Dragon Kingdom: Departure 30 Mar 15

So what are our thoughts of Bhutan. It is a different tourist destination only touched to a limited extent by tourists. It has the cleanliness, strong anti-corruption stance and national pride of Singapore, the friendliness of Thailand, the religious commitment of Tibet, and the mountains of Nepal.

King number 4 was clearly far sighted and guided slow gradual change, including retiring at 60 and handing over to his son. The commitment to national dress and mandating of national features into buildings has certainly enhanced national identity.

Economically they are comfortable with the export of hydro power to India their biggest generator of income, with tourism second. Economically they are tied to India which is probably not a bad place to be. Their currency is pegged, Indian notes are accepted, and Indians do not require a Visa to enter and this is reciprocal. A challenge is the geopolitical tension between China and India, soon to be the two biggest economies in the world.

On the down side they do not have sufficient flat land to grow the cereal they need. India can probably supply the shortfall or they could introduce high productivity strains. They do receive aid from many countries including Australia. As I approached Tiger Nest I came into conversation with an Australian lady who is in Bhutan for a year, sponsored by Australian Government and the Red Cross. She is a psychologist and will be undertaking analysis of children with special needs.

Overall Bhutan is an interesting travel destination with their efforts to maintain national costumes, 60% of land designated to forests, protection of the environment as a goal. All these ingredients combine in the catch phrase of Gross National Happiness.

Tourism is expanding! We flew out on the first flight by Drukair's fourth A319, that will expand connections to further destinations. We had a great trip due in part to our great guide (on right) and driver (left).

Best wishes Bhutan!

 

Dragon Kingdom: Day 6; 29 March 15.

The challenge for today was to climb the 900M to Tiger Nest at 3100m, located just outside Paro. Just when you think you are there and look across to the Temples (top right) you are faced with 900 steps down and then up again to the Temples. I found this the hardest part of the whole climb. Even when you finally enter the complex, there are steep climbs between levels.

 

In summary, let's just say I am a very tired boy tonight!

 

Dragon Kingdom: Day 4- Taro

 

We visited the annual Festival at Taro which is located at the top of a mountain climb from Punakha. The festival is held in the grounds of a temple (left) on a flat grassed area. The dances are standard Buddhist dances performed only by men. We learnt much more about the dances when we visited the Paro museum on Day 5.

The dancers wear wooden masks that we were told are owned by the temple. A number of "wardrobe malfunctions " occurred with the headgear; these were corrected while the other dancers improvised. Nothing that a little Velcro wouldn't fix.

The various dances and songs were linked by 4 very active clowns who spent the majority of time "on stage". We couldn't understand their dialogue, but some of their one liners must have been fantastic judging by the audience reaction. From time to time they would bestow a fertility blessing on the head of a young woman.

Photos of one of the clowns (left) and 'the Band' lead by the older gentleman on symbols leaving the younger players to contribute on the single note horns.

 

The locals brought their picnic lunches with them. We gave a spare boiled egg and banana to this young girl in the care of a grand mother. The audience had an under representation of teenage boys and younger men. The ladies and monks alike spent time drinking butter tea, and chewing beetle leaves.

For me a personal highlight was when a young monk came over and sat next to me for a 20+ minute chat! We discussed cricket (naturally) Australia having just beaten India in the World Cup. He knew many of the Au team and past legends. He is also a fan of Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.


He completed a BBA (HR) before becoming a monk and in 2 years time he will go to one of the 3 Buddist Universities to do his Masters of Buddism.

I was sorry when we were interrupted by his smart phone ringing. It was his mother saying his lunch was ready! She with his father and brother had come from the nearby village for the Festival.

Archery is the national sport of Bhutan, and we were lucky enough to see this competition between 2 teams of professionals. They were shooting at the 150M range. I could hardly see the target, but the shooter and some of the other competitors seemed to know immediately whether it was going to hit the target. I guess when you shoot every day, you just know.

 

 

This group of women at the Taro Festivals sang a number of songs in a chant like form with limited movements and often holding hands.

 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

 

Dragon Kingdom: Day 2

 

We visited the Tango University for Buddhist Studies. I was told that the monks walk up from the car part in 20 minutes. I took 1 hr 20 min including many stops to recovery. It was a unique experience to sit in a room with over 100, possibly 200 monks chanting. When they graduate theY will be Masters at various monistories.

 

I was then able to view their temple Buddhas with relics, before retracing our steps down the slope. There is a variety of vegetation on the slopes, including bright red flowering rhododendrons.

 

(Top right) the one traffic control point in Bhutan, with a policewoman on duty in the centre of a crossroads.

(Left) the worlds largest Buddah, a 51m high bronze figure on a hill overlooking Thumphu.

(Bottom right) the story of Dzongs.

 

 

 

 

Dragon Kingdom

We landed at Paro on our Royal Bhutan Airlines (Drukair) A319 right on time after flying down a valley leading to Paro. Definitely a Visual Flight Rules only approach. Progress thru immigration and customs was business like and we we soon outside and greeted by our guide and driver. We headed towards the capital Thimphu with a couple a brief stops along the way. The Stupas by the river junction are: far left, Nepalese style; far right Tibetan style, and centre (larger) Bhutanese style.

 







The man on the far right was circulating the National Memorial Chorten, with a prayer wheel. He had supplemented the national dress with a serviceable hat.

 

Late in the afternoon we visited the Thimphu Dzong to watch the flag lowering Ceremony in which these 3 monks participated. We then viewed the temple within, before the sky opened with some very cold rain drops with just a few snow flakes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Faces of Nepal

Centre: Ladies carrying a load up-hill.

Top right: Older men at a meeting place.

Mixing clay and ash by hand to make bricks.

Ladies carrying a load (again).

A man in traditional dress existing the Golden Gate, Bhaktapur.

 

Centre: a group of ladies have finished cutting a crop, and start to carry it using the head band approach.

Top right: A young artist in Bhaktapur doing extremely fine work.

An old man sits near the large wheels being assembled into a cart used for the annual procession of a Hindu God around Bhaktapur.

A man buys a cauliflower; fruit and veg is of great quality in the Valley.

Lady sitting in a door way, knitting.