From Trongsa, we drive to Bumthang and beyond.
The morning we leave Trongsa, the dzong is shrouded in mist.
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The beginning of the journey to Bumthang – we are above the clouds.
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At a rest stop, the pass is covered in prayer flags.
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Our accommodation in Bumthang (pronounced ‘boomTONG’, not ‘BUMthang’, FYI) is in the Tang Valley. Tula, our guide, describes our hostess, Ms. Kunzang Choden, as ‘of a noble family’. She’s also an author, having published ‘Dawa: The Story of a Stray Dog in Bhutan‘. Her husband is Swiss. We have rösti with our dinner.
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On the grounds of the property is the Ogyen Choling museum.
This is the Jampa Lhakhang monastery near Bumthang. It’s famous for staging a mysterious ‘naked dance‘ annually.
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Bhutan has a lot of festivals. Peak tourist season (which we are NOT in now) usually means foreign visitors want to see these spectacles performed.
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It’s not something we like to do: Bhutanese people are very sincere about the importance of these dances. We feel that the more they become a tourist attraction, the less vital they become for Bhutanese identity. But that’s just us.
We visit a ‘heritage house’, which portrays traditional everyday life in Bhutan in the past.
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Our hostess is the dignified Ms. Dorji Lhamo.
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We are shown tools, textiles, and other artifacts.
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This is the balcony at the rear. Actually, Ms. Lhamo’s house next door doesn’t seem that much different from the ‘heritage house’.
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Not far from Bumthang is the Pema Choling nunnery.
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Among their duties is caring for the nearby Burning Lake – an important place in the national mythology.
On the way, we see a stupa under construction. The low-tech scaffolding and ample manpower bring to mind the Pharaonic construction of the pyramids.
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Another day, we make an excursion to Lhuentse.
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Along the way, we stop to visit a suspension bridge over the swift-flowing Kuri Chhu river.
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Lhuentse Dzong from below.
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As usual, the doors are photo-worthy.
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And below flows the Kuri Chhu river.
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These dzongs often combine the monastery with the local civil government.
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A young monk takes a break from his studies.
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We stop for a picnic lunch along the river.
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We make a postprandial visit to Khoma, a village where women bring home the bacon by their weaving skills.
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This woman spends about four hours a day at the loom.
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That’s besides doing other household work.
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We visit another monastery on top of a mountain.
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In the courtyard, monks and lay people are practicing for an upcoming dance.
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Tula tells us about a politically incorrect Bhutanese saying: ‘Beware of women or monks driving.’
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Another fancy door.
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Some monks relax in the garden.
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View of the river far below.
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This monk is very generous about explaining the history of the monastery.
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We arrive back in Trashigang.
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Trashigang looks a bit like an Elizabethan town.
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Tula, Mr. Rinsin, and I stock up on water for the road.
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Archery is the national sport of Bhutan.
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We see a fascinating example of how this works. Rivals shoot from 125 meters (!) away. The opponents do a mocking dance in front of the target, daring the other side to come close to hitting them (while keeping a close eye on the actual trajectory of fired arrows.) When a team does score a bulls-eye, then begins an elaborate dance that looks like a bunch of football players celebrating a touchdown.
Sight or Insight of the Day
We hear that João Gilberto passed away. Descanse em paz, amigo.
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This man almost single-handedly brought Bossa Nova to the world. That world is a richer place for containing such classics as ‘Chega de saudade‘ and ‘Corcovado‘.
See you in another life, João.