Punakha

Our journey to Punakha begins today and we were joined by a "guide" named Tashi. An old friend of Sagar. He wasn't really a guide anymore per se and has been inactive for the past 6 years but we needed one and no guide wanted to go out with us for just 3 days except for Tashi so we were thankful!

Our drive took us to the outskirts of Thimphu where we got to see Simtokha Dzong from a distance. The roads were winding and I'm glad I took some medicine because it looked like we were going to be climbing up for a while. Soon enough, we arrived at the highest elevation of the area, Dochula Pass. A collection of 108 chortens built in memory of fallen soldiers. The place was shrouded in mist which added a very dramatic and eerie vibe to the whole place. Even the trip to the bathroom was almost like an ethereal journey.

We stopped by a waterfall with fresh water spouting from a spring source, this too was holy water as signified by a chorten. I also saw a monastery out in the distance and asked Fifa what it was. Turns out it was Talo Monastery and I expressed that I wanted to go there too so it seems like we were going to do so after visiting the famous Chimi Lhakhang.

Chimi Lhakhang was the abode of the Divine Madman, who is a god of fertility and well known for being symbolized by the phallus. The town itself was plastered with it and it was quite surreal. After a short hike to the temple, I found that it actually wasn't as phallus-filled as I imagined it to be. The resident monk gave us some holy water to sip on as well as this black medicine that I just swallowed. I was also given a yellow thread that I was supposed to wear for 3 days, apparently. We also got to walk around the town and got to see plenty of the phallus on the building decors or as souvenirs.

Once we got back into the car, it was time to start climbing up again as Fifa took us towards Talo Monastery. Here, we finally got to see and interact with some monks who were preparing some crafts for a ritual that was about to take place the next day. Maitreya was also enshrined at the main temple here.

We also stopped by the Nalanda Buddhist Institute where we got to see monks hard at work, or rather studying for an exam. They muttered sutras under their breaths and each monk had their own way of studying so it was really fascinating to watch them go around their day.

We went back to Punakha for lunch and we stopped by a hotel where the King himself apparently, often stayed when he visits Punakha. With lunch out of the way, we finally headed out to see the main site of Punakha: Punakha Dzong. It certainly didn't disappoint. At the confluence of two rivers, it stood magnificently against the backdrop of mountains. The biggest and most beautiful dzong I have ever laid my eyes on. We walked across a bridge and stumbled into the temple courtyard where yellow and orange marigolds surrounded a giant tree with a white stupa behind it, the rest of the dzong still stood towering above everything else. We got to explore the place on our own and also the main temple. I was able to veer away from the group and was able to explore some of the dzong's off the beaten paths where I got to see monks and other hidden parts. When I got back to the temple front, it looked like everyone was already moving back out.

We walked to the nearby suspension bridge and we passed through another monk school where they were playing football. It looks like they were able to play a bit when studies were over, but only for a short while according to Fifa. The bridge itself was one of the longest suspension bridges I've seen and walking across it and looking down the river was a very thrilling experience. Once we got to the other end, we walked the way back to Punakha Dzong's parking area.

Fifa took us to our hotel, Punakha Residency, which was a pretty good place all things considered! No outdoor karaoke like our old place over at Thimphu. I went downstairs to get some dinner and was joined by Lisa and Emily before we all went back up to get ready for bed.Lue lisää