Bhutan Cultural Visit

Tiger's Nest

mountaingirl0602 — Mon, 1 Apr 2013 23:18:00 GMT

Today was the icing on the cake, the climax. We hiked up to the Tiger's Nest (Takshang). Perched on a cliff 2000 feet above the valley, it is the most spiritual of all places in Bhutan. A devout Buddhist will try to make at least one pilgrimage to this shrine in their lifetime. It is the most photographed monestary, and justly so. It is tied to the cliff with little more than the hairs of angels. Legend says that Guru Rinpoche flew to this site on the back of a tigress to subdue a local demon; afterwards, he meditated here for three months. It is a strenuous hike but the scenery is magnificent. There was a cafeteria halfway up that serves tea and cookies on the way up, a buffet lunch on the return trip down. All food is prepared on a fire, no cookstoves up here! The last bit of the climb is steps...I heard 700 of them! But who's counting? There is a waterfall along the way, too. Anyway, once we got to the top, guards keep your packs and cameras to insure no photos are taken, and no relics are stolen. All I can say is WOW! This is something that everyone should experience if they are healthy enough to do so. The hike was worth every step. And for those who cannot make it on their own power, there are horses available. I did not see anyone riding the horses, though. Most were being used to carry supplies up. We saw some monks carrying huge bags of rice and food. They said they will be meditating for Buddha only knows how long...3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months, 3 years? Their meditation and isolation must be in 3s.
There were a few folks that didn't make it. We saw one lady being carried down. Perhaps she injured her foot...easy to do. My guide offered to carry my pack after about a 3rd of the way up. Thank You Sherab!
So I did it! I fullfilled this dream. I am one very lucky gal. Sherab says I have good Karma :-)

Back to Paro

mountaingirl0602 — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 22:53:00 GMT

We left Wandue this morning heading back to Paro. This time Dochula pass was sunny and clear so I was able to see the 108 stupas at the top. This pass reflects Bhutan's artistic and spiritual traditions. It is quite beautiful. Prayer flags hang everywhere, fluttering in the wind. The temple at the top was built within the last 10 years, commissioned by the queen mother. It is the first temple I have seen with crystal chandeliers. There are beautiful paintings telling the story of the war that the 4th king led, and the stability that was brought to the nation.

We stopped in Thimpu to check out the weekend market. I have never seen so many fresh vegetables all in one place. And I recognized most of them! All the farmers bring their products here to buy and trade. Sherab picked out a bunch of bananas and some mandarins. Yum! Way better than what you get in the supermarket.

I enjoyed at hot stone bath offered in one of the farm houses. Tea was served first, as always. They heat stones in a fire and place them in the front of large wooden tubs that look like cattle troughs filled with water. It is very rustic but oh so nice! A good way to loosen me up for the trek up to the Tiger's Nest tomorrow.

My trip is nearing it's end. Tomorrow is my last full day. The icing on the cake should be the trek tomorrow to the Tiger's Nest. It is a picturesque monestary perched high on a cliff at 10,000 ft. in elevation. It takes about 4 hours round trip to hike. What a wonderful way to end my visit!

"Chillup"

mountaingirl0602 — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 22:31:00 GMT

Second day:
My morning trip to the bathroom was interesting. No plumbing, just a room on the same level (second floor), with a squat toilet and a pipe draining somewhere to the outside. You flush by scooping up some water from the bucket. Hey, but I was lucky I didn't have to go outside. I probably would have been trampled by cows! Ama made us the most amazing breakfast. We had omlets, and red rice with seasonings that included spring onion, cilantro and chilis. It was delicious! Through my interpreter, I told Ama what a great cook she was and how much I enjoyed the visit. Through cow pastures and a monestary, we headed back to the car..
The drive into the Bumthang region had us sharing the road with cows, horses, yaks, farmers, and local villagers. We even encountered a group of monkeys hanging out along the roadside looking for handouts. We didn't give them any. Along this drive, and once into town, I noticed people staring at me. They still consider tourists an oddity, and while walking around the town of Jakar, I was pretty much the only foreigner around. I often heard them say, "chillup" to each other as I passed by, which means tourist. The young school children would run up to me and say "hello", smile and practice English by asking questions. They are adorable, dressed in their school uniforms, happily trekking to and from school. Jakar is the cultural heart of the country, where things haven't changed much. Yes, it has an airport now for domestic flights twice a day, but as I walked the 1 kilometer from town to my hotel, I walked with just as many cattle as people. My hotel room is very nice, only a few years old. It is large with huge traditional style windows, pine paneling, and the traditional colorful carvings. And when I looked out my window, there was a cow munching, about a foot away! Just about everything is next to a farm.
There are many old monestaries here. We visited about five of them. In one, I got a lovely photo of young monks outside the temple, horsing around. Boys will be boys! In another, the monks were doing an offering ceremony. There were large vats of rice, and huge homemade cookies in the temple while the monks were chanting. To hear the monks chanting is a moving experience. I asked where the food goes after the offering. They share it with the community.
There were 2 farmhouse visits today. One was for lunch, where we were served local fare including ara (hootch). The other was the home where my guide grew up. His sister lives there with her family. I was very honored to be invited over for tea. We sat on the floor in the kitchen next to the bukhari (metal wood stove used for heating and cooking). Sherab, my guide, interpreted since his sister doesn't speak English. She has cattle, as do most of the villagers. It's a simple life. I have been so priveledged to witness this culture.
Tomorrow we have a 7 hour drive back towards Thimphu. Three cheers for my driver! It takes a lot of patience and skill to maneuver these roads. I expect more stares as this 'chillup' heads back.

