are an integral part of any journey to Tibet. Worshippers move slowly through dimly lit chapels, refilling flickering butter lamps. Faith manifests itself in many ways: flags printed with prayers for the wind to spread; main walls of flat stones engraved with mantra; chorten or symbolic monuments scattered across the countryside.
Tibetans are a deeply religious, open, spontaneous people, admirably good-humored and quick to joke. Visitors to Lhasa invariably marvel at the non-stop smiles. Traveling in Tibet is not always easy, but it rewards with glimpses of a land and life unlike any other.