More of my Bhutan itnerary:
Day Five: I shuttled to Dochu La (La means pass) en route to Punakha. In Punakha I stayed at the Meri Puensum Hotel (while spartan, it is currently the best hotel in the area). At the top of the pass, I visited the 108 chortens and tried Yak cheese. The cheese is pretty hard so locals suck on it for about an hour until it’s soft enough to chew. I couldn’t get past a few licks. Apparently, though, yak cheese is becoming popular in the gourmet world.
Because I made good time, I hit the Punakha Dzong. A gorgeous temple with the largest Buddha I had ever seen.
Though, it should be noted that Bhutan is currently building The World’s largest Buddha (it will be larger than the Buddha in Hong Kong). Here is a picture of it underway.
Then in the afternoon it was a hike to the Chimmi Lhakhang temple. It is devoted to the god of fertility, the Divine Madman. Those wanting children visit the temple, receive a blessing and choose their child’s name. There are only about 80 names total in all of Bhutan and the names can be for a male or female. I was blessed by a monk at the temple. He tapped my head with a 500-year old phallus carved by the Drukpa Kunley.
Day Six: I hiked to Chorten Nebu (built in 1650 and was the winter monastery for monks). Next to the monastery is an orphanage that my guide, Namgay Tshering, personally supports. The boys were exceptionally polite and extremely appreciative of the gifts Namgay brought. They are pictured below trying on our sunglasses. If you would like to know how to support these boys, do let me know and I can put you in touch with Namgay. He makes sure everything donated is given directly to the boys.
Day Seven: I shuttled back over Dochu La back to Paro. I stopped at the pass to see if the Himalayas were visible. While it was a nice day, there was just enough cloud cover to prevent a proper look. Back in Paro, I checked in at the Uma Hotel.
Day Eight: I hiked to one of Bhutan’s most famous sites, the Takstang Monastery, also known as The Tiger’s Nest. It’s a steep hike, made just a bit tricky in parts by the sheer cliff you walk alongside, but a satisfying one. After, I had a traditional Bhutanese lunch at the tea house which is located half-way up on a ridge that looks across to the Tiger’s Nest.
Day Nine: I participated in a prayer flag ceremony and then bid everyone goodbye through serious tears. It is truly the first time in my travels that I did not want to return home. There is so much more to report from my trip. The above is just a very high level summary and I am still unpacking all my experiences. But suffice it to say, Bhutan is a beautiful country with magnificent people and it will forever be in my heart.
Quick facts for those who might visit soon:
The local currency is the Nu. There are no ATMs in Bhutan where foreigners can withdraw cash, only the locals can. Many of the hotels, however, can change money at their front desks. The Internet is available everywhere and in fact you will often see monks on their cell phones. The culture is conservative and modest dress is always advised. In addition, because it is a Buddhist country, visitors should not touch a person’s head,and refrain from pointing, wearing shoes or putting their feet up in temples. Further, some temples require that both men and women wear collared shirts, so it’s a good idea to bring at least one. Finally, all visitors are required to have a local guide. I cannot say enough about my guide Namgay and hope if you decide to visit Bhutan you will look him up.
[...] see my next Essay, Beautiful Bhutan (continued) for [...]