Dragon Kingdom: Day 3

 

From Thimpu we drove up over a range reaching 3100m. At the top is this memorial to Bhutanese solders loss (about 10) in the war against separatist Rebels who were based in Bhutan seeking an independent (from India) Assam.

Along the full length of the 70 kM windy road was significant earth work widening the road. Of interest most construction work in Bhutan is performed by Indian labour. There is little interest in performing this work by locals.

After an enjoyable lunch with the top scene out our window, we walked through the terraced fields and village and up to the hill to the ancient temple. In the grounds of the temple, young monks were studying.

 

 

In the afternoon we visited the great Dzong at Punakha, at the junction of the 'male' and 'female' rivers. A very impressive building accessed by a counter lever bridge. There was a large jacaranda tree in the grounds and wild bees left to build their hives on the end of the building. Lenore captured an all too graphHe ic photo of the ladies Bhutanese toilets.







 

It was then the walk across the 160M Pho Chhi suspension bridge. On the far side was a little general store and our guide decided to shout us a Druk 11000 beer. Druk mean Bhutan, and at 8% alcohol I recon it takes you straight to 11,000 feet!