We went window and carpet shopping in the hotel and had a nice Italian dinner before turning in.

written by  shoshtrvls on September 2, 2006 from New Delhi, India
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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Perhaps because it wasn't tainted by the horrendous drive through New Delhi, I appreciated the drive back at least a bit more. We were almost caught in a sit-in strike in Agra before passing by the semi-nomadic Indians in Utter Pradesh. The stick and mud huts, flocks of sheep at times blocking the road, camels pulling huge, huge loads, women with urns and piles of grain on their heads, and even the passing elephant all looked more pastoral. We asked the driver to stop in Murthra, but he didn't -- he pretended not to understand but I think he just wanted to get home.

written by  shoshtrvls on September 2, 2006 from Agra, India
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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Even once out of Delhi, things were wretched the entire drive, something I don't recall from my last visit. The stalls, stands, and waste along the roadside was overwhelming, while trucks, cars, bikes, horses, motor rickshaws and even camels vied for space. Cows, bulls, oxen, water Buffalo, sheep and goats lined the road.

Five hours later we arrived at our first stop, Akbar's tomb at Sikandra. where Ellery was far more interested in feeding the monkeys than looking at the architecture. We next stopped at the Agra Fort, which was a disappointment as it had fallen into disrepair since my last visit and was full of etched graffiti.

We got our first glimpse of the Taj Mahal before checking into our hotel and taking a long hot bath before falling asleep.

written by  shoshtrvls on September 1, 2006 from Agra, India
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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The monastery was more fascinating from the outside then for the inside since much of it has been recently rebuilt. But the views were fabulous and in keeping with our luck, we were invited to tea with the lama and watched buttercakes being made.

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at the ruins of an old dzong, drukyel. We did some shopping and had a final night's dinner at a new restaurant called red rice, with Dorji carrying a sleeping Ellery up the steps to our room.

written by  shoshtrvls on August 31, 2006 from Paro, Bhutan
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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This time we did stop at Wanghi Dzong and were glad we did. We caught the monks practicing their traditional dance for an upcoming festival and saw a relic of the buddha of power.

written by  shoshtrvls on August 30, 2006 from Wangdiphodrang, Bhutan
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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The evening finished fabulously, with a delightful dinner at Palden's home, with Ellery and I both dressed in our Bhutanese finery.

written by  shoshtrvls on August 30, 2006 from Thimphu, Bhutan
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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Eventually we arrived at the Phobjikha Valley and Gangtey Goemba, a very old monastery undergoing renovation. This offered us an amazing opportunity to see all the handiwork that goes into such an effort -- the woodworking, metal craft, etc. We also saw some women practicing a traditional dance and, best of all, an ancient ceremony in the goemba. Again, no photos allowed, and words can't accurately describe the sight of the elderly women lining the walls in the darkened temple, chanting and spinning their prayer wheels, while the monks banged the drums, clapped the cymbals and blew their long trumpets. (I did get audio through my video camera). The ceremony ended with with throwing of rice by all participants and a cacophony of sound.

We then made it to our hotel and after a short rest relaxed in a hot stone bath, a unique experience in which stones are heated in a fire and placed into a small section of a wooden bathtub, which then heats the water in the larger section of the tub. Movement of any kind brings more hot water into the main section. Overall, it was a very relaxing way to end the day.

written by  shoshtrvls on August 29, 2006 from Gangtey Gonpa, Bhutan
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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