With less than 50 people on the plane, clearing Bhutan immigration and customs is quick. I don't declare my cigarettes and am not caught. :-)

We are met by our guide Palden. He is young, but very poised and speaks perfect English. (Although English is the official language of Bhutan, you never really know ...). His attire is traditional: a black Gho, knee-high black socks, and black shoes. The Gho is made of pinstripe material with wide white cuffs. Traditional clothing is the norm -- western clothes are not worn while working.

We arrive at our hotel, the Gangety Palace. Quite traditional layout; we are given a large room on the top floor with wonderful views of the Dzong and the town of Paro. Ellery immediately falls asleep in the huge bed.

I meet Palden in the restaurant for coffee and biscuits before we head out for Kyichu Lhakhang temple. Build in the 7th century, it was/is said to pin an ogresses' left foot. The temple is small but filled with interesting buddhas. From there it is back to town, walking down the main street of small shops and restaurants. All the buildings -- houses, shops, hotels -- look the same. As in most rural places, cows and dogs rule the roads.

At dinner in the hotel, Palden tells of his trip tothe US in 2001, spending time with his cousin in Queens, NY, and in Boston, Colorado and, of all places, Cleveland (visiting with a family who had come to Bhutan). I also learn of his attempt to organzie a running trek, his 19-month old daughter, and other interesting tidbits. Ellery eats only rice.

The evening rains come during dinner. I suspect this will be a pattern. Els and I turn in around 8:30. I feel I am back to "me" -- me in an exotic location, feeling and exploring and open to the experience.

Notes: Palden presents us with kigs, which scarves, baskets, and a travel notebook and pen. And a nice touch was a note from Trish, who arranged our trip.

written by  shoshtrvls on August 21, 2006 from Paro, Bhutan
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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Eventually we set off for the National Museum. As a former watchtower, the structure was interesting, as were many of the buddhas inside. The balance of the museum consisted of trongsas (banners) and other artifacts. The stairs in all the buildings are steep, built like the land.

Then it was to the dzong -- much larger up close. There was to be a special ceremony this evening so there were many people and monks about. Ellery and I bought cords knotted by the lama -- hers blue for water, mine red for fire. Monks as young as 7 moved about. The weather was perfect so we walked down the road, across the fortified bridge over Paro Chhu (river), near a chorten where our car and driver Dorji met us.

However, we weren't done with Paro yet because just as we were leaving we passed several men practicing archery, Bhutan's national sport. Even more interesting, they were using tratiional bows and arrows and were shooting arrows very, very far away. Fascinating.

written by  shoshtrvls on August 22, 2006 from Paro, Bhutan
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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The drive from Chhuzom was uneventful -- food stalls along the way.

After checking int othe hotel and having a late lunch, we visited the Textile Museum, which Ellery enjoyed, and the paper-making factory, where Ellery bought a small scroll. The textile weaving, something Bhutan is known for, was very fine. There was a spectacular embroidered square that had taken 2 men one year to make.

Ellery and I then walked the main street of Thimphu. It didn't smell all the great, but that didn't stop Ellery from making friends with many small dogs. We visited a handcrafts store and had dinner at the hotel.

written by  shoshtrvls on August 22, 2006 from Thimphu, Bhutan
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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Our first stop of the day was the National Memorial Chorten, building in memory of the Third King. Four stories tall and amazing statuary in the middle. Many pilgrims were circling the chorten and we spent a fair amount of time here.

(Notes: missing a site/sight -- Dechen Phadrang/neck cords??)

Then it was up to the remains of the zoo, which is now just a sanctuary for the Takin, the national animal, which appears to be a mix of goat and yak. Then we went up to the telecom tower for the view of Thimphu and the many, many prayer flags.

The drive down offered terrific views of the modern dzong and lead us to the Sangay Traditional Arts and Crafts School. We watched students learning a variety of crafts -- Ellery was most taken with the sculpting. Then to shopping and the Folk Heritage Museum -- a replica of a traditional farmhouse.

