Bhutan — November, 2018
Bhutan is beautiful. All buildings conform to traditional architecture and design. Their attention to beauty is meticulous. There is very little plastic or metal, all design aspects are intricately carved from wood and painted. The airport in Paro is the most beautiful I’ve seen.
The king, his family, and the Buddha are much revered, their images everywhere.
We are met by Namgay, our guide for our ten-day exploration of Bhutan.The four ‘partners in crime’ unite at lunch to begin our basking in Bhutanese beauty. We begin our love affair with Bhutanese cuisine, specifically, Ema Datshi, a soupy condiment made from chilis and cheese that is present at every meal. Like much local cuisine, it is very spicy and not for the faint of heart.
Paro, located on the traditional Tibetan-Bhutanese trade route, is home to the National Museum and a large dzong, built in 1645. Dzongs were traditionally built as fortresses and now have split uses for government administration and for Buddhist monastic practice. Very large, in scale, dzong architecture reflects the detailed, carved and painted elements (built without nails) that will soon become so familiar to us.
Namgay regales us with Bhutanese Buddhist parables depicted in the omnipresent religious murals, not the least of which is the story of the “4 friends.” These harmonious characters… an elephant, a monkey, a hare and a bird… embody the spirit of cooperation as well as symbolize four terrestrial habitats… ground, trees, underground, and sky. The bird seeds the tree, the hare protects and nurtures the roots, the elephant provides might and height, and the monkey provides agility to reach the fruit.
Of course, prayer wheels are present everywhere.
We drive to Thimpu, the capital. Images of the beloved royal family are everywhere, as are polite admonishments to take pride in country and heritage. As Buddhists, Bhutanese honor all sentient beings and their home with respect and compassion. There is no litter anywhere.
Lots and lots of new construction in Thimpu and Paro. Even the large blocks of condominiums have traditional design elements.
We had a lovely hike through the forest up to the Cheri Goempa monastery (under restoration)…
… and an even lovelier lunch (we earned it) by the river when we got back down.
Bhutan is 72% virgin forest and the king has decreed that it can never fall below 60%.
Fertility is sacred, the penis is revered, and shows up in the darnedest places.
Traffic is sometimes interesting.
We visited the National Art Institute where the government sponsors the training of skilled artisans in carving, sculpture, painting, and textiles. This method of painting holy ‘Thangkas’ dates to ancient Tibet.
We then visited the textile museum which is almost as beautiful as the textiles themselves. Bhutanese weaving and beadwork is exquisite.
The truly awesome Golden Buddha (a stunning 177 ft high) is perched above Thimpu and houses an even more extraordinary temple beneath and inside it. Unfortunately, photos are forbidden inside most temples. Trust me, if you go to Bhutan, you do not want to miss this.
JJ casually mentioned someone her daughter had grown up with was living in Thimpu with his wife. Namgay took us to dinner at his sister’s restaurant with his wife and children and had arranged for a surprise reunion with JJ’s friend (coincidentally, he is a teacher at Namgay’s sons’ school.) This devotion to our enjoyment is one of the many reasons we love Namgay and feel his company (www.illuminatingtoursbhutan.com) is the best to use if you want to make this trip of a lifetime. How can you not love this family?
The story continues…
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