Just Back From: Bhutan

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Elisabeth Levy, Santa Rosa

Bhutanese guide Palden with Elisabeth Levy in front of the Punakha Dzong.

Photo: Courtesy of Elisabeth Levy

I went because: I saw a postcard showing Tigernest Monastery high up on a cliff and heard Bhutan was the last Shangri-La.

Don't miss: A festival, and be sure to read as much as possible before you go.

Don't bother: Don't worry, you will have a guide and a driver, no matter if you are by yourself or in a group. Everything you see is interesting and unusual.

Coolest souvenir: A coin and a drawing I received as a present from Anjali, a 10-year-old Bhutanese girl.

Worth a splurge: Anything handmade by the Bhutanese.

I wish I'd packed: More cash. A few stores accept Visa, but it is very complicated.

Other comments: Bhutan is a small country in the Himalayas with a colorful history. A wonderful experience.

Read more: sfgate.com

School girls

Cute school girls in school uniform (at least the girls on sides:)

Vegetables

Vegetables at a local vegetable market.

In the picture, tomatoes, chilies, brinjals/eggplants, radish, potatoes.

Taktshang, Tigers Nest, Paro Valley, Bhutan

Taktshang Goemba, Tigers Nest,Paro Valley, Bhutan
Originally uploaded by photosadhu

Paro Taktsang (spa phro stag tshang) / (spa gro stag tshang) is one of the most famous monasteries in Bhutan. It was built around the Taktsang Senge Samdup (stag tshang seng ge bsam grub) cave where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated in the 8th Century.

Today it is the most well known of thirteen taktsang or "tiger lair" caves he meditated in at different places in Tibet and Bhutan.
Completed in 1692, the temple hangs on a cliff at 3,120 metres (10,200 feet), some 700 meters (2,300 feet) above the bottom of Paro valley, some 10 km from the district town of Paro.

Famous visitors include Milarepa, Machig Labdrön, Thang Tong Gyalpo, and in the 17th century Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.
The name Taktsang (stag tshang) means "Tiger's lair", the legend being that Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) flew there on the back of a tiger.

The monastery includes seven temples which can all be visited.

Visitors ascend the slope to the monastery on foot or on mule-back.

Thimphu, Capital of Bhutan

Thimphu, capital of Bhutan. Isn't it a beautiful city?

Uploaded by drmvpotdar

Beautiful Bhutan - Buddhist festivals

One of the main attractions for people travelling to Bhutan is the Buddhist festivals and there are plenty of them.

Bhutan is a destination reserved for priviledged travellers. Maybe it is because of this that Bhutan is ranked consistently as world's top travel destination.

Slow is Beautiful

Well, what is really beautiful about Bhutan?

As I said, besides almost virgin ecosystem and some Buddhist festivals, there is nothing much happening in Bhutan. Like Khyentse Norbu's Travellers and Magicians, life toils at a snail's pace or in some instance, it's almost static - like a framed photograph.

Flowers bloom seasonally. Spring is green. Autumn dry. Summer wet. Winter harsh. People hospitable and smiling, living life like a Dzogchen practitioner.

Yet, Bhutan is Beautiful...beautiful where life is slow.

Climate change: Beautiful Bhutan threatened

Nature reporter Anjali Nayar hiked for 21 days in Northern Bhutan to find out how this tiny Himalayan nation is dealing with rapidly melting glaciers. Read Anjali's full report here

Dzongs and Mountains

Oh, Dzongs (fortresses) with mountains in the background are beautiful too. Just image google Bhutan and you will see what I mean. Dzongs.

Mountains. Beautiful mountains...and valleys too.

Well, Dzongs were build by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. He was a Tibetan fugitive and a lama who founded Bhutan (Druk Yul - The Dragon Country) in the 17th century.

Where is Bhutan?

Meeting people from all over the world is a joy.

The first thing they ask me is, 'um, where are you from?'

Bhutan.

Bhutan? Where's it?

Himalayas.

Lot of tourists?

A few...

What do you have?

Well, if you think about it, we have nothing, just Buddhist festivals and lots of mountains - beautiful mountains - and fresh air. Clear blue sky. Lots of stars at night that you may actually feel you can touch them!

Nothing?

Basically...

But why do people go there?

Some people have everything that they want to experience nothing...

Hahaha...

Hahaha...Seriously, we have one of the toughest and best trekking routes in the world and rich culture.

Some ask if we serve girls like some of our neighbours do and I say we don't.

Anyway, if you want to visit Bhutan, you will find some information here about how to get there.

In the meanwhile, if you need any information about Bhutan, please leave a comment or two...