Bhutan
Tashi Chho Dzong

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    • Day 24

      National Memorial Chhorten

      November 14, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

      Things are slow to change in Bhutan. That was evident when we went to the Bank of Bhutan to exchange some money. I saw deposit slips and withdrawal slips all to be hand written for the said purpose. Getting our money changed was all hand recorded in a ledger. The style of buildings hasn’t changed and the height of buildings is limited by the constitution of the country.

      That being said, when they erected the Memorial Chorten in 1974 to honour the late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, they didn’t try to stretch the boundaries much. As you can see, it looks a lot like some of the other Stupas we have documented.
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    • Day 26

      We did it!

      November 16, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

      Descending the mountain is more dangerous, but less tiring than the climb. Even so, it is hot now and my quads are aching. We all rented some poles for the journey this morning and they do come in handy but as poles go, these are not much better than a stick you find on the trail. Sounds like the lament of a Prima Donna.Read more

    • Day 26

      Topo 6; Topo 7

      November 16, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

      I mentioned the farm was prosperous. They have a side business that offers herbal baths, in a wooden tub, with water heated by river stones. The four of us are looking for something extra after the hike and this seems like a fun thing to do. We all get a look at the backside of the tubs and where they heat the stones. All you have to do is yell out Topo 6 to get more hot stones in your bath water and a hotter tub. Dianne and I share a room with 2 baths. So do Liz and Alan. I’m in tub 6 and she is in tub 7. I yell out topo 6 and soon I have more hot stones in my tub along with some fresh herbs. Just between you and me, the herbs could have been weeds grown at the side of the road, but whatever, they smelled nice. Dianne yells out topo 7 and more stones and weeds appear for her. Between the four of us we keep our boy pretty busy for 45 minutes or so. Topo means more stones in case you havens guessed. It felt great after the hike.Read more

    • Day 24

      Thimphu

      November 14, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

      After a long day, we decide to interact with the locals. For Dianne and Liz that means shopping and for Alan and me it means walking without purpose. I have a camera with me and snap a picture of a traffic cop who looks like he likes his job. Pretty zen fellow. As this is happening, the solar powered dogs come alive. It’s a commotion that draws my attention. What the local mutts are pissed about is some uppity dog riding in the back of a truck. There is a gang of them surrounding the truck barking, some standing on hind legs looking into the truck bed. The dog in the truck is no ordinary dog either. It’s a St. Bernard, with a very deep woof, when it deems to speak. The sound of this woof gets the local mutts on an even rowdier splurge. Who does he think he is riding in that truck and all while the rest of us have to paw and limp our way around here like paupers? Eventually 3 monks arrive at the vehicle, get in and drive away with the St Bernard giving one last in your face woof to the chagrin of the solar dog gang. As all this is going on, the traffic cop stayed focused on his job, directing traffic. Never distracted.Read more

    • Day 5

      Thimpu: Tashichho Dzong

      May 18, 2018 in Bhutan ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

      Buddhist monastery and fortress, built in 1200s and houses the government: only open to visitors from 17.30-18.30! 😲 (je wordt langzaam en subtiel buiten gewerkt zoals op de festivals, uit respect geen paraplu’s of hoeden toegelaten )Read more

    • Day 17

      Diese Festung ist der aktuelle Sommersitz der Königsfamilie. Darum herrschen auch besondere Regeln. Teile dürfen auch von aussen nicht fotografiert werden, Wege dürfen nicht verlassen werden, viele Bereiche dürfen nicht betreten werden. Alles etwas ungewohnt in Bhutan, wo bisher eigentlich ausser innerhalb der Tempel keine strengen Regeln herrschten und trotzdem alles gut funktioniert. Aber wie immer sind diese Regeln für uns Touristen gemacht, da „wir“ uns ja nicht benehmen können.
      Ansonsten ist das Fort wie so manches andere Fort auf unserer Reise. Nur einfach ein bisschen grösser als die bisherigen. Dies fällt besonders im Innenhof auf, welcher richtig viel Platz bietet.
      Leider merken wir von den aktuellen Zeremonien anlässlich eines besonderen Tages im Mondkalender kaum etwas, da sich alles in den Bereichen abspielt, die wir nicht betreten dürfen.
      Also kurz alles angeschaut, die Buddha-Figuren erklärt bekommen (allmählich finden wir uns ein bisschen zurecht) und dann war es das auch schon.
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    • Day 17

