Lhasa...the "place of Gods"... Too different from the magic town described by ancient travellers, Lhasa deceived me a lot the first time I entered into the city through a wide avenue among dreary buildings in modern Chinese style. Fortunately the small old part of the town and some religious centers in the outskirts retain their Tibetan character and there you can see the ancient culture still living.
I was fascinated by walking in the small streets of the old town, going along the prayer circuits around monasteries with pilgrims and monks, penetrating into the coloured darkness of the temples, in the silent shrines where also the most determined atheist, such as me, is overwhelmed by the presence of supernatural entities...

In the small villages far from the major routes, on the slopes of majestic mountains, where the "modernization" imposed by the Chinese government is less visible, you can still see the traditional Tibetan life.
These pictures have been taken in the valley of Yangpachen, a village about one hundred kilometers north of Lhasa, at the foot of the Nyenchen Tangla, a mountain range reaching more then 7000 meters of altitude.

• Dron-me - An association of tibetan nomads aimed to foster the tibetan culture, educate children, train medical technicians
• Orient@menti - Progetto Lamayuru - A project to support a school in Laddak