Liberation is overrated.
Just ask the Tibetans. From its vantage point atop the highest plateau in the world, the Buddhist kingdom of Tibet has long captured the imagination of outsiders. For many who actually reach the mountain-wrapped valley, however, the most overwhelming sensation is not so much fascination as disappointment. To the traveler, it may seem that when the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959, packed in his bags was the spirit of the nation. Now it is estimated at 150,000, with Chinese residents apparently outnumbering the locals by a wide margin.