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| One of the highlights of the trip was the Tsechu Festival, an exuberant affair that featured costumed dancers performing masked dance dramas. This is a highly social occasion—locals come from all over, attired in their finest clothing and jewelry and spend hours watching the monks and lay people perform dances that, unfortunately, were fairly indistinguishable to this Western onlooker. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it tremendously—especially watching the crowd and chatting with some of the small children (English is taught in the schools and many of them speak it quite well). |
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| Though this was primarily a cultural tour, we got a chance to do a few short hikes in the countryside. I especially enjoyed the short hike across the rice paddles to Chimi Lhakhang, a pretty temple set upon a low hilltop. We also hiked a few hours above the town of Thimphu, Bhutan's tiny capital. These short hikes were offset by cultural activities that included attending an archery contest, visiting the "painting" school, and stops at the national library and folk heritage museum. |
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| Another hike took us to Dzongdrakha, a small monastery/retreat center overlooking the Paro Valley. It was rice harvest time, so we saw lots of threshing activity on the valley's checkerboard fields. |
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| A great hike along a switchback trail through the forest took us to a viewpoint where we could observe Taktsang Monastery up close. Taktsang means "tiger's nest" and when you see its location on a cliff 2,700 feet above the floor of the Paro Valley you can understand how it got its name. This was a steep hike and many members of our group elected to go by pony, captained by cute "pony handlers." |
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Bhutan enchanted me in so many ways—the friendly, welcoming people, the beautiful dzongs filled with worshipping monks, religion as a part of everyday life, the spectacular countryside. But what I'll especially remember is the rich use of color everywhere—in painted designs on homes, intricate carvings, elaborate thangkas, fluttering prayer flags, incredible woven fabrics, doors of massive stature. Bhutan is itself a "doorway" into another world, one I'd like to return to again and again. |
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For more information and reservations, please contact:
Mountain Travel Sobek
1266 66th Street, Suite 4
Emeryville, CA 94608
1-510-594-6000 or
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Fax: 1-510-594-6001
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