Thimphu, Bhutan
The flight from Delhi to Paro, Bhutan was about 2 hours.
On the way we saw Mt Everest from the window.
The landing strip in Paro was tucked between 2 mountains and the pilot had to aggressively fly in order to position the plane for landing.
The scenery below could be mistaken for Switzerland.
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| From the plane |
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| Valley’s between mountains |
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| It looks a lot like Switzerland, with farms going up the hillsides |
Bhutan is a Himalayan country squeezed between China (Tibet) and India. Bhutan has great relations with India and there is an Indian army presence here. Bhutan is worried about incursions by the Chinese into their mountain lands. There are officially 700,000 people in Tibet but this does not count Indian laborers and the Nepalese who have lived in certain of the southern areas for decades but are not recognized by the Bhutanese government. We learn later that Bhutan will not recognize these people or issue them passports unless they can prove Bhutanese ancestors according to official records.
We are met by our guide and driver from the Amankora Lodge.
We will be staying and Aman lodges throughout Bhutan.
You must have a guide with you at all times in Bhutan.
The government also requires you to spend at least US$250 per person per day.
Bhutan has decided to cater to more affluent travelers much as Botswana has done.
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| Barb arrives at airport |
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| Scott meets our guide. His name is Tashi, and they all must wear their native costume |
We drove an hour to Thimphu, which is the largest city in Bhutan. To our delight we learn from our guide that the biggest religious festival of the year is going on today and tomorrow. It happens once per year for 3 days beginning the 10th day of the 8 lunar month of the Bhutanese calendar.
By the river there are 2 Stupa temples built.
The temple on the left is in the Nepalese style.
The middle is in the Tibetan style and the far right temple is in the Bhutanese style.
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| Nepalese, Tibeten, and Bhutanese Stupas |
On the way to the lodge we visit a Stupa temple that is built in the Tibetan style.
Our guide tells us that many of the temples are built in the Tibetan style as a result of the visit by a great Tibetan monk in the 16
th century.
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| Memory Stupa |
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| Barb at Memory Stupa |
We walk clockwise around the Stupa and give thanks for our blessings and hope for good karma.
We spin the prayer wheels in a clockwise motion in order to send prayers to heaven.
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| Prayer Wheels: Always remember to spin them in a clockwise direction |
Our lodge is at 8560 feet and we are feeling the altitude when we walk up stairs.
Sleeping that night was also a little rough.
We have become accustomed to living the last 6 weeks at or near sea level and we just jumped up about 7000 feet.
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| Amankora rooms |
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| Our Bathroom |
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| Our Bedroom |
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| Lodge grounds |
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| Sitting area |
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| Nestled high on the mountain through the woods |
After breakfast we go to the Tshechu Festival which is held at the Tashichho Dzong. Dzong means fortress.
The fortress is divided into buildings meant for the King and the buildings meant for the monks and for religious purposes.
The home for the monks is the divider between the buildings for the two purposes.
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| Building on right is used by the Monks |
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| Inside the fortress where Monks live |
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| Scott at entrance |
The Parliament building is nearby. There are 47 members of Parliament. The King is 38. His father, the prior King, passed on the duties just recently when he was 58. He was King from age 16 until 58. The King has influence but no real power similar to the arrangement in England for the royal family.
Bhutan separates religious matters and matters of state but the state dictates that the people must wear the traditional dress of ancient Bhutan everyday except for Sunday. The men wear a Gho dress and the women wear a Kira dress. I don’t sense that anyone has a problem wearing the traditional dress. All the people are friendly and children are curious and will speak a few English words. English is required study in school. School is compulsory.
At festival time the families come and spend all day wearing their finest Gho and Kira. Some of these dresses can cost US$1000. Average wage for teachers is US$450 per month. Policeman make US$200 per month but have housing benefit. Health care is provided but our guide makes clear that there are no specialists for cancer or other special health problems and those that can afford go to India for health care from private hospitals there.
The festival is bright and colorful.
Even watching the locals watch the festival is very interesting.
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| Cute girl-Love the purse! |
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| All of the monks come to watch and perform |
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| Lots of families |
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| Cute kid in traditional Gho |
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| Very Colorful |
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| Painting on the Dzong |
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| Frescos going into the Monastery |
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| Love the bright colors |
Dancers perform and musicians play drums and cymbals.
Scary masks are worn but represent friendly Gods that protect the people from evil spirits.
There is a tiger dance and a stag dance and a black hat dance and a 2 hour dance.
There is a dance where wild drummers use their drum sticks to touch the heads of the audience to bring them good karma.
The families bring their lunch and stay all day.
Video at the festival
One dance and procession leads the 5
threincarnation of the Guru Rimpoche into the square and up the stairs next to us in front of the tent with all of the monks.
He is placed in a chair and the people begin lining up to be blessed by him.
They give him offerings of flowers and money and he blesses them with a blue string that they wear around their necks and he gives them some nuts or seeds to eat.
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| Procession |
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| 5th Reincarnation of Guru Rinpoche |
In the afternoon we went for a hike to a 17thcentury temple high on the mountainside above Timphu. We drive up to the beginning of the hike and it is a fairly flat walk of about 3 kilometers but we are sucking air at 9000 feet and the uphill portions of the hike practically bring us to our knees. Hopefully we will acclimate soon.
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| Prayer flags everywhere and when wind blows the prayer is sent |
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| Every hike you go on in the mountains leads you to a temple or monastery |
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| Monastery with prayer wheel at the end of our hike |
Far below we can see the Tashichhodzong courtyard where the festival is still going on. The festival lasts from about 9 am to 5 pm. We can hear some of the sounds of the drumbeats and cymbals.
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| The festival still going on |
You must cover your shoulders and legs and must remove your shoes before entering a temple. No shorts are allowed and you might need a collared shirt to get into some of the temples. You are not allowed to take photos inside of temples. We follow Tashi and spin the prayer wheels as we enter the temple. Once inside we try to follow Tashi’s lead and we show respect by using hands clasped in front in prayer position and follow Tashi as he touches his hands multiple points on chest and head and then kneels and touches his forehead to the ground. The statue of the Buddha in front of us must be 15 feet tall and covered in gold. We follow Tashi’s lead and make small cash offer and the monk pours holy water into our hands. Tashi sips the holy water from his hands (we don’t) and sprinkles the rest over his head.
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| The temple at the end of our hike |
A blessing was given to us by the lama as we departed the Amankora Lodge at Thimphu to drive to our next lodge at Gangtey.
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A prayer was said by the Lama, then he blessed us with holy water, and then put a yellow string around our neck.
The roads in Bhutan or so narrow and dangerous that we needed the blessing! |
Habitual Travelers 
