Me at Ranwu Lake
It’s nice when you leave a message when you have visited my website.
I love to hear if you have visited Tibet or if you’re planning to visit Tibet.
And I hope my website will inspire you to travel to Tibet. Because I can ensure you it will be a life time experience.
If you want information on travelling in Tibet, you also can leave a message here. I will answer / contact you as soon as possible.
Hello, again. My work has approached 330+ pages and I have used the five photos requested of you well, such that yours is the first photo used upon entry to the main shrine room (the woman adding butter to the butter lamp by the entrance) and the last photo of the section on Samye (the group of protectors), and the other three help fill in visual information in the inner Buddha hall and so forth. I have been gifted by Rafael Gomez (micamera.es) his entire catalogue of Tibet images, and the same with Peter Bennion (Himalaya-diaries.co.uk), and the same with Erik Tooner of Sweden, and Richard Mortel (both flickr.com members), as well as over twenty individuals whose one or few images help round out the eight circumambulations I am visually presenting at Samye Gompa. I have cited you among those named here for your generosity in my author’s notes at the end of the work. Again, there is no intention this will be sold, only gifted to those I chose to share it with. I thank you for your generosity and for your great photography. Your images that I have chosen for my work are truly necessary.
Dr. Elizabeth Selandia, OMD, CA
Ellen Ebens,
Dag! I was in Old Tibet in August and was given permission to take several photos in the main shrine rooms at Utse and these, along with the for hire photos taken by my tour guide of the temples on the perimeter and the stupas, (both places where I made yak butter offerings), are being put into a photobook to be gifted–not sold!!–to some high rinpoches I know. I have found a few of your photos useful in telling the story of several visual koras I am demonstrating in my work: the outer temples, the stupas, Utse exterior, the upper two stories (formed by photos from others culled from online with permissions sought, as I am doing here in this request to you), the space the monks use in the shrine room, the narrow passageway around the central buddha hall, and lastly we arrive at the main buddha.
I am requesting use for photo credit only–given the work is not being sold, only gifted–for 1) the (entire) door to Dzogchen Lhakhang, 2) the group of protectors with Tsiu Marpo in the back corner (taken in the protector Lhakhang), 3) the row of statues on far left wall of area monks pray in Utse, 4) the row of Kagyu teachers (with Milarepa), also in Utse shrine room, and 5) the woman lighting the candle in the main shrine room at Utse, five in total. As I am about to leave for a cruise up the Amazon, I am working hard to finalize this work before departure and I, thus, would appreciate your approval as soon as possible.
I should introduce myself: I am the woman who first taught astrology at DeKosmos, back in 1970; my father’s mother’s ancestors were colonizers of New Amsterdam, so I look Dutch and can even speak it a bit, but my time spent in Danmark (1972-77) has ruined any Dutch accent I might have gotten from my 13-months living in Amsterdam on Klein Wittenburgerdwaarstraat, in a condemned building built in the 1600s, now torn down. Well?
Hello Elizabeth,
Nice to hear you visited my website. But I don’t know exactly which monastery you mean by Utse. I also don’t know which photos exactly you mean. What I can say is that it’s not my habbit to give any of my photos in use. Sorry for that.
Greetings, Ellen
Dear Ellen,
Thanks for your reply for my tibet trip planning posted on the trip advisor tibet forum. Your Day 6 of your last trip to tibet in Januay is what I am exactly thinking of. A little bit of minor place for the first timer in tibet, though I am somehow fascinated to the place.
You mentioned that you visited your guide’s village on the way, I wonder if the name of the village is Ghama, the king Songtsan’s birthplace.
I have already researched tour agencies in Lhasa, but I haven’t decided yet which agency we are going to choose. Can I ask you the name of the agency you use? Or your recommendation?
I bookmarked your web page when I was researching Tibet trip. I enjoy your beautiful photos and reports.
NI
Hello Norikura,
I haven’t time just now but I will answer your questions in an email a little later.
Greetings, Ellen
Hallo Ellen,
Met veel bewondering heb ik je kleurrijke reisfoto’s en verhalen over Tibet bekeken. Het is mijn droom om ook eens zoiets te gaan doen, lijkt me geweldig!
