All Aboard For Tibet

In my brief, but wonderful travels in China I have learned two things about the country and its people. One, I don't respect its human rights policies. Two, I respect their ability to get things done like the Three Gorges Dam (although I don't like the damage to the environment; you'd think they would learn from other big engineering feats which have ended up destroying land,property, and lives). The latest feat is the train from Beijing to Tibet. If you have your Atlas handy take it out and look at what a long distance this is and the type of terrain the train crosses. The highest point during the trip is 16,640 feet. It is the world's highest railway having surpassed one in the Andes in South America. At that altitude pens spit ink and packaged foods burst due to low air pressure. The windows protect passengers from the harsh UV rays at that altitude. The whole thing cost $4.2 billion and took four years to build. Tibetans said it was all part of the grand plan by China to crush Tibetan culture. The Dali Lama says it's neither good nor bad; it remains to be seen what the outcome will be. Spoken like a true buddhist. Oxygen masks are available at each seat for those who experience shortness of breath. With my asthmatic lungs, I would be sucking on the oxygen the entire way. The least expensive ticket is $43 one way. Not a bad price. Here are some photos from the Internet.