Bliss in vibrant Lhasa

Cultural shows in the capital of the Tibet autonomous region fill a tourist's evenings with delight while roadside shops serve up some delicious and inexpensive local delicacies. Bidisha Bagchi explores.

Upon landing at Lhasa's Gonggar airport on a full-moon night, we were greeted by our local tour guide with a hada - a white silk scarf that signifies goodwill, purity and good fortune.

It was quite late when we reached our hotel, conveniently located near Barkhor Street, which felt like the hub of activities in the city. I thought I would see a Lhasa that is fast asleep. Well, I was wrong. The entire place was alive with people's chatter, well-lit shops and roadside stalls selling local delicacies.