N.B. Mogelijk hebben wij samen op school gezeten (Heymans College Groningen, VWO examenklas 1977)??
Met vriendelijke groet,
Tiny (destijds Jantina)
Hallo Tiny,
In de eerste plaats bedankt voor je positieve commentaar op mijn website. En als zo’n reis je droom is, dan kan ik alleen maar zeggen “gewoon doen!”.
Inderdaad zat ik op het Heymans College en heb dat jaar eindexamen gedaan. Jouw naam komt me wel bekend voor maar ik herinner me je zo niet. Maar heel grappig en bijzonder dat we nu via mijn website in contact met elkaar komen.
Groet, Ellen
Geeft niet hoor, we zijn inmiddels ook ruim 40 jaar verder. Veel succes met je Tibet ondernemingen! Groeten, Tiny
Ja Tiny,
40 jaar is een lange tijd. Helaas heb ik geen schoolfoto’s van die tijd.Maar ik vind het wel heel grappig dat we elkaar op deze wijze na 40 jaar tegen komen. Dank je voor je wensen voor mijn Tibet reizen. Ik kijk al uit naar de volgende reis. En ik hoop ook binnen een aantal weken de foto’s van mijn reis afgelopen januari op mijn website te plaatsen.
Groetjes terug,
Ellen
Beste Ellen,
Ik zie dat je helaas geen vragen op je site beantwoord maar enkel via de mail.
Ik ben van plan om naar Tibet te gaan via China en dan China te verlaten via Nepal.
Zou jij mij kunnen uitleggen hoe ik dat het beste kan regelen met een Chinees visum zonder aan te geven dat ik daadwerkelijk Tibet in ga. Ik lees namelijk veel verhalen op internet dat wanneer je dit aangeeft bij de Chinese je waarschijnlijk je visum niet goed keuren.
Ik hoor graag van je,
Dennis
Hallo Dennis,
Ik beantwoord de meeste vragen via de email omdat het antwoord te lang is omdat het op de website te doen. Maar jouw vraag kan ik vrij kort beantwoorden. Nee, je moet inderdaad niet op je visumaanvraagformulier vermelden dat je naar Tibet gaat. Je moet voor je visumaanvraag een reisprogramma in China bedenken. En daar bij passende hotelboekingen en vlucht in en uit China aanleveren. De vlucht uit China zal een probleem voor je zijn, want die heb je niet. En bovendien kun je niet zeggen, dat je China via Tibet verlaat. Nu eindig ik mijn Tibet reis nooit in Nepal. Dus ik heb dit probleem nooit. Maar ik begrijp van andere reizigers op reisfora dat ze een goedkope vliegticket vanuit een stad in het zuiden van China (bijvoorbeeld Kunming) naar een land in Zuidoost Azië (bijvoorbeeld Thailand) boeken en die aanleveren bij hun visumaanvraag. Dat je aan het einde van je reis China niet op die manier verlaat, dat controleert niemand.
Succes met het voorbereiden van je reis,
Ellen
Hello Ellen! Your blog is amazing!
I’m planning to go for Tibet with my partner between Sep 29 and October 6.
We have a low budget and we want to explore some places around Lhasa and go hiking.
Is it possible to visit places in Tibet without a guide?
Do you have ‘must see’ places around Lhasa and where should I sleep along the way?
Thank you very much!
Hello Tarsila,
Firstly, thanks for your praise on my website. Unfortunately I have to tell you you need a guide for every day of your tour in Tibet. And you also need private transport with driver for every day of your tour outside Lhasa. In fact, you need a prearranged tour with a Tibetan travel agency for your whole Tibet trip. Only that way you can get the Tibet permit. Without Tibet permit traveling in Tibet is not possible. You say you are on a low budget. But because of the requirements for traveling in Tibet, traveling in Tibet is expensive. I would advise you to book a group tour with a Tibetan travel agency. That way you can share the costs of the guide and transport with driver with other travellers. You can search for Tibetan travel agencies and the tours they offer on the internet. The travel agent will take care of the hotels or guest houses during the tour.
