Brad Pitt.

The massive white Stupas of Shigatse monastry
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CLAIRE.

This entry has nothing to do with Brad Pitt other than that he was in the movie 'Seven Years in Tibet' and we were in Tibet for seven days. Also I spent the whole trip looking at Ryan and adamently stating 'I want to climb the Ha-ma-lay-a's' just like Brad Pitt in the movie.

In his current reincarnation he is a teenage boy complete with pimples and that shifty look teenage boys often possess.

Enough of that. Shigatse, second biggest town in Tibet, is actually quite small. We paused briefly to visit the stunning Tashilhunpo Monastry, a monastry created for te Panchen Lama (second in command, think Dr. Spock). The Panchen Lama is all about wisdom and education so pilgrims leave pens in his honour at the temple. In his current reincarnation he is a teenage boy complete with pimples and that shifty look teenage boys often possess. Apparently their has always been rivalry between Shigatse and Lhasa over who should rule and the current Chinese administration is playing on this by supporting the Panchen Lama in the Dalai Lama's exile. However from what I could gather, the Panchen Lama has voiced his support for the Dalai Lama. I wonder if his voice is breaking.

Spinning the prayer wheels
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Other than this, Shigatse has good phone lines if by chance the Brazilian couple you are traveling with forget their phone in a Lhasa hotel and need to do a ring around.