​This was personally my favorite day of the EFT. It was so nice to be outdoors and the beauty of the lake was breathtaking! I also enjoyed being able to hold a baby goat, hang out with Tibetan mastiffs, and sitting on a yak all in the same day. The locals charge anywhere from 10-20RMB to take photos with the animals but it was worth it. Lake Day was the perfect way to end our journey to Tibet.

The students visited an art school after our visit to the Potala Palace.  Underprivileged students from the local villages attend the school to learn a trade like painting, making Buddha statues out of metal like copper, and wood carving. The school also gave our students the opportunity to practice their trades.

MONKS DEBATING: Every afternoon the Tibetan monks debate in the courtyard. We were privileged to witness it.

ST. REGIS  HOTEL IN LHASA

We stayed at the St. Regis in Lhasa, and our lodging wasn't too shabby! The hotel was kind to greet us with a traditional Tibetan dance and delicious tea, and presented each person with a khata.

Our train ride from Xining to Tibet took 21 hours. We slept in "hard sleeper" cars which had 6 beds to a room. The quarters were tight but manageable. Students passed the time playing games, chatting, sleeping, and reading. I am grateful that no one became very ill from the high altitude. We had been praying that this would be so for weeks! The highest pass during the train ride was over 16,000 feet. We saw some beautiful scenery along the way as well.

The zoo was affordable (20RMB for the students and 40RMB for each for me and Richard), and it is located only one metro transfer away from our main line 2 from the Jia. I expected the worst as the reviews online of the zoo were not favorable. The most difficult part of the day to watch was when Chinese locals just threw food at the animals -- crackers, bread, juice pouches. This really disturbed me. But the pandas, especially the red one, were highlights!

For our first long travel break, Richard and I headed to Hong Kong. We spent the first part of our trip at Hong Kong Disney. Then we spent one night on the Kowloon side of the city, and the last two nights in the Central part of the city. A wonderful time!