Amankora Punakha

... and refreshments at the cafeteria which offers an imposing view
of the cultural landmark. (The hike can be quite strenuous and a pony
ride to the monastery can be arranged at additional cost).
The late afternoon is free to relax and enjoy Paro.
Day 07: Departure.
Most
of our Paro hotels are within 15 minutes drive to the airport. Transfer
to Paro Airport. Check in two hours prior to flight departure to ensure
the best seats on board Druk Air.
Thimphu, Bhutan dorji

We left Thimpu and headed north to the provence of Punakha, where the weather was, thankfully, slightly warmer. The road through the mountain pass was slightly precarious - narrow and steep, with the imminent theat of oncoming trucks. Luckily, it appears that Bhutanese truck drivers have slightly more road-awareness than their Indian counterparts -or, perhaps, just slower trucks. Our nearly 2 months away has obviously had no effect on Wiz's maths skills as, when stopping for a break at ...

... after my $3 a night places in India. The food, guide, driver and hotel are all included though I have to pay for drinks (not tea) as well as any souvenirs I get. The bed (at least last night!) was comfortable and warm with a heater. This was great as it gets pretty cold at night. The daytime is a pleasant crispness, and actually a little warm in the sunshine. I'm moving towards the central part of the country the day after tomorrow, but I don't think I ...

... chance to meet their king up close and offer the scarf. Unlike Western crowds, there was no great and unruly push toward the front - everyoine seemed genuinely patient and good natured about what turned into a rather long, and hot wait under the shining sun. Even as the security guards poked over the fence to tell people that the ceremonies were running late - and then they would be postponed to a later inthe week because of the massive ...

... women's dress is less distinctive, consisting of long skirts with a wrap around top, with cuffs of varying colours. The people do appear really happy and are very welcoming. The following day we visited a range of sites, including the National Library, a paper-making factory and an arts and crafts school, a view point over the town, an animal reserve with a new animal for us, the Takin, and the National Memorial Chorten. The chorten (or stupa ...

So after yesterdays debacle, we decided that as it is a new day, lets just get on with this tour **** and get on with life. And with that desicion made, we hit the road. Chimi Lakhang Just down the road from where we were staying was the Chimi Lakhang. Chimi means no dogs, but they were everywhere !!! Actually, from a distance, it looks like a temple on top of a woman's breast !!! But it is meant to be the temple for fetility !!! So off we went, across the paddies ...

... is soused and has been a constant distraction during the evening doesn't help sell his services. We leave for Paro and our flight to Bangkok early in the morning, so the group retires soon after dinner. It is going to be difficult to leave this amazing country, and I look forward to returning in one year's time! Hugs, Dan (All Photos for this entry courtesy of Tim Gardner)

Thursday, March 20, 2008 Thimphu to Punakha Dear Readers: Our day gets started with a blessing. Our hotel is near a school, and the morning assembly is taking place as we are leaving. The roads are blocked so as not to disturb the students as they pray. We have the incredible bounty of observing this spectacle and of hearing the principal address the students. Each morning one student reads an especially composed paper ...

Small town Wangdue has a lot of shops (mostly "general shops") and is very windy. Maybe that's why the town is currently being relocated further down the river. The Wangduephodrang Dzong here is among the few that have not yet been entirely restored, so it has a nice patina. Nearby's "No Dogs" Temple (Chimi Lhakhang) was reportedly founded by the very popular "Divine Madman" to pin down a demon in the body of a dog. Today, dogs are nonetheless allowed here.