Travel nominee

The Sho Dun Festival, also known as the Yogurt Festival, is one of the largest annual festivals in Lhasa, Tibet. On the first day of the festival, The Buddha Thangka will be unfolding at the Drepung Monastery. At dawn, a lot of monks of Drepung Monastery spread out the giant Thangka of Buddha and when the early morning sun shines on the Thangka. Monks begin reading the scripture and pray; disciples present Khada to the Thangka and touch it by forehead to show their devotion. During this festival, Tibetan opera troupes annually gather in the Norbulingka and perform various Tibetan operas.

Born in Beijing and spent her childhood and teen years in various places including Tibet, Szechuan and Yunan, Xiao “Freya” Gu is a volunteer, traveler and photographer currently based in New York. Early experience of diverse cultures and exposure to different communities unleashed her fascination for human and nature. She is passionate about observing and connecting the world through travelling and volunteering. She has traveled to all 7 continents and has been a dedicated volunteer since she was 15. She takes her lenses to capture precious moments, when she sees true beauty and dignity in human as well as the wilderness in nature.