Bumthang- Festival

This am we left Trongsa early at 7am for the 2.5 hr drive over the pass and through the Chhume Valley.
The reason for the early departure was to attend the 3 day Jakar Taechu ( festival) at the Jakar Dzong.
What an amazing sight and a total treat as we didn’t realise it was on until yesterday.
We arrived at the Dzong courtyard which was already packed at 9.30am with locals in their best outfits and jewellery including the cutest little kids in traditional dress.
We spent a couple of hours trying to photograph the masked dancers and spectators whilst being embarrassed by some abhorrent behaviour of some of the other tourists- one woman was asked by the policeman to move her chair back to make room for the local to sit to which she questioned him and then refused, and one man who had set up his camera on a tripod in a prime spot refused to move, then was made to let a local family put their mat down... and then he proceeded to kneel back down on it!!!
Once the dancers gave way to the locals queuing to receive their blessings we decided to leave as we were just in the way.
What a spectacle... next off to some more templesRead more