Good luck with arranging your trip!
Ellen
Hoi Ellen,
Zie net je bericht over mijn blog op Pindat. Ga deze week ‘s avonds even tijd zien te zoeken om je site en foto’s op het gemak te bekijken. Heb overigens eerder in de Himalaya een prachtige reis gemaakt, maar dat is geen online blog. Heb er wel een reisverslag gemaakt (dat behoorlijk uitgebreid is, Delhi, Amritsar, Daramsalah, En dan de Himalaya in). Een van de indrukwekkendste reizen die ik maakte, nog puur Tibetaans boeddhisme in Ladakh, Spiti en Lahaul vallei in uiterste noorden van India, festivalletjes enz.. Heb ook nog een online foto boek, maar kan je deze op deze manier ook niet sturen. Mail me evt. rechtstreeks, dan stuur ik je verslag en fotoboek
Hi Ellen!
Wonderful website! I am currently doing a school project on the Sakya Monastery and I was wondering if it was ok with you if I used some of your pictures from the monastery?
Best regards,
Marius
Hello Marius,
Thank you for the compliment on my website. But the pictures on my website are copy protected, so you can’t download them.
Good luck with your school project!
Ellen
I understand. But would it be possible for you to share them with me in a private email?
Marius
I will sent you an email Marius.
Hi Ellen
I came across your website and have found both your photos and blogs of Eastern Tibet / Khama and Amdo area really interesting and helpful – great photos.
I am currently planning a trip for July 2018 (solo) to Kham area from Chengdu via Danba villages but as I don’t speak Chinese or Tibetan I have been researching Tibetan owned tour agencies based in Chengdu who know the area well with English speaking Tibetan guide and driver but hard to know a reliable trustworthy Tibetan owned agency that has fair prices – as you know travelling on your own with own vehicle in Tibet seems to be expensive compared to travelling with custom local tour guide in other countries. I would be grateful if you could please email me your recommended Tibetan guide / driver agencies based in Chengdu who knows danba / Kham area and any tips for travelling solo in Kham and Amdo. Thanks
Hello Sarah,
I’m happy to read the info and pictures on my website are helping you to plan your trip to Eastern Tibet / Kham. It’s a beautiful and interesting region. But the touristic infrastructure is not very developed and almost nobody speaks English there. Traveling with a guide and having your own transport will make traveling more easy there. And yes, I know it’s expensive there, certainly in comparison to other countries in Asia. I will answer your question in an e-mail.
Good luck with planning your trip!
Ellen
Hi again Ellen
Thanks for reply here . Not sure if you have sent me a direct email reply yet as you said you would?? But if you have can you please resend it as I have not received any email from you, especially with regards to which Tibetan tour agency / guide and driver you recommend for Kham and Amdo area of Tibet. I have researched many but difficult to know which ones to trust and are reliable. I look forward to your direct email. Many thanks Sarah
Hello Sarah,
Yes, I did sent sent you an email immediately. I’m sorry to hear you didn’t receive it. I just sent you an email again. I hope you got this one. If not, maybe you should check your spam box.
Ellen
Hi there,
My partner and I are travelling to Kham Tibetan region this summer (May/June) and I have been using your blog to help with planning. We already know we will be crossing over from Shangrila into the Sichuan area of Kham, but we have been struggling making an plan for the 2 and bit weeks we will have there. I was wondering if you could help.
(My partner is fluent in Chinese if that helps)
The places we like the look of so far are
Yarchen Gar
Palyul Monastery
Yading
Tagong
Litang
We are planning on ending the trip in Chengdu, so what route would you recommend to see as much as possible! We really want to see as much temples/and the religious aspect as possible, but also want to try hiking/horse riding potentially
Thank you so much
Alasdair
Hello Alasdair,
Nice to hear you want to travel with your partner in Kham this summer. It’s beautiful there. So I can recommend it. Traveling there is not that easy because the touristic infrastructure is not very good for foreign travelers. And not many people speak English there. But your partner speaks Chinese, so that will help a lot. I will sent you an email with more information.
Good luck with planning your trip and have a great travel!
Ellen