** He advised me,"Do not visit monastery", but... ** (Amdo Ngaba, 1992) In Ngaba, which has not yet opened to foreigner, a Tibetan policeman told me, "Do not visit monastery. Do not take photo." But, the town was too attractive to miss. I popped out from the hotel I was told to stay and sneaked to walk around. Well, Sorry about that. :)

A temple in Ser monostery. Ngaba town has Kirti monastery, a big monastery with the famous bigchorten. But I also love Ser monastery in barley fields. When I visited Kirti monastery neglecting the police caution, many local Tibetans gathered in front of the gate to greet a high lama from another monastery. I found the policeman who had captured me among the people gathered then. I sneaked away in order to avoid further possible troubles. This was way I visited Ser monastery at the outskirts of town.

Monk kids of Ser monastery. Ser monastery belongs to the Jonang sect, a minor traditon of Tibetan Buddhism. On a hill nearby stands Nangshi monastery, one of the biggest Bon monastery in Tibet.

Wherever I went, all the monasteries were under reconstruction. So was Ser monostery. Wall paintings were almost completed. Sexy Yabyum images were dancing and dancing on every wall of the monastery, while most of the monks were infant.

Guess that it has completed by now, decorated with lovely Tibetan colours.

Long Mani-wheel corridors surrounding the monastery. Turning all the wheels is pretty hard excerse.