We had wanted to travel to Tibet very, very badly. By the time we arrived in China we realized that it would be very difficult to do, if even possible. Merely having a Chinese visa is not enough to go to Tibet, there is an additional process which is largely political. Instead, we chose to explore the regions surrounding Tibet which are still ethnically Tibetan even if they are not located in Tibet proper.
It was when we took a hike around the Labrang Monastery that we took this picture. The clouds seemed to open up just right to allow a rather interesting bit of sunlight onto this gold roof.
IF YOU GO: The Labrang Monastery quite a significant location for Tibetans and you will be able to get an authentically Tibetan experience. The lands around Tibet are best accessed through Chengdu or Lanzhou. These two cities have a large array of train, bus and air connections and from here you can find transport into the foothills of the Himalaya.
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lovely photo! I too have heard how hard it is to get into Tibet.