Visiting Dalai Lama Land.

We arrived in Dalai Lama land around mid-afternoon. The first thing I noticed was the large amounts of white people. Our guide, a fellow American, took us to a nearby Stupa (Buddhist Temple) where the Dalai Lama lives. So, I don't think he lives in the Temple, I think he has a house behind it. WE walked around watching the monks perform some kind of debate technique. They were talking really loudly at one another and clapping their hands. I was told that the clapping was like a mnemonic device to help them remember their arguments. There were lots of pairs of monks practicing together, making the whole scene kind of loud- but very interesting nonetheless. Unfortunately I don't have any more pictures of the temple, but there were prayer wheels that surround the inner room, and amusing signs warning people no to have their shoes stolen- I think the exact quote was "please mind that no one steals your shoes." or something to that effect. Side note : you have to take your shoes off when you go into the inner room, it's not that shoe theives randomly stalk the halls of Stupas world wide, looking for some unsuspecting white person to attack and rip the shoes from their feet.
Before visting Dalai Lama Land, we had lunch a cute little restaurant/bar. The reason I point this out is because the bar stools were in fact western saddles. I guess they were going with a whole "westen" theme. The picture's not great, but you get the point!! Oh and before anyone asks...no I didn't get to visit the Dalai Lama. I think he spends more time in the US than at his actual home!