      The Hangover Hike

      April 14, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ 🌫 14 °C

      Ein kurzer Spaziergang oberhalb von Thimphu ist toll, um den Kopf auszulüften. Wir laufen zu einem Tempel, der nach dem Erdbeben von 2009 völlig zerstört wurde und jetzt nach dem Wiederaufbau kurz vor der Vollendung steht.
      Von dem Tempel dürfen aber auch von aussen keine Photos gemacht werden. Aber wer will auch schon Bilder einer Baustelle haben?
      Unterwegs treffe wir einige andere Touristen auf dem gleichen Weg. Und sehen einige wenige Vögel.

      Als wir denken, wir wären wieder nüchtern und alles gut sehen wir komische Tiere im Wald. Sind wir noch betrunken, sehen wir verschwommen?

      Die Tiere gaben den Kopf eines Elchs (aber viel kürzer und mit kleinem Geweihe), Körper von Schweinen (aber mit dem Fell eines Rehs): Füssen einer Kuh und dem Schwanz eines Hundes.
      Wir sind nüchtern, den dies sind Takins, die buthanischen Nationaltiere. Komische Viecher, wir staunen erst mal.
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    • Day 14

      Thimphu I

      May 10, 2019 in Bhutan ⋅ 🌬 25 °C

      Thimphu I
      After a good night’s sleep after no waking up tea we had breakfast at the hotel. We already miss the food of Nima, our cook on the trek. We are still amazed what delicious meals we got served during those 9 days. We were picked up by Tenzin to visit different museums. The first one was called ‘simply Bhutan’, it was a some houses where the bhutanese culture were explained. For example, house building is with mud, so they stamp the mud. Since they will inevitably kill insects by doing it they sing a song of forgiveness. We could taste Ara, the local wine made of rice and also butter tea. During the tea session they danced and sang for us. We were the only tourists in this big room and we felt akward. Tenzin said later he had fun watching us because we looked a bit lost. I guess we were. The dancing was lovely. We then could perform some archery, I failed particularly, Lilian was a natural. I like this kind of museums. Next was the handcrafts museum, or more showroom since there are young people learning one of the 13crafts that are existing in the buthanese culture. Quite impressive. The funniest moment was when a Indian lady stopped Lilian and me. First we thought she wanted to take us a picture of her, but no, she wanted a picture with us. That was a comical situation.
      The afternoon was lazy and full of time to spend and just wonderful.
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    • Day 81

      Auch Mönche spielen sonntags Fussball

      December 18, 2016 in Bhutan ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

      Heute besuchten wir das Kloster Phajoding. Dazu mussten wir aber zuerst 2h den Berg hochwandern, denn das Kloster liegt auf 3600m.ü.M.
      Oben angekommen erhielten wir von den jungen Mönche einen Tee und wir konnten uns mit dem Chef des Klosters unterhalten. Die jungen Mönche leben ca. 9 Jahre im Kloster und lernen dort alles Wichtige fürs Leben.
      Da es Sonntag war, hatten die Mönche frei und vergnügten sich mit Badminton und Fussball spielen oder hatten Zeit, ihre Wäsche zu machen.
      Nach einem einfachen Mittagessen war es bereits wieder Zeit für den Abstieg.
      Am Abend hatten wir die Ehre, mit dem Chef der Firma, welche für uns alles organisiert hat, das Abendessen einzunehmen. Wir gingen dazu in ein typisches bhutanesisches Restaurant und genossen den Abend bei sehr feinem Essen und guter Unterhaltung.
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    • Day 10

      Day of the bike ride

      December 30, 2017 in Bhutan ⋅ ⛅ -1 °C

      It was bright sunny morning. After breakfast we visited the local Market. Bustling with locals and nomads buying and trading goods. Following the market we went to the momentary down the road where we blessed by the abbot of the temple. We then proceeded to the Fertility temple and saw many stores and structures with phallus painted and even sold as statues. The Fertility temple was built in honor of the Divine Madman - and amazing story. At the Fertility monastery we toured the inside and told of the tale of the Divine Madman who trapped demon on the grounds under a Stupa. After lunch we went on a Bike ride along the river to the market and returned to lodge exhausted!Read more

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