Farmhouse stay

mountaingirl0602 — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 22:26:00 GMT

The last few days I have been in the interior of the country with no WiFi.

First day:
Stayed at a farmhouse in the Phobjikha valley. This region is known for the winter nesting grounds of the revered black neck crane. They were all gone by the time I arrived. It is a wider valley where farmers do not need to terrace crops on the mountainside. My guide and I hiked through the forest into the valley 4 kilometers to the farmhouse. A young couple with their 7 year old daughter and grandmother live there. The home is dark, you climb steep rustic stairs (more like a ladder) to get to the main living area. Every kitchen has a bukhari wood stove to cook on. Grandmother (Ama) did the cooking and entertained us while the young couple did their chores. Ama is a character! A very congenial woman, she also enjoys her betel nut chew. Betel nut is found in the southern part of Bhutan, and chewing it with lime is an addiction. Many lips and teeth look like they are bleeding as the betelnut juices stain everything red. The little girl was a bit shy of me at first but warmed up when I gave her some finger puppets. We happily played little games and became friends. She sang me a lovely song of which I took a video. Dinner was delicious. Ama also served emadatse, which was very spicy but I took a little bit. I had my first taste of buttertea and of the local moonshine, called ara. It was served in tea bowls. The ara was quite good so I had seconds. Will I have a headache in the morning?
My bedroom was the shrine room. Every Bhutanese home has one. It is the most important part of the house. It is very colorful with an ornately carved altar, altar flags, pictures of the king, and offerings. I am considered a very special guest to be allowed to sleep here. My bed is a cushion on the floor with a pile of blankets on top. There is no heat, and the walls are not insulated. I sleep well...Buddha is watching over me :)

Thimphu to Punakha

mountaingirl0602 — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 21:11:00 GMT

Today we had an incredible 3 hour drive over Dochula Pass heading into the interior of the country. The top of the pass was shrouded in fog so unfortunately I was unable to see the Himalayas. It was early morming so hopefully, on the way back through in a few days, I will see them. The fog brought an ethereal feeling to the pass. The climate changes to sub tropical in the valleys east of the pass. Rhodedendrums are blooming. How the farmers use up every available bit of land by terracing and irrigating their crops on steep mountainsides seems impossible, but they do it, and do it by hand. We walked through some of the lowland crop areas en route to the dzong of The Divine Madman. There is a story everywhere you go here, and The Divine Madman is the reason for all the phallus paintings on homes. They symbolize fertility and ward off evil spirits.

An odd thing I saw here was farmers traveling down the road driving roto-tillers! They use them to pull a small wagon. And there are farmers moving their cattle along the road. We often have to stop and wait for them to move.

But the highlight was the Punakha Dzong. This fortress/monestary sits at the juncture of two rivers, one river considered male, the other female. I had seen many photos but the sight truly took my breath away. Inside are beautiful paintings describing the life of Buddha, and ornate decoration everywhere. One can hear the monks chanting. You feeling like you have stepped back in time 500 years.

I will go back to my room and check on my laundry hanging on a line I strung across my porch. It's a slower pace here. I'm so fortunate to be part of it.

Paro to Thimphu

mountaingirl0602 — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 01:18:00 GMT

Headed out this morning to the capital of Bhutan, Thimphu City. Lovely drive through valleys with cattle, dogs, and villagers occaionally along side the road. Visited a monestary that you have to cross an ancient iron footbridge over the river to get to. A little sketchy, but doable. Once in Thimphu, we visited the school of the 13 arts. The students were in class working in sculpture, painting, wood carving, weaving, just to name a few. Went to a paper making 'factory'. They collect the bark from a particular plant, soak, boil, pulp it, squeeze, and add things like real flower petals. All of this is done by hand, producing a beautiful product. Saw the national animal, the Takin, at a preserve. Quite an odd looking creature. It is said to be the combination of the head of a goat with the body of a cow. Later on, after all of the administrative people were getting ready to leave for the day, we lined up the get into the huge dzong that the king has his office in. We were fortunate enough to see His Majesty in person as he walked out the building in his way to his home across the bridge. He waved and said, "have a nice day". Photos are prohibited otherwise I would have taken one.

One thing that amazed me in this city is the scaffolding for the large buildings being built. Can you say...bamboo? The scaffolding is made from lashing bamboo together. It looks so rickity! But apparently it works!

