"Strangers Met in Namtso" (4) Potala Palace

The next day, when she woke up, she looked at her watch and found that it was past eight o'clock. She never thought that she would sleep so late. After coming to Tibet, she has never woken up after seven o'clock every day, and most days she woke up after six o'clock.

After looking at his watch, he suddenly remembered the incident where he lay beside him last night. He was no longer by her side, nor in his own bed.

When she got up, she realized that he had left a note for her.

"I was temporarily invited out by a friend today. I'll talk about it when I come back tonight. I remember going to Mount Everest tomorrow."

At that moment, she didn't know whether she was happy or disappointed.

She decided that she didn't want too much, so she went to freshen up first.

She wants to go to the Potala Palace alone today.

Didn't he say he would travel with her, she thought?

She immediately remembered that he hadn't promised her anything, he just said "see if we can go with you". And she also remembered that he had said that he had visited the Palace before.

In this self-hypnosis, she toured the Potala Palace.

Many travelers she knew in the hostel told her that the Potala Palace was not worth paying to visit, because the tickets were too expensive, and there were not many things worth seeing inside, and photography was not allowed. But she believes in one thing: some things must be experienced before they can be criticized. Only after visiting, she is qualified to tell others that it is not worth paying so much to visit the Potala Palace.

Indeed, the Potala Palace looks beautiful. But the current cloth palace should be rebuilt in the 17th century. It is not appropriate for a wooden historical building to be open for so many people to walk around. At the same time, due to the dim lighting inside, she couldn't see the designs/collections inside very clearly. Coupled with her limited knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism, she left soon after walking around.

At this point, she can tell others: Unless you are someone with a strong interest in Tibetan Buddhism, the Potala Palace is not worth paying that much to visit.

She smiled at her own obsession.

After watching the Cloth Palace, she thought about whether to go to other attractions or just stroll around Barkhor Street.

Because the Everest group had to leave early the next day, she thought, it would be better to have some leisure time and buy some food from the supermarket.

Finally decided to go shopping.

She wandered left and right, looked at accessories, looked at people, and walked around the park again, feeling a little tired.

So she decided to buy something at the supermarket near the hostel and went back to the hostel to rest.

While shopping in the supermarket, she wondered, what does he like to eat? Then I stood in a daze in front of the snack shelf.

Suddenly someone patted her on the right shoulder, and she immediately looked left when she saw no one to the right.

It's him.

"What are you doing here?"

"It's nothing. I'm just wondering which one is better. Didn't you go out with friends? Why did you come back so early?"

"I just received a message that a friend came to Tibet earlier than me for a trip. He was leaving today, so he desperately asked me to go out with him. He is now on the plane."

"Oh, so that's how it is."

"He and I were classmates in middle school. We were very good friends back then, but after we left for work, we lost the opportunity to get together. It is rare to meet in Lhasa, so I can only sacrifice my life to accompany the gentleman, and get up early in the morning to accompany him for morning tea. I wanted to talk to you first. Yes, but I saw that you were sleeping so deeply, and I couldn't bear to wake you up."

"Did I sleep soundly?"

"I think you've had the best and most stable sleep in the past few days."

Hearing this, her face flushed.

"Do you know if I slept well for so many days? Nonsense! Don't talk nonsense. Would you like to buy some snacks to take on the road tomorrow?"

"You help me choose acridine. I'll eat nothing."

"If you don't choose by yourself, what are you doing in the supermarket?"

"I'm here to find you. You said yesterday that you would come to buy some supplies to eat on the road today. I think you're about to go out for a walk, so I came here to try my luck. How did you know that I really met you. Should I buy a lottery ticket?"

At that moment, she suddenly felt her heart beating fast. Is it because you walked too much today? She took a deep breath, then pulled him to choose some food together.

After leaving the supermarket, they ate dumplings at a restaurant near the hostel.

He ordered half a catty of dumplings for each of them.

she asked him quietly.

"Half a catty? How many are there?"

"About thirty or so, I guess."

"Thirty!? Isn't there about sixty per pound?!"

As a result, more than fifty dumplings really appeared in front of them.

The two ate and drank beer, sharing what happened that day.

"I saw that friend today. We should have not seen each other for three years. Although we both work in Guangzhou, there is no chance to make an appointment."

"Why do you need an opportunity to ask a friend? If you want to see it, can't you just make an appointment?"

"You don't understand, my friend has a family, and when a man has a family, it is very difficult for a man to go out alone to meet friends. Even today, it is because his family is traveling and he lives nearby, so he can come out and meet me. A face. I also had a meal with his family afterwards. There is not much time for the two of them to talk alone."

"You're talking about family as if it's scary."

"It's terrifying. There are so many things that have to be sacrificed in order to maintain a relationship as a husband and wife."

"But you said earlier that you would get married, have children, retire, and do what everyone else is doing. You said it so terribly, why would you want to join this army of terror?"

"Because everyone is like that."

She thought that in his upbringing, he was placed in the pattern that "his life should meet the expectations of the whole society". He never imagined that he would/could go the other way.

On the contrary, in her growth and life, fortunately her parents did not force her what to do. They all just want her to grow up healthy and happy. She found a lot of possibilities for "off the beaten path" by her side.

And he didn't.

For him, she is a friend who does not affect his "social requirements" and who can talk on the road. His life revolves around getting married, buying a property and having children, and he will not have the heart to make other unusual choices.

she reminded herself.

(To be continued)