This morning, we hiked up to a good vantage point for seeing the sights of Thimphu. Prayer flags were flying everywhere, and you guessed it . . . Cows were roaming everywhere. If we haven't stressed this point, let me do it now. Cows are sacred. It is a sin to kill a cow. Cows are not fenced in, only Yaks. There are no McDonalds!!!!! One would think that cows would be the national animal, but no. The national animal of Bhutan is the Takin. Don't feel bad if you've never heard of it. It is rare, only found in Bhutan, and is the strangest beast you will ever see. We hiked up to a nature preserve where a very small herd lives protected. Another small group lives in the wilds in the central part of the country. There was a new calf, so that's a good sign. A takin looks like a mix of a cow, moose and goat and is a very clumsy-looking animal. See photos
A free afternoon gave us an opportunity to walk around the town. We bought a few things, mostly books. At a small bookstore, we met the wife of the photographer Punap Ugyen Wangchuk whose wonderful photographs make up "Bhutan, Portraits and Landscapes." This country, the last of the Himalayan kingdoms to be explored, is a photographer's paradise. The central and eastern part is virtually untouched, and the faces of the people are irresistible if you have a camera in your hands. They are beautiful, open and pure. The experience of being here, even for a short time, is an unforgettable experience.