After lunch, Palden's wife took us shopping for a kira for Ellery, which she loves, and so do I. Then it was time for a small trek.

First we drove to our campsite along the Wang Chhu. Along the way we passed a rock with the largest painting of a buddha I think I've ever seen. Our campsite was just over the river from the road by way of an old covered bridge from the road. After tea, we hiked up a steep trail to the Cheri Goemba (monastery), where advanced monks now study. Imagine being in a Buddhist monastery in the Himalayan Mountains!

Our arrival at the Monastery was enhanced by seeing a barking deer, a mountain goat on the monastery tower and, best of all, several langurs (monkeys). We toured the temple, saw the monks at prayer and had tea, before heading back down.

A hearty river-side dinner capped off the day.

written by  shoshtrvls on August 23, 2006 from Thimphu, Bhutan
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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Then it was a wonderful, albeit muddy, two hour walk back to Thimphu, passing farmhouses, Tibetan villages, a painting school, and farmers bringing their crops (such as potatoes) to market. Although I didn't write much about it, it was fantastic -- beautiful, mystical.

Back in Thimphu I bought myself a half-kira and jacket, and then had dinner a the hotel. I spent much of the evening sitting outside, smoking and talking with the hotel manager -- the type of experiences I relish.

written by  shoshtrvls on August 24, 2006 from Thimphu, Bhutan
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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We passed at least one hillside monastery and many villages and water-driven prayer wheels. The fog was thick for much of the drive, giving the rugged high jungle (and it was jungle) an eerie beauty. We eventually descended into the rice patty valley.

After lunch at our hotel, we continued on to the dzong (the fortress of happiness), a large, imposing structure in the valley. The main courtyard holds a large bodhi tree. The young monks were praying as we passed through on our way to the main temple. Although relatively new, it was spectacular, with 3 enormous buddhas, magnificently painted walls and gold pillars. We also climbed ot the top of the tower and visited two more temples before leaving the dzong.

Our final stop of the day was a short walk through the rice patties and a tiny village to a small temple called Chimi Lhaking, where we received a fertility blessing using an arrow and phallus (not that either Ellery or I are looking to be fertile right now). There was much praying going on inside -- throughout this trip was have chanced on several special prayer days/ceremonies as it appears we are traveling during certain auspicious days.

When we returned to the hotel, we found a group of Thai tourists who were a welcome diversion.

written by  shoshtrvls on August 25, 2006 from Punakha, Bhutan
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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The roadsides were covered with bamboo and eventually we stopped to take a short walk through beautiful fields to a small village. It was wonderful to watch Ellery running on the path through the fields of mustard. Although we were hoping to see some yaks, they were much further up the mountains. In the village, we were treated to a tour of a real farmhouse -- much better than the folk museum.

Continuing by car, past women making and selling bamboo mats pressed by the passing cars and passing many waterfalls, we soon arrived at our lunch stop - a relatively new restaurant in the middle of nowhere.

More driving, until we eventually spotted Trongsa (Tongsa) Dzong hanging on top of a mountain. (At the viewpoint, Ellery lost her camera -- it was bound to happen). Although it seemed that we were close to Trongsa, it was another half an hour or so until we reached the dzong.

Unlike the other dzongs we visited, this one was almost completely empty, giving it a very different feel. We didn't stay there long before heading to our hotel, by far the nicest one to date. We weren't here alone -- a woman from the Netherlands working for the Department of Tourism was waiting for a group of 15 guides that she was going to take on a new trek. We had a very pleasant early evening sitting on the terrace, drinking coffee and talking. Dinner with Palden included a nice wine, and Ellery and Dorji are becoming fast friends.

written by  shoshtrvls on August 26, 2006 from Tongsa, Bhutan
from the travel blog: Bhutan and India (2006)
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