TravelswithDalaiByDanielGlick

isHolinesstheDalaiLamaofTibet,14threincarnationofthe

BuddhaofCompassion,headoftheTibetangovernment‐in‐exile,

spiritualleaderofsixmillionTibetansandreciepientoftheNobel

PeacePrize,stillgetshandledlikediplomaticdynamiteafter36yearsinexile.

ArrivinginAtlantafromFrankfurtinearlySeptembertobeginahigh‐profile,high‐

stakesU.S.politicaltour,theDalaiLama’stinyentouragedeplanesdirectlyontothe

airporttarmacandismetbyadecidedlylow‐profile,low‐keywelcomingcommittee.

U.S.immigrationofficialsdoextendtheDalaiLamaaform‐freeentry.Butsinceany

governmentalpompaccordedtoHisHolinesswouldsendtheChineseleadership

intoafroth,theusualredcarpetreservedforvisitingheadsofstateisconspicuously

absent.Today,evenorchestratingtheofficialTibetanreceptionisproblematic.

RinchenDharlo,theDalaiLama’srepresentativetotheUnitedStates,can’tgetpast

airportsecurityatthegatetogreettheDalaiLama.Dharloandanaideremain

separatedfromHisHolinessbyasecureddoorandapicturewindow,furiously

wavingaceremonialwhitescarftoattracttheDalaiLama’sattention.

H