Bhutan Photos: This picture tries to, but does not fully, capture the feeling of flying into a Shangri-la valley of rice fields surrounded by forests and snow capped mountains in crystal clear air. (A contrast from polluted Kathmandu valley in Nepal) - Paro, Bhutan Patty on steps of beautifully hand painted hotel, which used to be the Prime Minister's residence. Many local houses were decorated like this. - Paro, Bhutan A sampling of the logging industry found along the hiking trail -the trees are cut and squared off by hand. On another hike, We watched as a family pulled the logs attached to a rope almost vertically down a very steep mountain. - Paro, Bhutan An example of a 'hot stone' bath where they build a stone bathtub which catches the stream water and rocks are baked over a wooden fire to put in the water to warm itá We saw it being used when we were walking down from the hike, and they put up a fabric partition around the tub for privacy. - Paro, Bhutan As in many Asian countries, they chew betel nut with lime (and plenty of saliva). - Paro, Bhutan Is it blood on the trail? No, just betel nut spit!!! Paro, Bhutan Hiking along, you hear the tinkling of a bell and soon come upon a shrine housing 3 huge decorated prayer wheels powered by the water from the stream belowá Part of what makes Bhutan so mystical is that you are constantly surrounded by Buddhism! Paro, Bhutan An example of the home design in Bhutan with the stable at bottom, living quarters on the second floor and the roof, which is an open flue, is always raised with an air vent between the second floor and roof area. Paro, Bhutan Another example of typical construction seen everywhere - modernity encroaching with corrugated tin roofs held down by large stones to anchor it from wind. Paro, Bhutan On a hike, "hobo" Katie with her homemade walking stick and 'treasures' from the forest. Paro, Bhutan A traditional mother and darling daughter who giggled and smiled at us at Tiger's Nest Monastery. We met many locals on their pilgrimage to this sacred Buddhist shrine. Paro, Bhutan Prayer flags are in the high places on trailsá the threads break off and fly up into the sky to transmit messages to the gods. - Paro, Bhutan Golden elaborate clasps which hold on the beautiful woven fabrics of the woman's dress. The fabrics were very expensive to buy but really beautiful to look at. Paro, Bhutan We hiked to a small monastery where a local festival was staged with masked, costumed dancers twirling to drumbeats. Paro, Bhutan Dick getting traditionally dressed by our guide, Chorten, for the Paro Festival at 2 AM - Paro, Bhutan The famous 'Thanka' silk tapestry was unfurled at 3 AM on a building 100 feet high and wide. It is rolled back up at sunrise. Paro, Bhutan The pomp and circumstance at the Paro Festival, monks in red lined up in front of the head monk in yellow with yak butter candles and offerings of food and huge bonfires of pine boughs and incense burning. Paro, Bhutan Patty and kids huddled together freezing at Paro Festival at 3 AM. - Paro, Bhutan Driving from Thimpu to Punahka - Chorten, our guide, had brought and his brother, a monk bless prayer flags for us to hang for good luck - Punahka, Bhutan Along the drive, beautiful fields of yellow mustard growing on terraced fields. Punahka, Bhutan In the higher forests of the drives, red rhododendrons. Punahka, Bhutan We were honored to be invited to Chorten's boyhood home where we met his father and relatives, visited his traditional house and, best of all, watched a demonstration of archery, the National Sport of Bhutan. Chorten demonstrating his skill. Punahka, Bhutan Chorten's bull's-eye from 150 meters. It was really amazing to watch - the distances are so great you cannot even follow the course of the arrow and can barely see the target. Note Chorten's dress - half Bhutanese and half Western. Punahka, Bhutan Look closely and try to find the target at the other end of the firing range. Note the size of the person. Punahka, Bhutan Chorten has to pry out the arrow with a knife it was so deeply embedded in the target. Punahka, Bhutan Chorten's father with our children watching the archery contest. Punahka, Bhutan A father and son pictureá representing the traditional older generation who lives on a farm and has a small shop and the younger generation, leaving the farm for the 'city' to work as a guide. Punahka, Bhutan It was very interesting having a tour of Chorten's boyhood home. The bottom floor was a stable and to reach the second floor you climbed a very narrow ladder carved from a log to the living quarters. This is an example of a typical wood stove in the kitchen made of clay. After a hike, we all pose on a swinging bridge with Chorten, our guide and Samba, our driver. Punahka, Bhutan This is an example of a unique Bhutanese "Dzong" which is a combination of a Buddhist monastery and the seat of civil government. Punahka, Bhutan Are the Simon's at Everest Base Camp? No, we are at the top of our high elevation climb (which gave Katie altitude sickness). In 6 hours we hiked from 2200 meters to 3700 meters, from forests to a monastery surrounded by falling snow! Thimpu, Bhutan After hiking a very steep 6 hours to the monastery, our cook met us with tea and cookies. Our 'dining room' was an unheated abandoned building. Thimpu, Bhutan After our tea party, Chorten built a big fire in the stable where we warmed our toes. Thimpu, Bhutan Alex, dressed for the cold, taking a break to draw. Thimpu, Bhutan The next morning we were invited to visit the monastery where Chorten's brother is in seclusion doing 3 years of meditation. These young monks were practicing blowing the short horns. Note the monks wearing flip flop in the freezing cold rooms. Thimpu, Bhutan Monks demonstrating elaborately decorated LONG horns. We went to sleep in our tents listening to the sounds of horns and drums. Thimpu, Bhutan On the last day of our Bhutan trip, Dick, Patty and Chorten hiked to a monastery. (The kids stayed at the hotel and played with Samba.) We visited a childhood friend of Chorten's, who is a monk, and were invited into his room for 'butter tea' and puffed rice snack. Thimpu, Bhutan We had such a wonderful time with Chorten and Samba, the kids made special thank you cards. Our special surprise was a package of red-hot chili peppers! Every time we invited Chorten to eat with us, he would decline and go back into the kitchen to eat his traditional fare, full of chilies. Paro, Bhutan Samba's thank you cards, which had a theme of chewing gum and playing cards. He loved both and also "Back Street Boys" music. Paro, Bhutan
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