Off the beautiful, beaten track(2)

Colored prayer flags are attached to cliffs facing Yamdrok Co, one of the largest freshwater lakes in Tibet.

The wind was fierce and bitterly cold but the view from a height of more than 4,700 meters was simply breathtaking. The magnificently turquoise blue lake lies between grand mountains. The water looked dazzled in the bright morning sun.

There were yaks and Tibetan mastiffs tied to a few poles along the walls. The owners charged money if anyone wanted to take a picture.

We drove down closer to the lake, at an altitude of 4,677 meters. A huge stone had the height painted on it - you need to pay 5 yuan (80 cents) to take a photograph. The turquoise water was simply stunning and the ambience, gorgeous.

We were lucky to get a sunny day. A bright sun changed the scenic beauty to a great extent.

The next day was scheduled for a tour of Lhasa city and we took a break from nature's beauty to take a look at man-made architecture.

After a day of city sight-seeing, we returned to nature to experience another wonder of Tibet - the Nam Co (Lake) in the Nyainqentanglha Mountain range. It was a drive of about 4 hours from Lhasa but was well worth it.

At first we reached a point at 5,109 meters above sea level from where there was just a view of the lake. I was a little sad, as I had expected a gorgeous view like that of Yamdrok Co.

Our drive continued and we finally reached the beach from where we could walk down till the water became partly frozen. We stood awestruck at our first sight of the lake.

Honestly, if someone had told me that it was an illusion and that I was just viewing a painting, I would have believed the person.

There are quite a few superlatives attached to Nam Co, which means "heavenly". The holy lake is the highest-altitude saltwater lake in the world.