I got a lot of souvenir shopping done here. Best selection of Local crafts. Tomorrow we are off to Punakkha.

Paro Tshechu

mountaingirl0602 — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:14:00 GMT

Spent most of the day at this religious festival. Villagers come from all around for this annual event. Whole families come wearing their very best clothes and jewelry. The women's native dress is a kira, which is hand woven fabric wrapped around the body to form a dress. Many of the women wear silk kiras which may have taken over a year to make and would be worth thousands of dollars. The festival is a riot of color. It is almost overwhelming to the senses. The dances act out stories about the Buddha, and other important cultural events in their history. it is believed that by watching these dances, one will be purified. Many elderly folks could be seen with their prayer beads and twirling prayer wheels in their hands. Monks participate in the dances and can be seen from the very young to the very old.

The clowns are a hoot. They wear read masks that look somewhat like a devil smiling. And they wear a penis on their head! (more on that at a later time) Brings a whole new meaning to being a dick-head. They keep the crowd entertained with their antics kind of like a sports mascot. Chasing the many roaming dogs off the performing area is one of their specialties!

Tomorrow we move on to the capital of Bhutan, Thimphu.

First full day...WOW!

mountaingirl0602 — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 22:15:00 GMT

I had seen photos and thought, "gee, it has similar terrain as Colorado, shouldn't be that different". Well, there are people here, and vehicles, and mountains. But that's were the similarities end. They drive on the other side of the road, and Good God! it's not for the faint of heart. Very narrow roads of which cars come within inches of one another while passing. One dirt road up to an ancient monestary passes by farms nestled along the steep hillside. This road was for 4 wheel drive. Not many tourists go up to this monestary so I had the honor of actually entering inside. Amazing!

How they build roads here is very primative. Laborers come up from India and hand build the roads. That means the only heavy equipment used was a roller used after

all the rocks and boulders are broken down with pick axes. Very hard labor...like chain gangs without the chains.

Paro is a small city with the airport. So much of it is undeveloped. That is a good thing, I guess. A visitor can see how the people live. Very poor by American standards. Much of the land is used for agriculture. Winter wheat, then rice paddies during summer monsoon season. But there is a peacefulness to it. The flapping of prayer flags in the wind, the chatter of the townsfolk, the serenity of their deep faith. I feel like I have experienced more in just one day, than a whole lifetime. This is unlike any place I have ever been. I can only imagine what it will be like when we explore outside of the city.

it's been a long day. Dinner soon, then will relax and go to bed. Maybe I will wake up tomorrow and find this was just a dream.

First impressions of Thailand

mountaingirl0602 — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:18:00 GMT

Got some good sleep. There is no restaurant in this hotel so I asked where to go to get something to eat. They pointed to the open market up the road. OMG, I'm going to starve! It was interesting to walk around, and they did have areas with tables and there were vendors cooking, but I had no idea what they were preparing! I understand how many Bahts to a dollar but I couldn't deciphyer any of the signs, and no one spoke English. Some very interesting fruit. I identified a mango, some apples, and a banana so I decided that would have to do. Took them back to my room, washed them with bottled water and soap, and had for lunch. I usually never eat the chips and pop that came with my room, but they started to look really good to me...something I recognized. I'll get by until my flight to Bhutan tomorrow morning. Then, more strange food, but at least I'll have my guide to explain things to me.

There is a little park-like sitting area outside the hotel. Orchids grow everywhere! Yes, it is hot and humid, but that allows all the greenery. Got to take the good with the bad. So the change in climate here is great for getting Spring fever. It will be another couple months before much of anything starts growing in Evergreen.

The flight in to Bhutan should be magnificent. If I'm lucky, I might get a glimpse of Mt. Everest. Can't wait for tomorrow!!!!!

In Transit

mountaingirl0602 — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:05:00 GMT

Finally finished off the hardest part of this trip, the 26 hrs of flying. Ugh! No pain, no gain. Just checked into my hotel in Bangkok near the airport to get some R & R. Have to get back to the airport at 2:30 am Wednesday to catch the Drukair flight to Bhutan. I didn't see much of Tokyo, the lady by the window kept the shade closed on the plane. :(

So I should be all refreshed to begin the Bhutan adventure. I will post again soon!

Countdown to Bhutan

mountaingirl0602 — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 08:00:00 GMT

Leaving Denver, CO March 20, 2013. Will arrive in Bhutan via Tokyo and Bangkok on March 23.

This has been a very long time coming. I have been intrigued by this beautiful little country tucked away in the Himalayas between China and India for over 10 years. The more I read about it, the more I wished to visit. The idea of being in a country that values GNH ( gross national happiness) more than GNP, is refreshing indeed. Bhutan is a Buddhist Kingdom, ruled by a much beloved young ruler who has the very tricky task of balancing maintaining their very rich culture while introducing his people to technology and the outside world.

I'm ready to go!